Glossary
Travel trade and travel CRM glossary
Plain-English definitions of 34 terms travel agents, tour operators and DMCs use every day, from DMC and FIT to markup, GST and TCS.
B
B2B travel agent
A B2B travel agent sells travel products to other travel businesses rather than directly to travellers, for example a wholesaler supplying hotel rates or packages to retail agents.
B2C travel agent
A B2C travel agent sells trips directly to travellers, such as families, couples and groups, rather than to other travel businesses.
C
F
FIT (Free Independent Traveller)
FIT refers to individual travellers or small parties who travel on a customised itinerary rather than as part of a fixed group tour.
Fixed departure
A fixed departure is a tour that runs on pre-set dates with a set itinerary and price, which travellers join individually or in small parties.
G
GDS (Global Distribution System)
A GDS is a network, such as Amadeus, Sabre or Travelport, that connects travel agents to airline, hotel and car rental inventory and fares.
GIT (Group Inclusive Tour)
A GIT is a travel package for a group travelling together on the same itinerary, usually at a group rate for hotels, transport and sightseeing.
GST on tour packages
In India, tour operator services (SAC 9985) commonly attract 5% GST without input tax credit, or 18% with input tax credit.
I
IATA
IATA, the International Air Transport Association, is the trade body for airlines. IATA-accredited travel agents can issue airline tickets directly.
Inbound tour operator
An inbound tour operator organises travel within its own country for visitors arriving from abroad, for example an Indian company running tours in India for foreign tourists.
Itinerary
A travel itinerary is a day-by-day plan of a trip, listing where the traveller stays, what they see and do, and how they get between places.
L
Lead (travel enquiry)
In travel, a lead is an enquiry from a potential traveller or partner, usually with a destination, travel dates and number of travellers.
Lead source
A lead source is the channel an enquiry came from, such as Facebook Lead Ads, Google Ads, a website form, WhatsApp or a travel marketplace.
M
Margin
Margin is profit expressed as a percentage of the selling price.
Markup
Markup is the amount added to a product's cost to set its selling price, usually expressed as a percentage of cost.
Meal plans (EP, CP, MAP, AP)
Hotel meal plans describe which meals are included: EP is room only, CP includes breakfast, MAP includes breakfast and one main meal, and AP includes all three meals.
MICE
MICE stands for meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions: business travel and events organised for companies and associations.
P
Payment schedule
A payment schedule splits a booking's price into instalments, such as an advance, a mid payment and a balance, each with a due date.
PNR (Passenger Name Record)
A PNR is a booking record in an airline or GDS system, identified by a short reference code, that holds a traveller's flight and contact details.
Profit per booking
Profit per booking is what a travel business earns on a single booking after subtracting everything paid to suppliers from everything received from the customer.
R
T
TAAI
TAAI, the Travel Agents Association of India, is one of India's leading associations of travel agents and tour operators.
TCS on overseas tour packages
TCS (tax collected at source) is collected by the seller of an overseas tour package from the Indian buyer. From 1 April 2026 it is a flat 2% from the first rupee.
Tour package
A tour package bundles travel services, such as accommodation, transport, sightseeing and sometimes flights, into one product sold at a single price.
Travel CRM
A travel CRM is customer relationship management software built for travel businesses, tracking enquiries with trip details and handling quotes, bookings, vouchers, invoices and payments in one place.
Travel quotation
A travel quotation is a priced proposal for a trip, setting out the services included, the total cost, taxes, validity and payment terms.
Travel voucher
A travel voucher is a document confirming a booked service, such as a hotel stay, transfer or tour, that the traveller presents to the supplier.
FAQ
Common questions
What is this glossary?
A free reference of travel trade and travel CRM terms for travel agents, tour operators and DMCs.
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