Glossary
This Glossary is provided to help guests understand more about the rental of inns, resorts and vacation rentals. It is not comprehensive but serves as a primer for terms guests may encounter in renting specialty lodging. Not all terms apply to all properties or managers.
Reciprocal Program
Some managers give property owners a 10% rental discount when staying in other properties handled by the manager. Usually this is optional and only available to owners who provide the same discount to other owners. Due to seasonality the discount may not be available in all properties at all times - - especially during high seasons.
Origin: William May
Referral
A booking that results from the referral of a friend, neighbor, or past renter.
Origin: Vacation Rental Association
Refund
A payment to the guest for amounts paid toward lodging property bookings and after charges for rent, services, fees or other charges. A common type of refund is for the return to guest of a security and damage deposit they have paid.
Origin: Vacation Rental Association
Rent By Owner
A property that is rented directly from the owner, rather than through a property management firm. Also refers to websites which offers homes directly from owners.
See also: Direct Marketing terminology, Client, Owner, Target, Lead, Complex, Hijack Origin: Vacation Rental Association Link: VRIA.org
Repair
The work necessary to return property, equipment or amenities to their original condition to do damage caused by owner, guest or other situations. Usually charged to the person responsible for the damage.
See also: Maintenance Origin: Vacation Rental Association
Repeat Business
Business that continues to return, thereby generating increased profits.
Origin: Vacation Rental Association
Rescheduling
When a guest or the lodging provider reschedules already booked dates for lodging or other travel services. The travel provider may not always be capable of changing dates and to do so may be limited or prohibited by the prior booking contract. If allowed, often there is a fee for rescheduling.
Origin: Vacation Rental Association
Reservation Fee
An additional charge assessed by owners and managers for completing paperwork, handling credit cards, arranging housekeeping and coordinating a lodging property rental.
Origin: Vacation Rental Association
Reservation Systems
Computerized systems leased to travel agencies offering airline, hotel. Car rental and selected tour availability and bookings. Systems are affiliated with major carriers, including American (Sabre), United (Apollo), Eastern (System One), TWA (PARS), and Delta (DATAS II) and feature flight schedules of the sponsoring and other carriers, plus additional travel products.
Origin: Vacation Rental Association
Resort View
When guests can see some or all of the resort they are staying in, from some area of the property, not necessarily from all area of the property.. May include Full, Partial or Peekaboo Views
See also: View, Beach View, City View, Mountain View, Water View Origin: Vacation Rental Association
Reverse Calendar
Unlike conventional lodging where all dates are bookable until blocked by an owner or staff member, Reverse calendars presume no dates are availabe until "Opened" by an owner or staffer. Usually refers to Timeshares.
Origin: Vacation Rental Association
Room
Commonly referred to a sleeping space usually with a single room unless otherwise specifically indicated.
Origin: Vacation Rental Association
Room Blocks
Several rooms held for a group.
Origin: Vacation Rental Association
Rustication
Vacation in a rustic, rural or remote Inn, Lodge or Resort
Origin: William May Link: Rustications.com
Sales Seminar
An educational session in which travel agents, tour operators, tour wholesales or other members of the travel trade congregate to receive briefings about tourism destinations.
Origin: Vacation Rental Association
Scheduled Departure Date
The date on which a guest is originally scheduled to leave on a trip.
Origin: Vacation Rental Association
Scheduled Return Date
The date on which guest is originally scheduled to return to the point where the Covered Trip started or to a different final destination.
Origin: Vacation Rental Association
Scheduled trip departure city
The city where the scheduled trip on which the guest participates originates.
Origin: Vacation Rental Association
Scraped Data
Sources from a third party using technology to extract data from human-readable output coming from another system. The most common in our industry are companies that scrape data from Airbnb, Booking and Expedia family sites and resell that data to managers and other interested parties.
Origin: William May
Screening
Talking steps to get to know potential renters before allowing them to rent your property. The purpose is to avoid problem guests.
Origin: Vacation Rental Association