Attraction - any visitor service or product which tourists would enjoy visiting or using. An attraction may not be an "attractor" but can still be an attraction. To be considered an attraction, a product must be: A. Findable (clearly located on maps and street addresses, and directions provided). If tourists can't find the facility, it is not a tourist attraction. B. Hours of operation clearly denoted in any and all promotional materials (if a tourist arrives only to find the attraction closed, it is not an attraction). Examples of attractions include everything from a theme park that attracts over a million visitors a year, to a produce stand by the side of the road.

(Source: Glossary of Terms & Acronyms - Compiled & Contributed from Private & Public Tourism Organizations (http://www.southeasttourism.org/research/GlossaryofTerms.htm))

Attractor - a significant tourist attraction, which compels visitation. The primary "must sees" in an area. The top reasons a tourist would choose to visit this area.

(Source: Glossary of Terms & Acronyms - Compiled & Contributed from Private & Public Tourism Organizations (http://www.southeasttourism.org/research/GlossaryofTerms.htm))

Benchmarking - the process of comparing performance and processes within an industry to assess relative position against either a set industry standard or against those who are "best in class" (Synergy, 2000).

(Source: Glossary of Terms & Acronyms - Compiled & Contributed from Private & Public Tourism Organizations (http://www.southeasttourism.org/research/GlossaryofTerms.htm))

Best Practice(s) - a term used to designate highest quality, excellence, or superior practices in a particular field by a tourism operator.

(Source: Glossary of Terms & Acronyms - Compiled & Contributed from Private & Public Tourism Organizations (http://www.southeasttourism.org/research/GlossaryofTerms.htm))

Business Travel - Travel for commercial, governmental or educational purposes with leisure as a secondary motivation.

(Source: Glossary of Hospitality/Tourism Terms -
http://www.catalysttelecom.com/solutioncity/hospitality_files/GlossaryofHospitalityTerms.doc)

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Consumer Show - a product showcase for the general public. Differs from a "Trade Show" as a trade show generally targets industry professionals. Consumer Shows target the consumer. Often there is a charge to get into the show.

(Source: Glossary of Terms & Acronyms - Compiled & Contributed from Private & Public Tourism Organizations (http://www.southeasttourism.org/research/GlossaryofTerms.htm))

Convention and Visitors Bureau - These organizations are local tourism marketing organizations specializing in developing conventions, meetings, conferences and visitations to a city, county or region.

(Source: Glossary of Hospitality/Tourism Terms -
http://www.catalysttelecom.com/solutioncity/hospitality_files/GlossaryofHospitalityTerms.doc)

Country of Residence - consists of the country where she/he has lived for most of the past year (12 months), or for a shorter period if she/he intends to return within 12 months to live there.

(Source: Department of Tourism (DOT), Philippines - http://www.nscb.gov.ph/ru4/glos_tourism.htm)

Cultural tourism - travel for the purpose of learning about cultures or aspects of cultures (NEAP, 2000).

(Source: Glossary of Terms & Acronyms - Compiled & Contributed from Private & Public Tourism Organizations (http://www.southeasttourism.org/research/GlossaryofTerms.htm))

Day visitors - visitors who arrive and leave the same day for leisure, recreation and holidays, visiting friends and relatives, & business and professional.

(Source: Singapore Tourism Board (Research & Statistics Department))

Destination Marketing - Marketing a city, state, country, area or region to consumers and trade.

(Source: Glossary of Hospitality/Tourism Terms -
http://www.catalysttelecom.com/solutioncity/hospitality_files/GlossaryofHospitalityTerms.doc)

Destination Marketing Organization (DMO) - a company or other entity involved in the business of increasing tourism to a destination or improving its public image.

(Source: Glossary of Terms & Acronyms - Compiled & Contributed from Private & Public Tourism Organizations (http://www.southeasttourism.org/research/GlossaryofTerms.htm))

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Ecotourism - "responsible travel to natural areas that conserves the environment and improves the welfare of local people," according to The International Ecotourism Society.

(Source: Glossary of Terms & Acronyms - Compiled & Contributed from Private & Public Tourism Organizations (http://www.southeasttourism.org/research/GlossaryofTerms.htm))

Familiarization Trip - a complimentary or reduced-rate travel program for travel agents, airline or rail employees or other travel buyers, designed to acquaint participants with specific destinations or suppliers and to stimulate the sale of travel. Familiarization tours, also called fam tours, are sometimes offered to journalists as research trips for the purpose of cultivating media coverage of specific travel products.

(Source: Glossary of Terms & Acronyms - Compiled & Contributed from Private & Public Tourism Organizations (http://www.southeasttourism.org/research/GlossaryofTerms.htm))

Foreign Independent Travel or Foreign Individual Travel (FIT) - an international pre-paid unescorted tour that includes several travel elements such as accommodations, rental cars and sightseeing. A FIT operator specialises in preparing FITs documents at the request of retail travel agents. FITs usually receive travel vouchers to present to on-site services as verification of pre-payment.

(Source: Glossary of Terms & Acronyms - Compiled & Contributed from Private & Public Tourism Organizations (http://www.southeasttourism.org/research/GlossaryofTerms.htm))

Geotourism (1998) - tourism that sustains or enhances the geographic character of the place being visited--its environment, culture, aesthetics, heritage, and the well-being of its residents

(Source: Glossary of Terms & Acronyms - Compiled & Contributed from Private & Public Tourism Organizations (http://www.southeasttourism.org/research/GlossaryofTerms.htm))

Gross lettings - this refers to all room lettings, i.e. both paid & complimentary listings are included

(Source: Singapore Tourism Board (Research & Statistics Department))

Group Tour and Group Leader - Group Tour - a travel agent type company which plans motor coach trips. Group Leader: A small, informal group, such as a church group, scout troop, or social group. Usually one person plans the activities for the group. Some travel shows target these planners such as GLAMER.

(Source: Glossary of Terms & Acronyms - Compiled & Contributed from Private & Public Tourism Organizations (http://www.southeasttourism.org/research/GlossaryofTerms.htm))

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Hospitality - a general term used in travel & tourism describing the "hospitality industry"; Refers to the general greeting, welcoming, food service, etc

(Source: Glossary of Terms & Acronyms - Compiled & Contributed from Private & Public Tourism Organizations (http://www.southeasttourism.org/research/GlossaryofTerms.htm))

Hotel Package - a package offered by a hotel, sometimes consisting of no more than a room and breakfast; sometimes, especially at resort hotels, consisting of (ground) transportation, rooms, meals, sports facilities and other components.

(Source: Glossary of Terms & Acronyms - Compiled & Contributed from Private & Public Tourism Organizations (http://www.southeasttourism.org/research/GlossaryofTerms.htm))

Incentive Tour - a trip offered as a prize, usually by a company to stimulate employee sales or productivity.

(Source: Glossary of Terms & Acronyms - Compiled & Contributed from Private & Public Tourism Organizations (http://www.southeasttourism.org/research/GlossaryofTerms.htm))

Inquiry - a request for more information about an attraction or destination.

(Source: Glossary of Terms & Acronyms - Compiled & Contributed from Private & Public Tourism Organizations (http://www.southeasttourism.org/research/GlossaryofTerms.htm))

Itinerary - a travel schedule provided by a travel agent for his/her customer. A proposed or preliminary itinerary may be rather vague or specific. A final itinerary however provides all details (flight numbers, departure times, reservation confirmation numbers) and describes planned activities.

(Source: Glossary of Terms & Acronyms - Compiled & Contributed from Private & Public Tourism Organizations (http://www.southeasttourism.org/research/GlossaryofTerms.htm))

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Joint venture - a form of strategic alliance or co-operative arrangement where ownership is shared and a separate enterprise formed. This may strengthen existing businesses through shared expertise, capital, removal of competition and creation of economies of scale. International tourism joint ventures between foreign organisations and local partners facilitate introduction of foreign products into local markets.

(Source: Encyclopaedia of Tourism, p338)

Jungle tourism - Jungle tours have become a major component of green tourism in tropical destinations. A jungle is a subclimax tropical forest consisting of a tangled growth of lianas, trees and scrub which may form an almost impenetrable barrier to the tourist. Jungle tours are a relatively recent phenomenon of Western international tourism.

(Source: Encyclopaedia of Tourism, p341 & 342)

Key-informant survey - This involves interviewing people who are likely to have some insight into a problem: operating managers; sales staff; managers; suppliers; and consultants.

(Source: Marketing Hospitality (2nd ed), by Tom Powers, p98)

Keying - A social convention by which social 'reality' is transformed and seen as something else, such as the presentation of a fight as mere horseplay. In tourism, a peculiar, inverted variety of keying is frequently employed: the 'as if' situation in which participants are induced to playfully make believe that presented settings, activities or events are 'real', when as tourists they may be well aware that such occurences are contrived.

(Source: Encyclopaedia of Tourism, p344)

Leisure tourist - Leisure tourists, in contrast with business travellers, travel for pleasure and thus are not under any obligations to frequent specific destinations or facilities. They tend to be price and fashion conscious, concentrate their touristic activities to specific (vacation) times, and are influenced by marketing and publicity. Leisure tourism is heavily influenced by living standards, discretionary income levels and vacation entitlements.

(Source: Encyclopaedia of Tourism, p356)

Length of stay - This refers to the period of time which people spend in a destination. Many definitions require that visitors to a destination stay at least 24 hours or overnight, and less than one year, to be considered a tourist. Destination areas often look for means to extend tourists' length of stay in order to increase positive economic impacts.

(Source: Encyclopaedia of Tourism, p356)

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Maximum room nights - this is calculated based on the total room inventory for all gazetted hotels.

(Source: Singapore Tourism Board (Research & Statistics Department))

Nature tourism - travel to unspoiled places to experience and enjoy nature.

(Source: Glossary of Terms & Acronyms - Compiled & Contributed from Private & Public Tourism Organizations (http://www.southeasttourism.org/research/GlossaryofTerms.htm))

Occupancy rate A tourism business occupancy rate refers to the number of airline seats or the units of hotel room space sold. This demand is usually measured as a percentage of available seats or space occupied for a given period of time. It is calculated by dividing the number of occupied rooms/seats by the total number available for sale during the same period.

(Source: Encyclopaedia of Tourism, p417)

Outbound - Outbound tourism is defined as tourism involving residents of a country travelling to another country. Outbound tour operators offer package tours abroad. They either operate the tours themselves, or they commission the services of an inbound operator to handle local arrangements at the destination. The country from which the tourists originate is known as the generating market or country.

(Source: Encyclopaedia of Tourism, p420)

Package Tour - A saleable travel product offering an inclusive price with several travel elements that would otherwise be purchased separately. Usually has a predetermined price, length of time and features but can also offer options for separate purchase.

(Source: Glossary of Terms & Acronyms - Compiled & Contributed from Private & Public Tourism Organizations (http://www.southeasttourism.org/research/GlossaryofTerms.htm))

Paid lettings - this refers to room lettings that are paid for by hotel guests

(Source: Singapore Tourism Board (Research & Statistics Department))

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Quality - In tourism, the product is often intangible and quality is not apparent until after it is consumed. Quality has been defined as zero defects or defections, but still may be defined by the customer. The International Organisation for Standardisation defines quality as `the totality of features and characteristics of a product or service that bear on its ability to satisfy stated or implied needs'. Others believe that quality is a combination of outcome and processes, including internal and external conditions, and is obtained when the expectations and needs of customers are met.

(Source: Encyclopedia of Tourism, p479)

Rack Card - the typical tourism brochure sized 4" x 9" and used primarily in tourism racks. Also known as a "teaser."

(Source: Glossary of Terms & Acronyms - Compiled & Contributed from Private & Public Tourism Organizations (http://www.southeasttourism.org/research/GlossaryofTerms.htm))

Rack Rate - the official cost posted by a hotel, attraction or rental car, but not used by tour operators.

(Source: Glossary of Terms & Acronyms - Compiled & Contributed from Private & Public Tourism Organizations (http://www.southeasttourism.org/research/GlossaryofTerms.htm))

Resident - a person living in a given country, whether he is a national or not.

(Source: Department of Tourism (DOT), Philippines - http://www.nscb.gov.ph/ru4/glos_tourism.htm)

Sustainable tourism - this is, according to the World Tourism Organisation, "envisaged as leading to management of all resources in such a way that economic, social and aesthetic needs can be fulfilled with maintaining cultural integrity, essential ecological processes, biological diversity, and life support systems."

(Source: Glossary of Terms & Acronyms - Compiled & Contributed from Private & Public Tourism Organizations (http://www.southeasttourism.org/research/GlossaryofTerms.htm))

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Tourism - the business of providing and marketing services and facilities for pleasure travellers. Thus, the concept or tourism is of direct concern to governments, carriers, and the lodging, restaurant and entertainment industries and of indirect concern to virtually every industry and business in the world.

(Source: Glossary of Terms & Acronyms - Compiled & Contributed from Private & Public Tourism Organizations (http://www.southeasttourism.org/research/GlossaryofTerms.htm))

Tourist - temporary visitor staying at least twenty-four hours in the country visited for a purpose classified as either holiday (recreation, leisure, sport and visit to family, friends or relatives), business, official mission, convention, or health reasons.

(Source: Department of Tourism (DOT), Philippines - http://www.nscb.gov.ph/ru4/glos_tourism.htm)

Tourism Receipts - Tourism Receipts (TR) measures the total revenue received by Singapore from tourism activity. It includes all payments and prepayments for goods and services made by visitors, transit passengers, air & sea crew and foreign students (staying for one year or less) during their stay in Singapore. Visitors' payments to our national carriers (SIA & Silk Air) for international transport are also included.

(Source: Singapore Tourism Board (Research & Statistics Department))

Trade Show - a product showcase for a specific industry. Generally it is not open to the public. Differs from a "Consumer Show" in that a trade show targets the professional industry, while a consumer show targets consumers.

(Source: Glossary of Terms & Acronyms - Compiled & Contributed from Private & Public Tourism Organizations (http://www.southeasttourism.org/research/GlossaryofTerms.htm))

Travel Agent - the individual who sells travel services, issues tickets and provides other travel services to the travel services to the traveller sat the retail level.

(Source: Glossary of Terms & Acronyms - Compiled & Contributed from Private & Public Tourism Organizations (http://www.southeasttourism.org/research/GlossaryofTerms.htm))

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Underdevelopment - Within development theory, the concept of underdevelopment suggests that wealthy capitalist countries have held back the development of so-called Third World countries. Tourism in Third World destinations is controlled for the economic benefit of foreign owners, reinforces dependency, lacks involvement of local decision makers, leads to negative sociocultural impacts, and results in the promotion of staged attractions to capture an international tourism market.

(Source: Encyclopedia of Tourism, p610)

Urban recreation - the concept of urban recreation covers recreational activity that takes place in an urban environment in contrast to a rural setting. Participants in such activities are either urban residents themselves, day visitors from rural areas, or tourists. The major activities are shopping, visits to heritage sites, museums, movie theatres, operas, sport and music events, and indoor sports activities.

(Source: Encyclopedia of Tourism, p615)

VFR - Visiting friends and relatives

(Source: Glossary of Terms & Acronyms - Compiled & Contributed from Private & Public Tourism Organizations (http://www.southeasttourism.org/research/GlossaryofTerms.htm))

Visitor - any person visiting a country other than that in which he has his usual place of residence for any reason other than following an occupation remunerated from within the country visited.

(Source: Department of Tourism (DOT), Philippines - http://www.nscb.gov.ph/ru4/glos_tourism.htm)

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Visitor Arrivals - includes all who go through immigration clearance regardless of length of stay. This excludes the following: