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Who are the Travellers, and Why are They so Hated?

Essex Police successfully evicted the Irish Traveller residents of Dale Farm on Wednesday.

The controversial land seizure escalated into a war zone, according to a number of English news outlets, with residents and activists defending the fortified community from an invading police force. Burning mobile homes blocked paths as officers attempted to remove people from the area.

Twenty-three people were arrested, two stunned by Taser guns and at least six people were injured.

Dale Farm was just the latest eviction in England, where traveller communities have been persecuted for centuries.

So who are the travellers and why are they so hated?

The Irish Travellers, sometimes called Pavees, are an ethnically Irish nomadic community. In England, they live in small, tight-knit groups and are characterized as living on Caravan sites -- an English equivalent to a trailer park. Because of the nomadic and informal nature of traveller communities, they frequently settle in unauthorized plots and common fields.

Long subject to discrimination, hatred and eviction, England has passed a number of laws to protect traveller communities, and authorities are required to provide new caravan sites when clearing an area like Dale Farm. Nonetheless, there have been a number of forced evictions in recent years.

Along with Romani Gypsies, Irish Travellers remain an object of widespread prejudice in British society. What we're seeing take place at Dale Farm today is the culmination of years of intolerance, author Owen Jones wrote in The Telegraph.

There's a lot of talk about the travellers breaking the law -- but, in reality, it's a position they've been forced into. Rather than spending millions of pounds to forcibly throw families out of their homes, we should be looking at how build a society that's far more accepting of minority groups. As things stand, riot police charging protesters has become one of the defining images of Cameron's Britain.

The unofficial status of many of the traveller communities allows the government to ignore them.

I was aware that they had to bring in water in stainless steel milk cans for their everyday use, and I wondered what they did with their disposable nappies [diapers] and other human waste, Dale Farm resident Germaine Greer said in a Telegraph editorial, referring to a visit the traveller encampment at Stump Cross Roundabout in Essex.

I rang the local council and asked whether, as the travellers were only yards from the sewage treatment plant, they mightn't have sewerage, given there were so many children on the site. I was told the pitch was illegal and the travellers were there on sufferance.

But where does the prejudice come from?

The lawbreaking that Jones speaks of is one part of it. Traveller communities are often built without legal permission, sometimes on public greens and sometimes on privately-owned land. When the travellers first moved to Dale Farm in the 1960s, much of it was already designated as a scrap yard.

As the community grew over the decades, more homes were built on land that was part of the green belt, a ring of land around London protected from urbanization and city sprawl.

Officially, this is why the Dale Farm community was cleared. After nearly a decade of legal battles, the Basildon city council will be able to restore Dale Farm to green belt specifications over the next few months.

The Traveller community is being criminalized- it has been made illegal for them to travel, but they are not being allowed to settle, Natalie Fox, a spokesperson for Dale Farm Solidarity, told the Dale Farm Supporters blog. If Traveller families are not allowed to make their home on a former scrapyard, then where will they be allowed to live?

Not all the residents of Dale Farm are Irish Travellers. Some are Romani, a similar nomadic group that has spread across continental Europe. Traditionally a traveling community with roots tracing back to India, the Romani peoples are also oft subject to extreme, institutionalized persecution.

Facing de facto discrimination in most European countries, the Romani, or Gypsy, community is economically troubled and many Romani live in slums, shanty-towns or in substandard housing. Like the travellers, these communities have been subject to forced eviction and displacement in the past.

Land disputes aside, the travellers are an ostracized group, and an Irish researcher found in May that they were nearly as despised as drug addicts and alcohols. As discovered by many Americans and Britons on the BBC show My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding, travellers still face discrimination in the workplace, forcing many of them to lie in order to be employed.

While there is no definitive logic for these prejudices, the travellers' inclusiveness doesn't help the situation. They are a tight-knit, insular community steeped with unwavering tradition. While they fight for rights, they also sometimes fight against assimilation into normative society.

Irish Travelers are said to be 'endogamous,' that is, they marry within their own group and marriage outside the group is frowned upon. Traditionally, children are home-schooled, Southern Cross newspaper said in 2008.

Like the Romani, they are also widely considered to be violent, unkempt grafters - general menaces to society. Both men and women are thought of as drunks who like to brawl and gamble. In 2007 the Governor's Office of Consumer Affairs of Georgia published a letter titled Irish Travelers Perpetuate a Tradition of Fraud.

These descendants of Irish immigrants live in nomadic clans and make their living by perpetuating home improvement fraud and selling substandard machinery at huge mark-ups, the statement, which has been removed from the Georgia state Wed site, read.

Additionally, many Irish citizens were shocked when a family feud at a traveller camp in 2008 turned into an all-out riot.

Petrol bombs, stones, chainsaws, golf clubs, a samurai sword and other dangerous missiles were used in the clashes. The row has been described by an eyewitness as 'like a scene from 1980s' Belfast.' The Independent reported at the time.

Nonetheless, travellers are protected under the Caravan Sites Act of 1968, which restricts the eviction of caravan sites. The same local authorities that evict travellers are required to secure the establishment of such sites by local authorities for the use of gipsies [sic] and other persons of nomadic habit, and control in certain areas the unauthorized [sic] occupation of land by such persons.

So far, the Dale Farm travellers have not been shown where they will be relocated, despite a promise that land has been set aside. So Wednesday night, with many caravans burned or broken, about 82 families are left to fend for themselves.

The memory of Dale Farm will weigh heavily on Britain for generations- we are being dragged out of the only homes we have in this world, Dale Farm resident Kathleen McCarthy stated . Our entire community is being ripped apart by Basildon Council and the politicians in government.

© Copyright IBTimes 2024. All rights reserved.

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Who are the Irish Travellers in the US?

They're one of ireland's oldest and most marginalized minorities but who are the irish travellers in the us.

One of Ireland's oldest and most marginalized minorities but how much to do you know about Irish Travellers in America?

In Ireland, nearly everybody is aware of the existence of the Irish Travellers  — they’re one of Ireland’s oldest and most marginalized minority groups, known for their itinerant lifestyle, distinct dialects and oft-questioned traditions.

However, many people know that there are also communities of Irish Travellers in America.

A few times each year, a headline will pop up about Irish Travellers in the US. Sometimes it’ll be from a local newspaper in South Carolina or Texas; on rarer occasions, such as the bust of a high-profile rhinoceros horn smuggling ring, it’ll be in Bloomberg Businessweek . Except for the occasional story expressing interest in the culture or history of the Travellers, the articles are typically from the crime section — detailing a theft or scam, or local concern that the Travellers have arrived in the area.

But if you don’t happen to live in those areas or catch those headlines, and if you missed out on that one famous episode of "My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding," you’d be easily forgiven for not having any idea that the Irish Travellers have lived in the US for generations. They’re not recognized as a distinct ethnic group by the US Census, and, what’s more, Irish Americans  have never claimed them under the umbrella of the Irish diaspora.

What little we do know about the Irish Travellers here in America comes from those very news articles, and from a scant number of books and documentaries.

There are believed to be anywhere from 7,000 to 40,000 Irish Travellers in the US, though most estimates lie closer to the 10,000 mark. The Travellers here descended from groups who left Ireland around the time of the Great Hunger and settled in the US, carving out a similar lifestyle to the one they followed in Ireland.

Like their counterparts in Ireland, Irish Travellers in the US speak their own dialects of Cant, Shelta, or Gammon, which can include elements of Irish, Gaelic, English, Greek, and Hebrew.

Also similar to their Ireland-based counterparts, the American Irish Travellers identify as strictly  Catholic  and adhere to their own traditions and mores. The men travel and work and the women raise the children. Many of the women are promised to their future husbands in arranged marriages when they are very young.

Their primary trade is repair work, often categorized as dubious in nature (though the fairness of that generalization has been called into question). But the US Irish Travellers have also, over the years, amassed fortunes through a unique internal economy based on life insurance policies.

As Paul Connolly, who made a documentary about Irish Travellers in the US for the Irish channel TV3 in 2013, told The Journal : “Most of the income comes from insurance. . . In America, there’s a clause which allows you to insure anyone with a blood connection — and as they have intermarried for generations, there’s a likelihood there will be a blood connection.

"So they’ve worked out a way of profiting from this, and that, according to the Travellers I’ve spoken to, is how they make their money and how they’re so wealthy. Some of the more morbid characters we came across referred to it as ‘Death Watch’.”

Perhaps the most notorious instance of this system gone awry took place in 2015, when Anita Fox, a 69-year-old Irish Traveller woman in Texas, was found stabbed to death. Police later identified the perpetrators as Gerard and Bernard Gorman, who held a $1 million life insurance policy in Fox’s name.

There are Irish Traveller enclaves in Texas, in the Houston and Fort Worth areas, as well as in South Carolina, Tennessee, Georgia, Arkansas, Mississippi, and Florida, with smaller settlements found in rural New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Delaware. Many of the groups identify based on where in the US their ancestors first based themselves, such as the Ohio Travellers, Georgia Travellers, Texas Travellers, and Mississippi Travellers.

The largest-known Irish Traveller community in the US is in Murphy Village, South Carolina, which, as noted in a report by the Florida Ancient Order of Hibernians, is home to approximately 1,500 people with only 11 different surnames.

According to a 2002 article in the Washington Post , “The Irish Travelers who settled in the United States in the 19th century migrated to different parts of the country and established their own clan groups, often with little intermingling across regions.

“The Sherlocks, O'Haras and others settled [in Murphy Village] in the 1960s, on land around a Catholic church whose pastor, the Rev. Joseph Murphy, became the patron and namesake of the growing community just outside the town of North Augusta.”

Far from a caravan or mobile home community, Murphy Village has become home to an increasing number of suburban “McMansions” in recent decades, as the US Irish Travellers build permanent homes, which they use as a base between travels and for holidays. In this regard, its closest Irish counterpart is Rathkeale, Co. Limerick, which was the subject of a New York Times story in 2012 , chronicling the massive homecoming that takes place every Christmas.

“The Riches,” a serial drama about a contemporary Irish Traveller family in the US, starring Eddie Izzard and Minnie Driver, aired on FX for two seasons, in 2007 and 2008.

H/T Slate , The Journal , The Washington Post , Florida AOH .

* Originally published in Sept 2016.

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21 Types of Travellers: Which one are you?

Have you ever wondered which types of travellers there are and which one you are? You will find the answer to this question in this post.

People travel in many different ways and the same destination can be experienced completely differently according to one’s travel style.

While some of us are thrill-seekers who can’t wait to scratch off more thrilling experiences on our adventurous bucket list , others dream of a white-sanded beach where they can spread their towel in the sand and relax.

In this list, you will find the 21 different types of travel that are the most common. While some people belong to just one category in this list, others (this is the case for me) can relate to more than one.

So, let’s dive into it, here are the most common types of travellers!

Types of Travellers: Quick Answer

• The backpacker: Travels on a low budget and often for a longer time. Loves getting to know the local culture.
• The tourist: Sticks to more popular destinations and likes to visit the hotspots, sometimes by organized tour.
• The luxury traveller: Is looking for comfort and doesn’t mind spending a lot of money on it.
• The soul searcher:  Is mainly looking for the meaning of life, spirituality and growth. Usually travels solo.
• The adventurer: An adrenaline junkie and thrill-seeker that’s constantly looking to expand his comfort zone.
• The (digital) nomad: Doesn’t have a fixed address but moves from place to place.
• The group traveller: Travels in small or big groups and loves exploring places with groups of people.
• The unusual traveller: Heads to off-the-beaten-path destinations where you won’t find many tourists (or none at all).
• The photographer: Can always be found behind his camera and will go out of his way to click the perfect shot.
• The party animal: Is always looking for bars, parties and vibrant nightlife.
• The business traveller: Travels for work and not for fun. He most likely doesn’t have the time to explore a destination.
• The social media addict: Is always looking for places to make the perfect Instagram picture, reel or Tiktok video.
• The chiller: Travels to rest and relax, whether it is at the beach or in the mountains.
• The interest-specific traveller: Travels according to a specific interest or hobby.
• The couple: Their main goal is to spend valuable time together.
• The country hopper: Wants to see as many countries as possible and doesn’t stay in one country for a very long time.
• The four-wheeler: Travels around and sometimes also lives in his own vehicle.
• The solo traveller: Travels by himself, sometimes for short trips and sometimes long-term.
• The expedition traveller: Goes on a journey with a specific purpose, often in more remote areas.
• The pilgrim: Travels for religious reasons and is on a spiritual journey.
• The danger tourist: This type of traveller can be found in dangerous countries that are going through war, for example.

21 Types of Travellers Explained

1. the backpacker.

Backpackers travel on a budget and they’re often on a gap year, but not always. These kinds of travellers usually stay in hostel dorms and cheaper hotels. They travel independently and often by themselves.

Eager to explore and learn about new cultures, backpackers like hanging out with the locals too and they usually get around using local transportation or hitchhiking.

2. The tourist

This is one of the most common types of travellers out there. Tourists stick to more popular destinations and mainly visit the hotspots .

Although there are different types of tourists, what they have in common is that tourists always make sure not to miss the must-see attractions of the places they’re visiting. They usually travel for a few weeks at a time and some also book organized tours and day trips.

You will find many tourists in places like Machu Picchu, the Taj Mahal , the Eiffel Tower, the Pyramids of Gizeh and other popular destinations around the world. Some might try to tick off the 7 Wonders of the Ancient World or the 7 Wonders of the New World too, for example.

3. The luxury traveller

The luxury traveller checks in at 5-star or boutique hotels, dines at classy restaurants and is most likely to travel around with a private driver.

This type of traveller is looking for comfort and doesn’t mind spending money to find it. You will find him in many places around the world, especially in luxury destinations like Dubai , Bali, Bora Bora and Hawaii.

Many luxury travellers travel for special occasions, such as their honeymoon, to celebrate something or they might even be on a 21st, 50th or 70th birthday trip .

Some of the activities the luxury traveller will engage in are luxury cruises , spa treatments, private safaris, etc.

4. The soul searcher

You may have come across the soul searcher during some of your travels, or maybe this type of traveller describes you. Soul searchers are mainly travelling to find themselves.

These are most often solo travellers who are looking for the meaning of life, spirituality, growth and inner peace . Many of them can be found in India , Nepal or Mexico, for example.

5. The adventurer

These are the adrenaline junkies and thrill-seekers ! From trekking and mountain climbing to skydiving, paragliding, rafting, riding a bike and more, these types of travellers are constantly looking for new ways to get out of their comfort zone.

Some great adventure destinations the adventurer will love are Nepal , Greenland, New Zealand, South Africa and Alaska.

6. The (digital) nomad

This kind of traveller doesn’t have a fixed address and t ravels from place to place . He either works from his laptop, works anywhere he can find a job or finds other ways to get by.

Some nomads stay in specific locations for a couple of months, while others prefer moving around more frequently. Apart from a type of travel, being a nomad is also a type of lifestyle .

>> Read: 21 Inspiring Movies about Nomads

7. The group traveller

As its name suggests, group travellers love travelling in groups . They either travel with a group arranged by a travel agency or plan a trip with a group of friends or family themselves.

Group travellers both come in small groups as well as in big groups of 30 people or more. They enjoy the company and love exploring new destinations together with a bunch of other people.

8. The unusual traveller

The unusual traveller can be found in off-the-beaten-path destinations like Benin , Turkmenistan, Bangladesh , Pakistan, Afghanistan or Papua New Guinea, for example.

Even when they’re visiting more popular countries, you won’t find them exploring the tourist hotspots very often. Instead, they will head to these unexplored places that not too many people would think to travel to.

9. The photographer

Always with a camera by their side, photographers can usually be found behind their lenses .

These types of travellers will capture nearly every moment of their trip. They also tend to start exploring early in the morning to get the best light for their pictures (and fewer people in them).

The photographer’s main intention while travelling is to capture the world’s beauty (or reality) with his camera, and he can’t wait to start editing his pictures once he gets home.

10. The party animal

Party animals look for destinations with the most vibrant party scenes and nightlife .

You will usually find them at bars, clubs and party hostels. They love loud music, meeting people, having lots of fun and partying until the early hours.

Some great destinations for party animals are Goa, Ibiza, Amsterdam, Bali and Bangkok. There are many, many more, though.

11. The business traveller

Not all of us are travelling for fun; the business traveller, for example, is travelling for his job .

He may travel frequently but he doesn’t really have the time to explore a destination, and even if he does, he’s often too tired to go out and explore after working all day.

Although you will find business travellers nearly everywhere, most of them can be found in cities like New York, Paris , London, Tokyo and Brussels .

12. The social media addict

The social media addict is constantly looking for the perfect angle to take a picture or record a video for their social media channels .

These types of travellers will do their best to look good in their pictures and will take the time to upload their photos, videos or stories on their favourite channels on a daily basis.

13. The chiller

If spreading out a towel in the sand, swimming or snorkelling in the ocean or relaxing by the beach or pool sounds like your type of travel, then you might be a chiller.

This being said these types of travellers can also be found in the mountains or in other environments. The chiller’s main goal is to be able to rest and relax and take a well-deserved break from their busy lives.

14. The interest-specific traveller

This traveller doesn’t particularly travel to explore a new destination but he is in pursuit of his favourite interest or hobby .

For example, the interest-specific traveller travels to go to concerts or festivals, skiing or snowboarding, visit a specific museum, go to fashion events, etc.

Depending on their interest, this kind of traveller can be found in many places. Paris and Milan, for example, are popular among fashionistas, while destinations like Switzerland, France and Canada are popular among skiers.

15. The couple

If spending time with your significant other is your priority while travelling, you may belong to the category of this type of traveller. Couples may be on a honeymoon, though that’s not always the case, and their main priority is to spend valuable time together .

You will find couples nearly everywhere, but some particularly popular destinations for them are Venice, Bali, the Maldives and Paris, the so-called city of love .

16. The country counter

This type of traveller doesn’t stay in one place for a very long time. His main goal is to see as many countries as possible , maybe even all of them, and to get as many stamps on his passport as possible.

As the country hopper wants to visit as many countries as he can, you can encounter him in nearly every country in the world.

17. The four-wheeler

The four-wheeler can either be an RV-er , a van lifer or a road tripper . Although there is a difference between an RV-er and a van-lifer, both kinds of travellers travel around and live in their own vehicles. The main difference between them is that RVs tend to be larger than vans.

Vanlife has become immensely popular in the last couple of years, and it is easy to understand why. Being able to travel around in your own house on wheels is something many people dream of!

The road tripper , however, travels around in his car but he doesn’t live in it and stays at hotels, hostels, guesthouses or other types of accommodation instead.

The road tripper enjoys the freedom of having his own car to travel around more freely, and you will find this kind of traveller on the road for just a few days to weeks, months and sometimes even years.

18. The solo traveller

For the solo traveller, travelling alone is the most fulfilling kind of travel. He might enjoy travelling with family and friends too but still finds solo travel the most enriching.

There are plenty of amazing solo travel destinations around the world, and you will most likely find the solo traveller in all of these, as this type of travel is becoming increasingly popular.

I have travelled through many countries solo myself, and I have to say that it is pretty rewarding!

>> Read: 63 Inspiring Quotes About Travelling Alone

19. The expedition traveller

This kind of traveller is similar to the adventurer (#5 on this list) but the expedition traveller is going on a journey with a specific purpose , often in more remote areas.

For example, the expedition traveller might be on an expedition to climb a mountain ( Mount Everest or K2, for example), cross a continent or sail a boat across the Atlantic.

These expeditions vary from short journeys of a couple of days to year-long journeys like the woman who walked around the world in six years.

20. The pilgrim

Pilgrim travellers are on a spiritual journey and travel for religious reasons . They travel to follow pilgrimage routes and visit religious shrines.

You can find the pilgrim at places like Golden Rock in Myanmar , Mecca in Saudi Arabia, Wartburg Castle in Germany or the Meenakshi Amman Temple, one of India’s most famous landmarks .

21. The Danger Tourist

The danger tourist is the type of traveller who will travel to destinations that are struck by war and other dangerous events. Some examples are Yemen, Ukraine and Venezuela.

You can also find them climbing Mount Everest or exploring the warmest or coldest places on earth. They’re mostly thrill seekers who are looking for a serious challenge.

Types of travellers: Final thoughts

And that was it – the 21 most common types of travellers out there. I hope you have found exactly what you were looking for in this post!

I see myself as a mix of #5 the adventurer, #6 the nomad, #8 the unusual traveller (although I can be #2 the tourist, too from time to time), #9 the photographer and #18 the solo traveller. It is hard to choose just one!

So, what type of traveller are you? Or can you recognize yourself in more than one of these types? Let me know in the comments below!

Pin it for later: Did you find this post helpful? Save it on Pinterest and follow me on Instagram and Facebook for more travel tips and inspiration.

Laura Meyers

Laura Meyers is the founder of Laure Wanders. She was born in Belgium and has been travelling solo for years. She currently spends most of her time between Belgium and South Asia and loves helping other travellers plan their adventures abroad.

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25 Types of Travellers: which one are you?

There are as many different types of travellers (or tourists) as there are types of people .

Some people are thrifty, some spend on luxury items. Some rather relax at home by watching TV, some go out in the mountains to hike. So why would it differ for tourists?

During our extensive travels over the years, we’ve tried out different “types” of travelling. I’ve couchsurfed, so I’ve been a budget traveller, and we stayed in a ryokan in Japan – which is, I’d say, at the high end of the luxury traveller. We’ve done spa vacations in Italy (leisure travellers) – and canyoned in Costa Rica and hiked over active lava in Hawaii (adventure travellers).

And on, and on, and on!

We know how different types of tourists can be described, I’d say, and that’s why we’ve got you covered.

Is it different types of tourists or different types of travellers ?

The definition of a tourist is “a person who is travelling or visiting a place for pleasure” .

The definition of a traveller is “a person who is travelling or who often travels”.

I’d say it’s pretty similar. I believe that travellers travel for pleasure as well, haha. Or that “often” is quite an ambiguous word. Like, who decides what “often” means in terms of travelling?

What are the types of tourists in the travel and tourism industry?

In the travel industry, tourists are identified by psychographic and demographic definitions . The demographics are, of course, the standard ones: age, income, occupation, location, and family status. The five psychographic types of tourists as identified by Stanley C. Plog are allocentric traveller, near allocentric, mid-centric, near psychocentric, and psychocentric.

Allocentric tourists are extroverted in their travel choices. They prefer travelling alone and are adventurous.

The psychocentric traveller, on the opposite, will choose something familiar instead of something new. These are the types of tourists who go to the same destinations every vacation and prefer the all-inclusive options. If they do some activities, they’ll stick to what is included in the itinerary of the events.

The mid-centric type of tourist is, as the name suggests, somewhere between allocentric and psychocentric. They are not exactly adventurous, but occasionally they’ll try something new.

The near-allocentric falls somewhere between allocentric and mid-centric, and near-psychocentric types of tourists fall somewhere between mid-centric and psychocentric.

Different types of travellers

But those terms are really not used that widely, haha. That’s why here in this article I will not be going deep into the academic tourism types, but rather I’ll be describing different types of travellers which are showing up all around the internet.

Because, you know, if you want to find specific information online about the type of travel you want to do, looking up “allocentric” will not bring you answers!

Well, these are, obviously, not all of the types of travellers that are out there – that list would be pretty endless! These are some of the most popular or some that I found especially interesting. Enjoy!

Types of travellers grouped by travel budget

Big monies? Small monies? Different people travel on different budgets, and it’s completely understandable. You don’t need to throw lots of cash around to enjoy places. Here are the most popular types of tourists based on how much money they spend on their trips.

Budget travellers

As the name suggests, budget travellers spend as little as possible when they go travelling. They don’t have a lot of money to spend, so they try to find the cheapest flights (don’t we all generally?), the cheapest accommodation, and activities.

Staying in hostels, which budget travellers often do, is one of the best ways to make friends while travelling . A hostel doesn’t mean staying in a dorm, though! There are many that have private rooms with private bathrooms.

Backpackers

Backpackers are a part of the budget travellers, with the difference that they have so little stuff with them that it can fit in a backpack. Backpackers, just like budget travellers, spend as little as possible.

Related: how to choose the best hotel for you

Luxury travellers.

On the opposite end of the spectrum, luxury travellers don’t care how much money they spend on their vacation. They’ll stay in the most luxury of accommodations, go to expensive restaurants, and if they fly, probably do so in the business or first class.

This is where we fall when we travel. We don’t really stay in luxury accommodations (with some exceptions, such as a ryokan in Japan ), travel economy on the plane, but at the same time won’t stay in hostels even if it would make the trip more reasonably priced, such as Patagonia for example . We don’t go overboard with spending on the trips but still like our comfort.

Activity-based types of travellers

Different people like different activities, so it makes sense that there are travellers that prefer something more adrenaline-inducing than other things. So it makes sense that one of the most popular ways of defining types of travellers is based on activities!

Active travellers

Active travellers, such as we are, will look for active activities in the destination they are going to. An interesting hike, ziplining, canyoning and so on. Some of their activities are adventurous, but mostly they’ll be nothing crazy .

We are active travellers who mix in some much-needed relaxation on our vacations as well.

Related: Patagonia is one of the best destinations for active travellers and adventure seekers

Adventure travellers.

The next level of active travellers, the adventure seekers will try and do any adventure activity they can find. These people like travelling and adventures, of course,

They might go to Dubai for a single reason – to do parachuting. Go to the Philippines not to lounge on the beach but to go diving. Or go to the Maldives to enjoy feeding sharks.

Our biggest adventures, as I said, include hiking over a lava field before sunrise to photograph lava flowing into the ocean and canyoning down a waterfall in Costa Rica. Also, we snorkelled with manta rays at night, went on a tour through middle of nowhere in Bolivia, and on, and on.

If you mention to a foody that you’re going to Naples, they’ll know that that’s where pizza is originally from and the restaurant where you can try the best pizza. We are kind of foodies, so we know that in Japan, it’s not just sushi you need to try or, if you want to try a guanaco filet, you have to go to Patagonia .

Basically, food might not be the main reason a foody travels, but he definitely will try the best – and most original – food a place has to offer.

Experience seekers

Wherever these guys go, they want to experience at least something that’s typical or special for the destination.

It can be having sushi in Japan, it can be riding a gondola in Venice , it could be visiting the Louvre in France… – and yes, those are things that we did. As was hiking the most beautiful hike in El Chalten , Argentine Patagonia.

These types of travellers don’t have specific types of activities that they love, just that they want to experience the best the destination has to offer.

Cultural travellers

Cultural travellers love to enjoy everything cultural the place they go to offers, such as museums, galleries, and historical sites. But not just that – they love to learn everything about the culture of the people of the place that they visit. They love engaging with locals to learn more about the history and everything else about the location.

We are not really cultural travellers, but still, we visited the Uffizi Gallery in Florence, the Louvre in Paris, and the Park Guell in Barcelona. You don’t have to be a culture traveller to enjoy culture, but if one of the main reasons you travel is to visit these sites, consider yourself a cultural traveller.

Religious travellers or pilgrims

These types of travellers enjoy checking out everything religious the location has, such as churches, cathedrals, mosques, and others. Generally, religious tourists like to visit places connected to their own religion, but it doesn’t necessarily have to be like that. Visiting pilgrimage trails such as Camino de Santiago can be considered religious tourism as well.

Related: Kyoto in Japan is full of incredible temples

Relaxation-lovers.

Is there a spa available at the destination ? No? So what’s the point of going there?

Exaggerated, of course, but relaxation-lovers prefer places where they can just, well, relax. Lounge by the pool or by the beach, just walk around the place slowly without making any extra effort. Go for dinner and repeat.

These types of travellers are most likely to go to all-inclusive hotels and just relax. We occasionally do just that, even in Japan .

These would be the psychocentric travellers in the tourism industry. And if you’re wondering what to call travellers who are not adventurous, I’d say those are relaxation lovers.

Where they generally go makes different types of tourists

Whether the traveller goes, there’s a name for it.

Domestic travellers

Domestic travellers like to explore their own country. Instead of going to that incredible tropical island, they’ll go to an ice cave that is just a few hours’ drive from their home.

Obviously, some countries have more options to explore and enjoy. The USA, in my opinion, is much more suited for long-term domestic tourism than Monaco, haha.

International travellers

As opposed to the domestic traveller, international travellers are a type of travellers that will first and foremost go abroad for their trips. They either don’t care about their home country or leave its exploration for those times when they can’t go abroad.

Of course, for us, Europeans, it’s much easier to travel internationally than for people who come from huge countries. That’s why we often travel internationally in Europe.

We especially like going to Italy.

Nature goers.

These types of travellers spend most or even all of their vacation time in nature. They don’t care about cities, museums, or architecture. Give them mountains, forests, or the sea! In this way, we’re definitely nature goes – we spend as much time as possible in the nature.

City explorers

And again, as opposed to those who prefer nature, city explorers rather immerse themselves in the myriad of metropolitan attractions instead of going hiking in the mountains.

Of course, we do visit cities – Milan, Barcelona, Venice … but most of our travels are to some nature.

Types of travellers based on reasons to travel

What is the main reason for the trip or the main thing that the person will do during their travels?

And I don’t mean the main activities, but like the very reason this trip is happening. Confusing? I understand, haha, so see my examples.

An Au Pair is a young adult who lives in a family and provides childcare in exchange for a weekly allowance, room, and food. Basically, the aupairer is like a live-in nanny – so that’s the main reason they even are on the trip. They get time off as well to explore the country that they’ve gone to. Quite a good way how to immerse themselves properly in the culture.

Business travellers

Business travellers travel because they need to do, well, business in another place. They can be going for a meeting, just spending time at another location the company has, or pretty much any other work-related reason.

Volunteer travellers

Disaster relief, helping build a school in Africa or working on a farm somewhere in a jungle in South America so that they can stay there in exchange for the work and explore in their free time. Volunteer travel is another way to immerse yourself deeply in the environment and see it from the inside.

Missionaries go to different places to promote religion. Well, that pretty much describes these types of travellers. Missionaries go into a community to teach about religion and convert them or sometimes provide services, such as education, literacy, social justice, health care, and economic development .

Yes, I’m putting tourists as a type of traveller. Look at it which way you’d like, but whichever way we travel, we’re still tourists.

A tourist has no other reason to explore a destination besides the fact that they want to – whether it be learning more about the culture, seeing nature, exploring the cities, or having some adventures.

A tourist is a person who is travelling for pleasure, so pretty much, we’re all tourists. Aren’t we?

Types of travellers – who they travel with

Alone or not alone, the number of people you travel with will change your travel style.

Group travellers

The group types of travellers prefer to go on a trip in a bigger group, even using organized tours instead of planning their own trips. These are the loud friend groups you find, well, everywhere, tour groups, and a bus full of seniors. And, actually, I count couples as group travellers , because even as a couple you still have to count with another person’s choices and moods unlike when travelling alone.

Solo travellers

As opposed to group travellers, these are people who prefer travelling alone. They don’t like being tied to someone else and their wishes but prefer being in complete control of their journeys.

These types of travellers are completely happy enjoying the place alone and equally as happy to meet friends on the way.

It’s quite liberating to just be on your own in a new place, take your time exploring or just do nothing for the day.

Family travellers

Similar to group travellers, family travellers go everywhere just with their family. They often cater their trips to what the children will like and enjoy, but many people manage to put some grown-up stuff on their itineraries as well. Still, family trips will most likely include a theme park or a museum instead of a bar crawl.

How much time do the travellers spend on a trip?

Some people have lots of time to spend at a place, then there are those who don’t and even such that spend their whole time on the road.

From a day to their whole life and in between, depending on how much time you can spend away from home, you might fit one of these groups.

Slow travellers

Slow tourists are those who spend a long time in one destination. A lot of the travel bloggers are slow travellers, as they have quit their traditional jobs and are now travelling the world to enjoy it all. These types of tourists like to explore every nook and cranny of the place, enjoying both popular attractions and off-the-beaten-path things.

Vacationers or frequent travellers or weekenders

Frequent travellers are the types of tourists that spend every opportunity they have to go on some trips. It may be only twice a year or so when they have their annual vacation – hence the vacationers. They use many of their weekends to go and see something new.

Generally, vacationers are financially stable – hence they have opportunities to spend a lot of time travelling.

I count us in this same group, although, obviously, lately we can’t just go wherever and whenever.

Digital nomads

Digital nomads are people who are not tied to one location. They often don’t have a home , instead, they change the place they stay from time to time. These types of travellers usually work online (hello laptops) or find short-term jobs along the way to fund their travels.

Does it matter what type of tourist or traveller I am?

Well, the types of travelling doesn’t actually matter that much.

First of all, it’s just interesting to know what type you are, and second, it might be helpful to know what types of tourists you are when researching your next trip . Or, even more so, if you want someone else to tailor your vacation.

If you’re an adventure traveller, you will most probably not enjoy a trip that’s full of visiting museums. And if you’re a budget traveller, staying in a five-star all-inclusive luxury hotel probably will not be for you.

Related: how to plan your vacation

Last thoughts on travel types.

Wow, this list contained quite a few types of travellers, didn’t it?

And that’s not even most of them! Just some of the most popular ones that I found worthy, so to say, to include in this article.

Did your traveller type make the list? What type of traveller are you? Let me know in the comments!

Guest Author

Kristine Eksteine-Nizka is a guest author of Wanderlust Designers. She has lived in 4 countries and has visited over 200 places in 30 countries, all while holding a full-time job or studying, and is determined to inspire and teach others to do the same.

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As I perused the vast expanse of the internet in search of knowledge on the various types of travelers, I stumbled upon this gem of a post. The words were elegantly crafted and the information provided was invaluable. My sincerest gratitude for your contributions.

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• Travel Updates

The 28 Different Types Of Travellers You May Meet

Travel means something different to every traveller. For some it’s a way to spend time with friends and family, for others, it’s a way to get a taste of adventure or to explore new cultures. Each of us has our type of travel personality when we set out on a trip. While some of us enjoy being the quintessential tourist, the rest of us want to explore offbeat destinations and experiences. A lot of our likes and dislikes inform the type of traveller we eventually become. What’s really important about identifying your travel personality is that it helps you find compatible travel partners who share similar interests. There are lots of different types of travellers, but most fall into some kind of category. Here, we’ve identified 28 types of travellers – which one(s) are you?

Here Are The Different Types Of Travellers

1. the culture vulture.

The world is full of amazing cultures, and these travellers want to explore it all. Museums, art galleries and historical sites are just the tip of the iceberg. They want to understand and absorb the culture. They might do quite a bit of research beforehand, to make sure to hit up the spots that are most relevant to their interests. Culture vultures are all about immersing themselves into the history of a destination to truly understand its hidden marvels. 

2. The Foodie

These types of travellers set out around the world in search of delicious food. They explore different cultures through their cuisines, and regardless of the destination, are sure to never disappoint with their choice of food or eateries.

3. The Nature Lover

These types of travellers are so fascinated by nature, they spend most of their vacations in jungles and forests observing flora and fauna. A section of them even spend lots of time on safaris, in all kinds of environments.

4. The Photographer

For them, travel is synonymous with pictures. You’ll find these types of travellers behind the lens of a camera, capturing every moment of their trip. Panoramic scenes, animals, locals, food, and themselves; nothing goes unphotographed.

5. The Social Butterfly

These people are connected to the Photographers, but whatever they do, they do it for social media. Their pictures can often be seen on their Facebook or Instagram (along with tons of hashtags). Some may even be bloggers or YouTubers.

6. The Party Animal

These are the travellers who travel just for fun and parties. Their plans revolve around the best party places and nightlife; look for them at bars or clubs. They can be tons of fun to be around (except maybe in the early hours of the morning).

7. The Planner

They are perhaps the most organised type of travellers. They like to plan out and schedule any trip to the T. Planners often have a limited amount of time and want to cram as many things in as possible to get the absolute most from the trip. They also tend to know more about a place before they travel than most people who’ve been there.

8. The Nomad

The polar opposite of the Planner, this one’s trips are sudden and totally unplanned. Whether they let other people guide them around, or just go somewhere on a whim, their vacations tend to be vague but very entertaining.

9. The Thrill Seeker

With unmatched energy, these adrenaline junkies and daredevils travel far and wide in search of their next adventure. From mountain climbing and cliff jumping to bungee jumping, they crave excitement and love to try new things. One thing’s for sure, you won’t find them relaxing at the beach or exploring the nearest museum in depth.

10. The Functional Traveller

To these travellers, travel is just a means to an end. Mostly consisting of business travellers, or those visiting an event, (whether it’s a wedding or a football match), they’re often too consumed with their task to get the most out of the destinations they’re at.

11. The Pilgrim

They follow pilgrimage trails or visit the shrines of those they worship – religious or otherwise. While you can find many at the sacred sites of gods and goddesses, you can also find them at sporting stadiums, or at places associated with favourite films and books.

12. The Shopper

They travel to different parts of the world for one thing, and one thing only – shopping. Shoppers may be either men or women, but for them, no trip is complete if their luggage isn’t much heavier on the way home. If they’re generous some of this might even be for friends and family.

13. The Backpacker

These types of travellers quite literally travel light. Independently exploring different places on a low budget. You may think it’s obvious that they carry their signature backpack, some may even use a duffel bag (gasp!). They’re often found at hostels and are up for any kind of adventure.

14. The Gap Years

While this group is often associated with backpacking, they are generally well-off young people (usually just having graduated school or college) who want to experience something entirely new, with the added bonus of being away from home for a long period. They may also be found volunteering or working abroad.

15. The Complainer

This one has a problem with just about everything during your vacation. While some may be legit – like a shower not working, or dirty bed sheets – most may not. A demanding type of traveller, they tend to want everything just so (and tend to favour places that closely resemble home).

16. The Gang

Typically found travelling in groups, these travellers like to travel with friends and family and are rarely found alone. Whether it’s sightseeing or partying, it is all done together either quietly or (more often) loudly.

17. The Weekender

These travellers go away on vacation at every single available opportunity, especially on weekends. They may visit places close to home, or even go on short trips further away. Often financially stable, they can afford such luxuries and enjoy seeing as much of the world as possible.

18. The Chatter Box

This one seems to befriend anyone and everyone they meet on their trip, from taxi drivers to waiters. They can’t resist chatting with all kinds of people, which often means that they also often have the best stories to tell.

19. The Luxury Traveller

Nothing less than a 5-star hotel is enough for this traveller. No matter where they go, luxury is a top priority. From personal cabs to classy restaurants, they like to do things in style (and of course, comfort).

20. The Escapee

A fugitive of all that is mundane and familiar, these travellers are often quite lost. Whether they’re running away from boredom or heartbreak, guilt, failure, conflict, or themselves, they’re sure to be looking for some sort of escape at a faraway destination.

21. The Solo Artist

A growing section, the solo traveller chooses to venture into the world alone, and on their own terms. Their trips may be planned to the last detail, or delightfully vague, but it doesn’t matter because they answer to no one but themselves.

22. The Soul Searcher

This one is quite different to the Escapee. They use travel as a means to find themselves or find some spiritual meaning in life. Often travelling alone, they want holidays that teach them something, whether that is meditation or cookery.

23. The Budget Tripper

While they may want to travel everywhere, these travellers are constrained by tighter budgets. With the aim of saving money on their trips, they may prefer walking to cabs and hostels to hotels.

24. The Collector

They never leave a new place without a memento. Whether these are physical objects like a souvenir, seashells, or even sand, or uncommon experiences, like meteor showers or balloon rides, these items are often proudly displayed later.

25. The Pioneer

They’re seekers of mostly unexplored or offbeat destinations, whether it’s living with native tribes or exploring an unusual museum, they want non-mainstream experiences that are truly unique.

26. The Rejuvenator

Looking to get away from the hustle-bustle of everyday life, these types of travellers want to relax. Whether they go to a luxury spa or a yoga retreat, they holiday to get away and unwind from their troubles and to have a much-needed pampering experience.

27. The Clueless One

In life, there are leaders and there are followers. This group is most definitely the latter. They rely on others to plan their vacation and to then get around the destination, wanting to be (almost literally) swept away by the experience of travel.

28. The Tourist

Most people you meet are simply tourists – travellers who prefer sticking to well-known destinations and touristy activities, often during established holiday seasons. They may partake in organised tours and events or be entirely guided by travel guides and books.

So what type of traveller are you? Do you fall neatly into one category or do you see yourself in many? Or, are you someone who is something completely different? Let us know in the comments below! And tag your friends if they belong to any of these categories!

Every Type Of Traveller Has Their Own Set Of Quirks

Once you discover what type of traveller you are, I’m sure you’re going to identify quirks that are unique just to you. These defining features make a traveller who they are and it’s something you should embrace wholeheartedly and set off on your next trip!

Typically found travelling in groups, these travellers like to travel with friends and family and are rarely found alone. Whether its sightseeing or partying, its all done together either quietly or (more often) loudly.

Thanks for including the travelers in your excellent article.

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Romani (Gypsy), Roma and Irish Traveller History and Culture

Romani (Gypsy), Roma and Irish Traveller people belong to minority ethnic groups that have contributed to British society for centuries. Their distinctive way of life and traditions manifest themselves in nomadism, the centrality of their extended family, unique languages and entrepreneurial economy. It is reported that there are around 300,000 Travellers in the UK and they are one of the most disadvantaged groups. The real population may be different as some members of these communities do not participate in the census .

The Traveller Movement works predominantly with ethnic Romani (Gypsy), Roma, and Irish Traveller Communities.

Irish Travellers and Romany Gypsies

Irish Travellers

Traditionally, Irish Travellers are a nomadic group of people from Ireland but have a separate identity, heritage and culture to the community in general. An Irish Traveller presence can be traced back to 12th century Ireland, with migrations to Great Britain in the early 19th century. The Irish Traveller community is categorised as an ethnic minority group under the Race Relations Act, 1976 (amended 2000); the Human Rights Act 1998; and the Equality Act 2010. Some Travellers of Irish heritage identify as Pavee or Minceir, which are words from the Irish Traveller language, Shelta.

Romany Gypsies

Romany Gypsies have been in Britain since at least 1515 after migrating from continental Europe during the Roma migration from India. The term Gypsy comes from “Egyptian” which is what the settled population perceived them to be because of their dark complexion. In reality, linguistic analysis of the Romani language proves that Romany Gypsies, like the European Roma, originally came from Northern India, probably around the 12th century. French Manush Gypsies have a similar origin and culture to Romany Gypsies.

There are other groups of Travellers who may travel through Britain, such as Scottish Travellers, Welsh Travellers and English Travellers, many of whom can trace a nomadic heritage back for many generations and who may have married into or outside of more traditional Irish Traveller and Romany Gypsy families. There were already indigenous nomadic people in Britain when the Romany Gypsies first arrived hundreds of years ago and the different cultures/ethnicities have to some extent merged.

Number of Gypsies and Travellers in Britain

This year, the 2021 Census included a “Roma” category for the first time, following in the footsteps of the 2011 Census which included a “Gypsy and Irish Traveller” category. The 2021 Census statistics have not yet been released but the 2011 Census put the combined Gypsy and Irish Traveller population in England and Wales as 57,680. This was recognised by many as an underestimate for various reasons. For instance, it varies greatly with data collected locally such as from the Gypsy Traveller Accommodation Needs Assessments, which total the Traveller population at just over 120,000, according to our research.

Other academic estimates of the combined Gypsy, Irish Traveller and other Traveller population range from 120,000 to 300,000. Ethnic monitoring data of the Gypsy Traveller population is rarely collected by key service providers in health, employment, planning and criminal justice.

Where Gypsies and Travellers Live

Although most Gypsies and Travellers see travelling as part of their identity, they can choose to live in different ways including:

• moving regularly around the country from site to site and being ‘on the road’
• living permanently in caravans or mobile homes, on sites provided by the council, or on private sites
• living in settled accommodation during winter or school term-time, travelling during the summer months
• living in ‘bricks and mortar’ housing, settled together, but still retaining a strong commitment to Gypsy/Traveller culture and traditions

Currently, their nomadic life is being threatened by the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill, that is currently being deliberated in Parliament, To find out more or get involved with opposing this bill, please visit here

Although Travellers speak English in most situations, they often speak to each other in their own language; for Irish Travellers this is called Cant or Gammon* and Gypsies speak Romani, which is the only indigenous language in the UK with Indic roots.

*Sometimes referred to as “Shelta” by linguists and academics

New Travellers and Show People

There are also Traveller groups which are known as ‘cultural’ rather than ‘ethnic’ Travellers. These include ‘new’ Travellers and Showmen. Most of the information on this page relates to ethnic Travellers but ‘Showmen’ do share many cultural traits with ethnic Travellers.

Show People are a cultural minority that have owned and operated funfairs and circuses for many generations and their identity is connected to their family businesses. They operate rides and attractions that can be seen throughout the summer months at funfairs. They generally have winter quarters where the family settles to repair the machinery that they operate and prepare for the next travelling season. Most Show People belong to the Showmen’s Guild which is an organisation that provides economic and social regulation and advocacy for Show People. The Showman’s Guild works with both central and local governments to protect the economic interests of its members.

The term New Travellers refers to people sometimes referred to as “New Age Travellers”. They are generally people who have taken to life ‘on the road’ in their own lifetime, though some New Traveller families claim to have been on the road for three consecutive generations. The New Traveller culture grew out of the hippie and free-festival movements of the 1960s and 1970s.

Barge Travellers are similar to New Travellers but live on the UK’s 2,200 miles of canals. They form a distinct group in the canal network and many are former ‘new’ Travellers who moved onto the canals after changes to the law made the free festival circuit and a life on the road almost untenable. Many New Travellers have also settled into private sites or rural communes although a few groups are still travelling.

If you are a new age Traveller and require support please contact Friends, Families, and Travellers (FFT) .

Differences and Values

Differences Between Romani (Gypsies), Roma and Irish Travellers.

Romani (Gypsies), Roma and Irish Travellers are often categorised together under the “Roma” definition in Europe and under the acronym “GRT” in Britain. These communities and other nomadic groups, such as Scottish and English Travellers, Show People and New Travellers, share a number of characteristics in common: the importance of family and/or community networks; the nomadic way of life, a tendency toward self-employment, experience of disadvantage and having the poorest health outcomes in the United Kingdom.

The Roma communities also originated from India from around the 10th/ 12th centuries and have historically faced persecution, including slavery and genocide. They are still marginalised and ghettoised in many Eastern European countries (Greece, Bulgaria, Romania etc) where they are often the largest and most visible ethnic minority group, sometimes making up 10% of the total population. However, ‘Roma’ is a political term and a self-identification of many Roma activists. In reality, European Roma populations are made up of various subgroups, some with their own form of Romani, who often identify as that group rather than by the all-encompassing Roma identity.

Travellers and Roma each have very different customs, religion, language and heritage. For instance, Gypsies are said to have originated in India and the Romani language (also spoken by Roma) is considered to consist of at least seven varieties, each a language in their own right.

Values and Culture of GRT Communities

Family, extended family bonds and networks are very important to the Gypsy and Traveller way of life, as is a distinct identity from the settled ‘Gorja’ or ‘country’ population. Family anniversaries, births, weddings and funerals are usually marked by extended family or community gatherings with strong religious ceremonial content. Gypsies and Travellers generally marry young and respect their older generation. Contrary to frequent media depiction, Traveller communities value cleanliness and tidiness.

Many Irish Travellers are practising Catholics, while some Gypsies and Travellers are part of a growing Christian Evangelical movement.

Gypsy and Traveller culture has always adapted to survive and continues to do so today. Rapid economic change, recession and the gradual dismantling of the ‘grey’ economy have driven many Gypsy and Traveller families into hard times. The criminalisation of ‘travelling’ and the dire shortage of authorised private or council sites have added to this. Some Travellers describe the effect that this is having as “a crisis in the community” . A study in Ireland put the suicide rate of Irish Traveller men as 3-5 times higher than the wider population. Anecdotal evidence suggests that the same phenomenon is happening amongst Traveller communities in the UK.

Gypsies and Travellers are also adapting to new ways, as they have always done. Most of the younger generation and some of the older generation use social network platforms to stay in touch and there is a growing recognition that reading and writing are useful tools to have. Many Gypsies and Travellers utilise their often remarkable array of skills and trades as part of the formal economy. Some Gypsies and Travellers, many supported by their families, are entering further and higher education and becoming solicitors, teachers, accountants, journalists and other professionals.

There have always been successful Gypsy and Traveller businesses, some of which are household names within their sectors, although the ethnicity of the owners is often concealed. Gypsies and Travellers have always been represented in the fields of sport and entertainment.

How Gypsies and Travellers Are Disadvantaged

The Romani (Gypsy), Roma and Irish Traveller communities are widely considered to be among the most socially excluded communities in the UK. They have a much lower life expectancy than the general population, with Traveller men and women living 10-12 years less than the wider population.

Travellers have higher rates of infant mortality, maternal death and stillbirths than the general population. They experience racist sentiment in the media and elsewhere, which would be socially unacceptable if directed at any other minority community. Ofsted consider young Travellers to be one of the groups most at risk of low attainment in education.

Government services rarely include Traveller views in the planning and delivery of services.

In recent years, there has been increased political networking between the Gypsy, Roma and Traveller activists and campaign organisations.

Watch this video by Travellers Times made for Gypsy Roma Traveller History Month 2021:

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The Picture Show

Daily picture show, documenting the irish travellers: a nomadic culture of yore.

Lauren Rock

Throughout my life I have regularly traveled to my mother's home city of Dublin. During these trips I would regularly see groups of people living in caravans on the sides of the road, and I always wondered who they were and what their lives were like.

I later found out they belonged to a small ethnic minority called "Travellers" — nomads who spend most of their life, literally on the road. While their history has been hard to document — they have no written records — they are thought to have separated from the settled Irish community at least 1,000 years ago.

The Travellers (until recently also called "tinkers" or "gypsies") often live in ad hoc encampments, in direct contrast to "settled" people in Ireland. They are thought to be descended from a group of nomadic craftsman, with the name "tinker" a reference to the sound of a hammer hitting an anvil. (The reference is now considered derogatory.)

In 1965 Dublin-born photographer Alen MacWeeney stumbled across a Travellers' encampment and became fascinated with their way of life. He spent the next six years making photographs and recording their stories and music. Despite shooting the photos in the late '60s, it wasn't until 2007 that he found a publisher for his work.

Bernie Ward, Cherry Orchard Courtesy of Alen MacWeeney hide caption

Bernie Ward, Cherry Orchard

In his book, Irish Travellers: Tinkers No More — which also comes with a CD of Traveller music recordings — MacWeeny shows us a gritty, intimate portrait of the people he eventually came to call friends. He compares the Travellers to the migrant farmers of the American Depression: "poor, white, and dispossessed."

"Theirs was a bigger way of life than mine, with its daily struggle for survival, compared to my struggle to find images symbolic and representative of that life," he said in his book.

MacWeeney got his start at age 20 as an assistant for Richard Avedon in Paris and has since made a career as a portrait and fashion photographer. But his images of the Travellers reveal a raw and intimate side to his work.

"Traveller families have always been very close-knit, held together in a tight unspoken knot, with lifelong bonds and sometimes varying a lifelong set of troubles," he said.

Today, however, the Traveller lifestyle has changed dramatically from even a few decades ago. Many have embraced modern culture and become "settled," no longer living apart from the mainstream. There is even a reality TV show, My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding , which showcases Traveller girls and their theatrical, over-the-top weddings.

But MacWeeney believes that the Travellers are "reluctant as settled and envy the other life of travelling." His book stands as a document of an era, and a way of life that is slowly fading into the past.

Gypsy and Traveler Culture in America

Gypsy and Traveler Culture, History and Genealogy in America

Are you a Gypsy, Traveler or Roader, or have some ancestry in any one of such groups? This site is dedicated to you; to help you become more aware of your own rich heritage, to help preserve your traditions, language and knowledge of where you came from and who you are.

The identities of Traveling People are everywhere threatened by the flood of misinformation that is being disseminated on the web and through the popular media. This site pledges to correct such misinformation and to present an accurate and unbiased view of traveling life as it has unfolded since the your ancestors first set foot in the New World.

Preservation of your ethnic heritage and pride in your own ethnic identity are some of the most valuable assets that any parents can leave to their children and grandchildren. To be of Gypsy or Traveler background is something special, something to be treasured along with the language, customs, and cultural values embodied in a unique way of life.

If you want to learn more about your family and your ethnic group, whether you be of Cale, Hungarian-Slovak, Ludar, Rom, Romnichel or Sinti Gypsy or American (Roader), English, German, Irish or Scotch Traveler background we will provide you with an interactive forum for asking questions, finding lost relatives, guidance to accurate sources, exchanging information as well as just keeping in touch with your own kind.

To get started just send a note to ASK MATT specifying what kind of Gypsy you are and in which family background you are interested.

The foundation on which this site is built is a rich storehouse of data of every imaginable kind: documentary sources, oral histories and observations of traveling life collected in over 35 years of unpaid research by Matt and Sheila Salo. The Salos have dedicated their lives to providing a true history of traveling life in America and to dispelling the myths that are currently being spread on the web and other media.

This endeavor is based on the premise that every kind of Gypsy and Traveler has a right to his or her own identity, whatever it might be. Each of you has a unique heritage that your ancestors nurtured over centuries of hardship and persecution. Now those rich and unique identities are in danger of being lost as more and more people lose the sense of who they are; customs, language and traditional life patterns are not being passed on; some people are even becoming ashamed of their Gypsy or Traveler identities.

Again, email any specific inquiries into American Gypsy or Traveler history, culture and genealogy to Matt T. Salo at ASK MATT .

Forthcoming: This history and culture page under preparation will be divided into subject areas that you can access separately depending on your interests. If you seek information sources, have specific questions, or want to broaden your horizons by learning about other groups, we will provide the best, most accurate information available. You will not be fed speculations about Melungeons, hordes of Gypsies in Colonial America, or Gypsies and Travelers as hapless victims or criminal castes - instead all our information will be based on actual verified data that truly represents the experience of your people in America since your ancestors first arrived here.

Culture and language are not easily lost and, unless you are among those few unfortunate individuals whose parents or grandparents misguidedly tried to separate themselves and their families from their roots, you should easily be able to pick up traits of language and culture that indicate your origins. We will begin with a brief overview of the different groups to orient those among you who are not quite sure of where they belong. More detailed descriptions will follow.

Gypsy and Traveler Groups in the United States

Cale: Spanish Gypsies, or Gitanos, are found primarily in the metropolitan centers of the East and West coasts. A small community of only a few families.

English Travelers: Fairly amorphous group, possibly formed along same lines as Roaders (see below), but taking shape already in England before their emigration to the US starting in early 1880s. Associate mainly with Romnichels. Boundaries and numbers uncertain.

Hungarian-Slovak: Mainly sedentary Gypsies found primarily in the industrial cities of northern U.S. Number in few thousands. Noted for playing "Gypsy music" in cafes, night clubs and restaurants.

Irish Travelers: Peripatetic group that is ethnically Irish and does not identify itself as "Gypsy," although sometimes called "Irish Gypsies." Widely scattered, but somewhat concentrated in the southern states. Estimates vary but about 10,000 should be close to the actual numbers.

Ludar: Gypsies from the Banat area, also called Rumanian Gypsies. Arrived after 1880. Have about the same number of families as the Rom, but actual numbers are unknown.

Roaders or Roadies: Native born Americans who have led a traveling life similar to that of the Gypsies and Travelers, but who were not originally descended from those groups. Numbers unknown as not all families studied.

Rom: Gypsies of East European origin who arrived after 1880. Mostly urban, they are scattered across the entire country. One of the larger groups in the US, possibly in the 55-60,000 range.

Romnichels: English Gypsies who arrived beginning in 1850. Scattered across the entire country, but tend to be somewhat more rural than the other Gypsy groups. Many families are now on their way to being assimilated, hence estimation of numbers depends on criteria used.

Scottish Travelers: Ethnically Scottish, but separated for centuries from mainstream society in Scotland where they were known as Tinkers. Some came to Canada after 1850 and to the United States in appreciable numbers after 1880. Over 100 distinct clans have been identified but total numbers not known.

Sinti: Little studied early group of German Gypsies in the United States consisting of few families heavily assimilated with both non-Gypsy and Romnichel populations. No figures are available.

Yenisch: Mostly assimilated group of ethnic Germans, misidentified as Gypsies, who formed an occupational caste of basket makers and founded an entire community in Pennsylvania after their immigration starting 1840. Because of assimilation current numbers are impossible to determine.

This inventory leaves out several Gypsy groups that have immigrated since 1970 due to the unrest and renewed persecution in Eastern Europe after the collapse of Communism. They have come from Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, Poland, Romania, the former Yugoslavian area, and possibly other countries. They number in few thousands by now, but their numbers are likely to increase.

Copyright @ 2002 Matt T. Salo

• Travel Terms Glossary

We have provided a glossary for your use.  The travel industry is replete with jargon and acronyms and we hope you find this glossary/dictionary of travel terms useful when you run across a term you are not familiar with.  We encourage our clients to submit any words or concepts they would like defined or clarified to us on the Contact Us page and we will be happy to reply by email with a definition and include the term or clarification in our glossary/dictionary of travel terms for other clients benefit as well.

A la carte – referring to meals, an indication that each dish is priced separately; also that a choice of meals may be vailable, such as on a tour.

A la Carte Bar – Also known as a “Cash Bar,” a bar located within one’s hotel room that is pre-stocked with an assortment of snacks and beverages.

ABC – a reference to the Caribbean islands of Aruba, Bonaire, and Curacao, in the Netherlands Antilles, just off the northern coast of South America (Venezuela). Fabulous for diving, snorkeling and all manner of watersports.

Abeam – A directional term, used on ships and aircraft, which describes something off to the side of the vessel, such as the wings.

Accessible Tourism – Travel that ensures that there is high availability in destinations, accommodations, attractions, products, and services to all people.

Accessible Travel – Travel that ensures that there is high availability in destinations, accommodations, attractions, products, and services to all people.

Actual Time of Arrival – Literally, the actual time of arrival. As opposed to the ETA (Estimated Time of Arrival).

Add-on – an option, usually at extra cost, added to travel arrangements.

Adjoining rooms – Two hotel or accommodation rooms that have a door connecting them from the inside, allowing the guests to combine the two rooms into one larger room.

Adoption Rate – the percentage of tickets issued through an online booking system compared to the traditional booking channel of agent-assisted reservations.

ADT – Atlantic Daylight Time; Alaska Daylight Time. Advance Purchase Fare – airfare that requires the traveler to purchase the ticket a minimum number of days prior to departure.

Advance Purchase Requirement – APR, or Advance Purchase Requirement, is the requirement that a ticket must be purchased a minimum number of days before the flight departs.

Adventure tour – A tour designed around an adventurous activity such as rafting, hiking, or mountain climbing.

Adventure travel – adventure travel is category of travel involving exploration or travel with perceived (and possibly actual) risk, and potentially requiring specialized skills and physical exertion.

Adventure Traveler – Adventure travelers travel to destinations with the specific purpose of active physical participation and exploration of new experiences.

Affinity Card – These are credit or debit cards issued by a banking institution in partnership and co-branded with a particular frequent traveler program.

Affinity group – A group of people that share a common hobby, interest, or activity, or that are united through regular participation in shared outings. Also see preformed group.

Aft – toward the rear of a ship.

After-departure charge – Charges that do not appear on the guest’s bill at checkout such as telephone or dining charges.

Agent – A person who has the power to act as the representative for another person.  Most frequently in travel, a specific kind of agent such as a travel agent.

AIO variables – Activities, interests, and opinions-used to measure and categorize customer lifestyles.

Air mile – a distance of approx. 6076 feet.

Air Traffic Control – Usually refers to the control tower at the airport, but may also be a control center somewhere else in charge of controlling a large area of sky.

Air Travel Card – a credit card sponsored by the airlines, for the purchase of air travel only.

Air Travel – air travel is the action or process of making a journey by aircraft.

Air/sea – a term referring to tickets, trips, fares, etc. that include both air and land-based travel arrangements, such as a cruise package with air included.

Aircraft – Generally speaking, any machine capable of flight. However, in the travel industry, these often mean airplanes.

Airline Alliance – These are agreements of cooperation between groups of airlines. Alliances offer airlines more flexibility and larger networks.

Airline fare – Price charged for an airline ticket. Several types of fares exist and can change with market conditions.

Airlines Reporting Corporation (ARC) – An organization that provides a method of approving authorized agency locations for the sale of transportation and cost-effective procedures for processing records and funds of such sales to carrier customers.

Airport access fee – a fee paid by the car rental companies to the airport authority, for the use of shuttle vehicles, etc. – usually passed on to the consumer.

Airport transfer – a transport service to/from an airport to hotel, etc., normally prepaid as part of a package tour, but available separately as well.

Air-Sea – A cruise or travel package in which one or more transportation elements are provided by air and one or more by sea. The package is usually combined with local lodging.

All Inclusive – sold for one price that includes charges and fees that are often added separately.

All-inclusive package – A tour package in which most travel elements are purchased for set price. Also called an all-expense package.

Alternative Tourism – Travel that is not conventional in nature, though that is hard to define. It can be a niche kind of tourism.

Alternative Travel – Travel that is not conventional in nature, though that is hard to define. It can be a niche kind of tourism.

Alumni tour – A tour created for customers who have previously traveled with a tour operator. Also called a reunion tour.

Ambassador – The head of a state’s diplomatic mission in another state, usually with offices inside the main embassy.

Amenities – a desirable or useful feature or facility of a building or place

Amenity package – A cluster of special features, such as complimentary shore excursions, bar or boutique credit, or wine at dinner offered to clients on a given tour or cruise, usually as a bonus or extra feature. Usually used to induce clients to book through a particular travel agency or organization.

Amenity – The facilities and features of a property, usually cruise ship, airline or destination accommodation.

American plan – a hotel’s meal plan that usually includes all three meals each day.

AMEX – American Express (AX).

Amidships – toward the middle of a ship – usually the most stable part of the vessel.

Anniversary travel – a type of milestone travel celebrating a date that is remembered or celebrated because a special or notable event occurred on that date in a previous year, such as a wedding anniversary.

Antebellum – describes a building and/or period of time prior to the Civil War, such as an antebellum mansion on a cotton plantation in the southern US.

APEX – an airline term meaning “advance purchase excursion fare” – normally the least expensive fares.

Apron – The area surrounding the gate areas of a terminal, generally used for parking and maintenance of planes.

ARC – Airline Reporting Corporation- the agency that regulates ticket sales and reports to the airlines for travel agencies.

Archipelago – An archipelago is a grouping of islands, essentially. Indonesia and Japan are both archipelago countries.

ARTA – Association of Retail Travel Agents – professional trade group of travel agents only.

ASC Fee – Administrative Service Charge.  Usually it’s the same as the change fee, or the fee to exchange the ticket for future travel.

AST – Atlantic (or Alaska) Standard Time.

ASTA – American Society of Travel Agents – trade group consisting of travel agencies, travel agents, and allied members (suppliers, etc.).

ATO – Airline Ticket Office – becoming rarer these days, as carriers continue to reduce customer service.

Attractions – An item or specific interest to travelers, such as natural wonders, manmade facilities and structures, entertainment, and activities.

Autobahn – high-speed equivalent to the US interstate highway system, in Germany and a few other European countries.

Availability – The total number of seats allowed to be sold at a particular rate.

Average room rate – The total guest room revenue for a given period divided by the number of rooms occupied for the same period.

B&B – A bed and breakfast home or guest house that a proprietor has converted into accommodation(s) for the public. Each room becomes a separate unit for rent and typically breakfast and/or other meals are served as part of the fare.

Babymoon – A relaxing and romantic vacation or getaway taken by parents-to-be before their baby is born.

Back to back – A term used to describe tours operating on a consistent, continuing basis. For instance, a motor coach arriving in a city from a cross-country tour may conclude the first tour upon arrival, then transport a second group back along the same route to the origination city of the first tour.

Back-to-back ticket(ing) – an against-the-rules practice whereby an air ticket is issued round-trip with only one portion to be used. Another is then issued roundtrip, again with only one portion to be used. In effect, this amounts to using one ticket for the outbound part of a trip, and the other for the return. The normal Saturday night stay requirement is then avoided – useful only when two roundtrip tickets are less than the cost of a single ticket with no Saturday night stayover.

Baggage Allowance – The amount of baggage a passenger may transport without having to pay extra charges, determined by carrier.

Baggage handler – See porter.

Baggage master – The person who controls baggage handling on a ship.

Balcony – sometimes called a verandah – an outside “porch ” that is usually private, just outside your ship’s cabin. Great for relaxing and port arrivals!

Barge cruising – pleasure cruising along a canal system, such as in upstate New York or in Europe, in converted barges or new ships that resemble them.

Base fare – the basic price of an airline ticket, before ANY taxes, surcharges, airport fees, etc.

Base – Flight crew term for their home airport; where the flights originate from and terminate at.

Beam – a ship’s width at its widest point; determines whether or not a vessel can pass through the Panama Canal.

Bed and breakfast (B&B) – Overnight accommodations usually in a private home or boarding house, often with a full American-style or Continental breakfast included in one rate.

Bell captain – The person in charge of luggage at a hotel.

Bellboy – Also called “Bellboy” or “Bellman,” a person that is hired by the hotel to assist guests, such as with luggage, running errands, etc.

Bellman – a person who carries one’s luggage to a hotel room.

Benelux – term for the countries of Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg.

Berth – usually refers to the bed in a ship’s cabin; also the space at which a ship is docked.

Bespoke tour – a tour that is customized, personalized and tailor-made for the traveler.

Biking Trips and tours – Bicycle trips and touring means self-contained cycling trips or pleasure, adventure and autonomy rather than sport, commuting or exercise. Touring can range from single to multi-day trips, getaways or vacations.

Birthday travel – a type of milestone travel celebrating a birthday, quite often marking decade birthday milestones such as 40 th , 50 th , 60 th , 70 th etc. birthdays.

Blackout dates – Specific dates in which special fares or promotions do not apply. Typically exist around holidays or special events.

Block – A number of rooms, seats, or space reserved in advance, usually by wholesalers, tour operators, or receptive operators who intend to sell them as components of tour packages.

Blocked space – seats, rooms, and/or cabins held on airlines, in hotels, or aboard ships. Usually held speculatively and made available at reduced rates.

Boarding pass – a receipt with a seat number, now issued only at check-in at the airport. A ticket is not valid unless a boarding pass has been issued. A Boarding Pass is not a ticket, but allows you to board a plane or ship or other mode of transportation.

Boarding Pass – Bonded – protected or guaranteed by a bond, usually referring to the protection of passenger’s funds.

Booking form – A document which purchasers of tours must complete to give the operator full particulars about who is buying the tour. It states exactly what is being purchased (including options) and must be signed as acknowledgment that the liability clause has been read and understood.

Boutique Hotel – A boutique hotel is a type of hotel, usually smaller and more intimate than a chain hotel, which conforms to a niche.

Bow – Bow is a directional term. Front of a ship or the nose of an aircraft; specifically, the foremost point of the hull of the craft.

Breakage – Expenses budgeted for a tour but not used or expended, thus resulting in additional profit to the tour operator. Examples include meals budgeted but not consumed, currency fluctuations in favor of the tour operator, or the tour selling to much larger numbers of passengers than expected.

Break-even point (BEP) – The point at which revenues and expenses are the same. For example, the BEP is the number of products (or seats, cabins, tickets, etc.) that must be sold for a company to break even. The BEP is calculated as fixed costs divided by the selling price less variable costs. See reasonable number.

Break-even pricing – Pricing a product based on a forecast of the break-even point and the cost of achieving the break-even point.

Bridge – the navigational center of a ship.

Bucket list destinations – Bucket list travel is a list of destinations a person wants to travel to and experience before reaching a certain age or dying.

Bulk contract – An agreement whereby an airline sells large blocks of seats at a discount for resale by a third party.

Bulk fare – A reduced fare for purchases of a large number of tickets.

Bulkhead Seat – Seats located directly behind a bulkhead wall separator. As these seats don’t have the benefit of a seatback in front of them.

Bulkhead – A partitioning wall, usually referring to one within the cabin of an aircraft, or perhaps on another mode of transportation.

Bumping – the airline practice of denying boarding to confirmed passengers who hold tickets on a specific flight, due to an oversold condition. The carrier will ask for volunteers to take later flights, and will normally provide some sort of compensation in the form of vouchers or tickets for future travel. Rules for when compensation must be provided are complicated; ask the ticket agent for a copy of that carrier’s rules, as each has their own set of guidelines.

Business class – While amenities vary based on the airline, business class generally falls between first class and coach.

Cabin – the passenger area on an aircraft; the stateroom aboard a cruise ship.

Cabin Crew – The collective group of flight attendants and the purser as a whole. The cabin crew is responsible primarily for handling the duties within the cabin.

Cabin steward – the person responsible for maintaining/cleaning the cabins aboard ship.

Cabin-(Aircraft) – The section of the aircraft in which passengers travel.

Cabin – A sleeping room on a ship.

Cancellation penalty – the monetary penalty due when travel plans are cancelled, usually after final payment has been made.

Cape – A small version of a peninsula, usually long and narrow, that juts far out into a body of water.

Captain – (Aircraft-The captain is the pilot in command (PIC), which is the person in the cockpit sitting on the left with 4 stripes on their shoulder.

Card mill – a “business “that sells potentially fake travel agent ID cards, usually in a sort of pyramid scheme, whereby the buyer intends only to partake of any legitimate agent benefits.

Carrier – generic term for any company that transports passengers and/or freight.

Carry-on – currently, there are no uniformly enforced airline restrictions concerning carry-on luggage.

Cashless cruising – a term that applies to the system of onboard payment used for most all cruises; the final bill for any such purchases is presented against a credit card or cash deposit given upon check-in. The final statement itemizes the purchases of all passengers in a cabin, such as drinks, shore tours, etc.

Casual research – A form of marketing research that is used to test cause-and-effect relationships between a marketing program and customers.

Cay – pronounced “key” – term for a small island, used primarily in the Caribbean, such as Princess Cay.

Celebrity Travel – celebrity and high net worth travel is an ultra-luxurious travel category describing the highly demanding travel requirements of celebrity and high net worth travelers characterized by the ultra-luxurious travel modalities and destinations with attention to privacy, security and confidentiality.

Certified Tour Professional (CTP) – A designation conferred upon tour professionals who have completed a prescribed course of academic study, professional service, tour employment, and evaluation requirements. The CTP program is administered by the National Tour Association (Lexington, KY) and is open to individuals employed in any segment of the tourism industry.

Certified Travel Associate – (CTA) – a travel professional certified by the Institute of Certified Travel Agents, who has passed a series of rigorous tests, assuring the traveling public of professional competence.

Certified Travel Counselor (CTC) – A designation attesting to professional competence as a travel agent. It is conferred upon travel professionals with five or more years of industry experience who compete a two-year graduate-level travel management program administered by the Institute of Certified Travel Agents (Wellesley, MA).

Certified Travel Industry Specialist (CTIS) – A designation conferred upon American Bus Association member company employees who successfully complete five correspondence courses (three) required and two electives and written evaluation of eight marketplace seminars.

Chain-ratio method – A method for forecasting market demand by multiplying a base market figure by a series of consumption constraints.

Chamber of commerce – A DMO that operates at the local level and is comprised of businesses that are not necessarily associated with the tourism industry.

Chancery – The physical building that houses an embassy and its diplomatic delegation.

Change of equipment – when a flight, with a single flight number, lands and changes the type of airplane used before continuing on to its destination.  Sometimes referred to as a change of gauge.

Charter service – The transportation of preformed groups (organized by someone other than the carrier), which have the exclusive use of the vehicle.

Charter – To hire the exclusive use of any aircraft, motorcoach, or other vehicle.

Chauffer driven tours – a chauffeur tour is a tour driven by a chauffeur employed to drive a passenger motor vehicle, especially a luxury vehicle such as a large sedan or limousine.

Chunnel – slang for the tunnel beneath the English Channel, from England to France, through which the Eurostar train passes.

Circle itinerary – A travel routing design that overnights in different locations and returns to the point of departure without retracing the travel route.

Circle trip – any trip that involves more than a single destination, but which returns to the initial point of departure.

City guide – A tour guide who points out and comments on the highlights of a city, usually from a motor coach or van.

City Pair – The departure and destination points of an air or rail journey.

City tour – A sightseeing trip through a city, usually lasting a half day or a full day, during which a guide points out the city’s highlights.

Class of Service – The inventory in which a passenger is booked according to the fare purchased. (E.g. a full fare coach class cabin is usually Y class of service)

CLIA – Cruise Lines International Association, located in New York City, NY.

Client list – A printout of the names of all tour participants.

Client mix – Objectives set by companies to achieve percentages of customers from different market segments.

Closed-end question – A question for which the answers are provided for the respondent, who chooses only from those answers.

Closeout – Finalization of a tour, cruise, or similar group travel project after which time no further clients are accepted. Any unsold air or hotel space is released, and final lists and payments are sent to all suppliers.

Coach – the “economy ” section of an aircraft, which may have literally scores of different fares for the same flight.

Collision damage waiver-(CDW) – Optional insurance provided by car rental companies that eliminates all responsibility of the driver in case of an accident. Car rental insurance covering any damage to a rental vehicle (CDW) many credit card companies cover their clients in this area if they use that card to pay for the rental. Check with you credit card company to see if you are covered and to what extent.

Commission – Money paid to a travel agency or ARC number by suppliers for generating bookings.

Commission cap – The limit placed on commissions paid to travel agents for the sale of air tickets, regardless of their price; designed to allow airlines to increase their profits at the expense of their primary distribution system – the travel agents.

Commissionable tour – A tour available through retail and wholesale travel agencies which provides for a payment of an agreed-upon sales commission to the retailer or wholesale seller.

Common carrier – Any person or organization that offers transportation for a fee.

Commuter – term referring to the small, regional airlines, sometimes called puddle-jumpers.

Comp policy – Arrangements for free tickets, rooms, meals, etc.

Complimentaries (comps) – Items provided free of charge, such as rooms, meals, tickets, airfare, gifts, souvenirs, etc.

Computerized reservation system (CRS) – An automated system used by travel agents that contains pricing, availability and product descriptions for hotels, car rentals, cruises, and air transportation.

Concierge – a hotel employee who provides additional advice, recommendations, and other services to guests, such as restaurant reservations. An employee of the hotel whose primary task is to serve as the liaison between the hotel and non-hotel attractions, facilities, services, and the guest.

Concierge Level – special service level normally offered at higher grade hotels that provide the guest additional amenities and information, typically at a higher rate.

Conditions – The section or clause of a transportation or tour contract that specifies what is not offered and that may spell out the circumstances under which the contract may be invalidated (in whole or in part).

Configuration – The interior arrangement of a vehicle, particularly an airplane. The same airplane, for example, may be configured for 190 coach-class passengers, or it may hold 12 first-class passengers and 170 coach passengers, or any other combination within its capacity.

Confirmed reservation – An oral or written statement by a supplier that he has received and will honor a reservation. Oral confirmation have virtually no legal weight. Even written or faxed confirmations have specified or implied limitations. For example, a hotel is usually not obliged to honor a reservation if a guest arrives after 6 p.m., unless late arrival has been guaranteed.

Confluence – A confluence, also known as a conflux, is the meeting point of two flowing bodies of water, such as streams or rivers; the place where they come together.

Conflux – A confluence, also known as a conflux, is the meeting point of two flowing bodies of water, such as streams or rivers; the place where they come together.

Connecting Flight – A flight that makes a stop at an intermediate point where travelers must change planes in order to connect to another flight to reach their destination. (I.e. San Francisco to Chicago and Chicago to New York).

Connecting room – Two rooms that are connected to each other by a door.

Consolidation – Cancellation by a charter tour operator of one more flights associated with a specific charter departure or departure period, with the transfer of passengers to another charter flight or flights to depart on or near the same day. Also, selling the same tour with identical departure dates through a number of wholesalers, cooperatives, or other outlets in order to increase sales and reduce the possibility of tour cancellations.

Consolidator – A wholesaler who purchases airline tickets in bulk and re-sells them to individuals and travel agencies at a discounted rate. These fares tend to have complex restrictions, but can be cheaper than buying direct from the airline. Consolidator fares are found to have the most savings on international flights.

Consortium – A collection of organizations made up of independently owned and managed agencies who band together to increase their buying power.

Consulate – Essentially a satellite office of the embassy, but its roles are limited in scope.

Consul – Head diplomat of the consulate.

Consumer protection plan – A plan offered by a company and/or association that protects the customer’s deposits and payments from loss in the event of company bankruptcy.

Consumer – The actual user of a product or service. See also customer.

Consumption constraints – Issues that limit the number of people in a market who will purchase a product.

Continental breakfast – At a minimum, a beverage (coffee, tea, or milk) and rolls and toast, with fruit juice sometimes included.

Continent – Large landmasses that the world is divided into, by convention, although it is generally-accepted that there are seven.

Contract – A legally enforceable agreement between two or more parties.

Control Tower – Often referred to as simply the tower, the people in the Control Tower oversee aircraft movements at the airport, including ground traffic.

Convenience sample – A collection of research subjects who are the easiest for the researcher to select.

Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB) – A nonprofit DMO that operates at the county and city level. A CVB typically encourages groups to hold meetings, conventions, and trade shows in its city.

Co-op tour – Selling a tour through a number of wholesalers, cooperatives, or other outlets in order to increase sales and reduce the possibility of tour cancellations.

Cooperative (co-op) advertising – An agreement between two parties to share the cost of placing an advertisement.

Corporate agency – A travel agency that usually caters to medium-large sized businesses.

Corporate Rate – a hotel rate that is designed to appeal to the needs of the business traveler. It is not necessarily a discounted rate or the minimum rate offered by the hotel. Corporate rates normally guarantee the best available room at a fixed cost for a specific period of time, typically outlined in a contract between the hotel and company.

Corporate Travel – Corporate Travel is travel arranged by a business for business purposes. A division or department of a travel agency devoted to such travel.

Costing – The process of itemizing and calculating all the costs the tour operator will pay on a given tour.

Cost-plus pricing – See markup pricing.

Couchette – the sleeping compartment of a train that can contain up to 6 beds.

Coupon – See voucher.

Cruise Tour – A land and sea vacation, which combines a cruise with a multi-night land tour to inland destinations that the ship can’t reach.

Cruise – A cruise is a voyage on a ship or boat taken for pleasure or as a vacation and usually docking at several port destinations.

CST – Central Standard Time.

CTA – Certified Travel Associate.

CTC – Certified Travel Counselor – the ultimate in travel professionals, CTC certification can be compared to the “Master’s Degree “of the industry.

Cuisin e – a style of cooking characterized by distinctive ingredients, techniques and dishes associated with a specific culture or geographic region.

Culinary Tourism – Culinary tourism is defined as the pursuit of unique and memorable eating and drinking experiences. By combining travel with these edible experiences, culinary tourism offers both locals and tourists alike an authentic taste of a specific culture or geographic region.

Cultural Tourism – Cultural tourism is the category or tourism concerned with a country or region’s culture, specifically the lifestyle of the people in those geographical areas, the history of those people, their art, architecture, religion(s), and other elements that helped shape their way of life.

Cultural Travel – This is travel with regard to a region’s culture and history.

Culture – Similar shared traits or characteristics unique to an ethnic group, region, or nation.

Custom tour – A travel package created specifically for a preformed group or niche market.

Customer – The buyer of a product or service. See consumer.

Customized tours – a customized tour is a tour category where an independent travel plan is designed and arranged just for the traveler’s needs, goals and desires. This type of travel includes private airport/hotel transfers, hotels, internal airfare, trains, cruises, performances, events, activities and privately guided tours.

Customs – The common term for U.S. Customs Service, the federal agency charged with collecting duty on specified items imported into the country. The agency also restricts the entry of forbidden items.

CVB – Convention and Visitor’s Bureau (generic term).

Database – A computerized, organized collection of individual customer information.

Day rate – Also called a day room. A reduced rate granted for the use of a guest room during the daytime, not overnight occupancy. Usually provided on a tour when a very late-night departure is scheduled.

Day tour – An escorted or unescorted tour that lasts less than 24 hours and usually departs and returns on the same day. See sightseeing tour.

Deadheading – Making a trip or a segment of a trip without passengers, such as driving an empty motor coach somewhere.

Debark – to get off an airplane or passenger ship.

Deck – the floor area of a ship. Some cruise liners have as many as 11 to 14 decks or more.

Deck plan – the drawing representing the location of the decks, public rooms, cabins, etc. of a cruise ship.

Demand generators – Strategies and programs developed by DMOs and suppliers to generate destination demand. Examples include festivals, events, cultural tours, and consumer promotion.

Demands – A consumer’s wants backed by the ability to purchase.

Demographics – Population measures, such as age, gender, income, education, race/ethnicity, religion, marital status, household size, and occupation.

Denied-boarding compensation – that payment and/or voucher given those bumped from a flight; may be somewhat negotiable – always ask! See “bumping”.

Department of State – the US government agency that, among other things, issues cautions and warnings concerning travel to many points worldwide. Connect to the Department of State for the latest updates for the areas you are interested in.

Departure point – The location or destination from which a tour officially begins.

Departure tax – Fee collected from a traveler by the host country at the time of departure.

Deplane -To disembark, or get off, a plane.

Deposit policy – A specified amount or a percentage of the total bill due on a specified date prior to arrival.

Deposit – An advance payment required to obtain and confirm space.

Descriptive research – a form of marketing research that is used to provide detailed answers about customer markets.

Destination alliance – A DMO that operates as a for-profit association of select suppliers who form a paid-membership network to promote their services to travelers.

Destination management company (DMC) – A for-profit company that operates similar to a CVB by providing planning and execution services for the convention and meeting market.

Destination marketing organization (DMO) – An organization that promotes a location (city, region, state province, country) as a travel destination.

Destination Weddings – a destination wedding a category of travel where couples celebrate their marriage at a destination of their choosing away from home.

Destination – The geographic place to which a traveler is going.

Dine-around-plan – A meal plan, usually prepaid, that allows one to dine at various restaurants in an area.

Direct access – Refers to a travel agent’s ability to get directly into an airlines database to get true last-seat availability and correct pricing – a big difference between internet fare ” quotes ” and an agent’s CRS ( Computer Reservations System ).

Direct Flight – A flight that goes from a traveler’s origin to their final destination with one or more intermediate stops. No change in aircraft occurs. (I.e. San Francisco to New York with a stop in Chicago)

Direct marketing – Sales and marketing communication that feature direct interaction between a company and its customers without any distribution intermediaries.

Disaster Tourism – Travel when tourists go to an area that may be or may have been affected by natural disasters, civil strife, or warfare.

Disclaimer – a legal document that advises clients that a travel agent acts only as a middleman in the sale of travel products; any liability ultimately lies with the supplier, i.e. airline, hotel, car rental company, tour operator, railway, etc.

DMC – Destination Management Company

Docent – A tour guide who works free of charge at a museum.

Domestic fare – a fare charged for travel within a country.

Double booking – a not-nice practice of holding reservations to the same destination for the same times/days, on the same carriers but through different travel agencies, when only one reservation will ultimately be used.

Double Double – A room with two double beds.

Double occupancy – the way in which almost all cruise fares and tour packages are quoted, that is, based on two people traveling together. Most hotel rooms are quoted based on two adults to a room.

Double-occupancy rate – The price per person for a room to be shared with another person; the rate most frequently quoted in tour brochures.

Double-room rate – The full price of a room for two people (twice the double-occupancy rate.)

Downgrade – To move to a lesser level of accommodations or a lower class of service.

Driver guided tours – A driver guided tour is a tour guided by an individual that operates a vehicle while providing commentary in a front-line position who leads participants (individual or groups) on tours, ensures that itineraries are followed, provides commentary in an informative and entertaining manner, and creates positive experiences for tour participants.

Driver-guide – A tour guide who does double duty by driving a vehicle while narrating.

Drop-off charge – the fee added to a car rental when the vehicle is returned to a city other than where it was originally rented. In some states, there is no drop off fee most of the time, such as in Florida.

Duty-free imports – Item amounts and categories specified by a government that are fee of tax or duty charges when brought into the country.

Early Check-In – A perk that allows a guest to check in at an earlier time than the standard check-in time.

Eco/Sustainable Tourism – Eco or Sustainable Tourism is tourism directed toward exotic, often threatened, natural environments, especially to support conservation efforts and observe wildlife.

Eco-Conscious Travel – Though often interchangeable, being “eco-conscious” literally means that one is simply aware of their environmental impact.

Eco-Friendly Travel – Though often interchangeable, being “eco-conscious” literally means that one is simply aware of their environmental impact.

Economic impact study – Research into the dollars generated by an industry and how these dollars impact the economy through direct spending and the indirect impact of additional job creation and the generation of income and tax revenue.

Ecotour – A tour designed to focus on preserving the environment, or to environmentally sensitive areas.

Ecotourism – Tourism directed at exotic and/or endangered destinations while fostering an environmental understanding and conservation.

Educational tour – A tour designed around an educational activity, such as studying art.

Elder hostel – hostel catering to seniors – see “hostel”.

Electronic ticket – a “paperless” airline ticket allowing one to check-in and fly with just proper photo ID. What may look like a ticket is actually just a paper passenger receipt. E-tickets cannot be lost, or used by anyone else, so they are safer than standard paper tickets, which may soon become extinct. One drawback is that e-tickets on one carrier cannot be honored by another, so in a cancelled-flight snafu, the original carrier must print hard copy tickets before another airline can accept them. This presents major paperwork problems for the affected carrier.

Embark – to board a plane or cruise ship.

End suite – in the hotel industry, indicates that a certain feature(s) is directly in the room, or adjacent to that room.

English breakfast – basic meal of cereal, juice, eggs, meats, and other beverages. Common with most hotels in the UK/Great Britain.

Environmental scanning – The process of monitoring important forces in the business environment for trends and changes that may impact a company.

Errors and Omissions Insurance – Insurance coverage equivalent to malpractice insurance, protecting an agent’s or operator’s staff if an act of negligence, an error, or an omission occurs that causes a client great hardship or expense.

Escort – See tour director.

Escorted group tour – A group tour that features a tour director who travels with the group throughout the trip to provide sightseeing commentary and coordinate all group movement and activities.

Escrow accounts – Funds placed in the custody of licensed financial institutions for safekeeping. Many contracts in travel require that agents and tour operators maintain customers’ deposits and prepayments in escrow accounts.

ES T – Eastern Standard Time.

Estimated Time of Arrival – Literally, the estimated time of the transport’s arrival. As opposed to the ATA (Actual Time of Arrival), the ETA is the time that the flight or transport arrives.

Estuary – A body of water connecting a flowing river and a larger body, such as a sea or ocean. Because it is the transition point.

ETA – estimated time of arrival.

ETD – estimated time of departure.

Ethnicity – A term that groups people together with a similar cultural identity; unlike terms such as nationality, ethnicity is more ambiguous.

Ethno-Tourism – Focusing on exploration of indigenous populations and their respective culture and traditions.

E-Ticket – Regarding transportation, especially on airlines, an electronic ticket, or e-ticket, is the digital version of a paper ticket, issued via email.

Eurailpass – a special fare ticket that allows either unlimited train travel, or travel for a certain number of days/weeks, in many European countries (except in Britain, where the Britrailpass offers similar travel in England, Scotland, and Wales).

European pla n – a rate at a hotel that includes no meals.

Exchange order – See voucher.

Exclusive fare – Discounted airfares offered by travel consolidators.

Excursion – a side trip from a main destination, usually at added cost and optional.

Excursion Fare – special airline fares with restrictions such as minimum and maximum stays.

Exotic Travel – Exotic travel refers to a category of travel that is strikingly, excitingly and mysteriously different or unusual.  Exotic travel is travel that is completely different than what a traveler is accustomed to and is highly subjective in nature.

Experiential Travel – Experiential travel is also known as immersion travel and is a form of tourism in which people focus on experiencing a country, city or particular place by connecting to its history, people and culture.

Exploratory research – A form of marketing research that’s used to obtain preliminary information and clues. It is most often used when the marketing problem is ambiguous.

Extension – A fully arranged sub-tour offered optionally at extra cost to buyers of a tour or cruise.

Extensions may occur before, during, or after the basic travel program.

FAM (familiarization) tour – A free or reduced-rate trip offered to travel professionals to acquaint them with what a destination, attraction, or supplier has to offer.

Familiarity Tour – A familiarity tour as used in the travel industry it is a tour of a travel destination, travel accommodation, travel activity or travel mode (airline, cruise, ground transportation) to familiarize a travel advisor and provide knowledge and direct experience with the product or service so they can better serve their clients.

Family plan – offered by most hotels, allow children to stay in the same room as parents, at no additional charge. Age requirements vary between hotels.

Family Vacation – a family vacation is a travel category referring to travel involving family members. It is also commonly referred to as multi-generational travel.

Familymoon – A neologism term used to describe a type of honeymoon a newlywed couple can make along with their children from previous relationships.

Fare Aggregator – Fare aggregators’ redirect the users to an airline, cruise, hotel, or car rental site or online travel agent for the final purchase of a ticket. Aggregators’ business models include getting feeds from major OTAs, then displaying to the users all of the results on one screen. The OTA then fulfills the ticket. Aggregators generate revenues through advertising and charging OTAs for referring clients.

Fare Basis – the letters and numbers assigned to a specific fare like an identification number.

Fare basis (code) – The code that determines the price of an airline ticket.

Final Boarding Call – Last call to board before the jet bridge closes and the flight departs, leaving late passengers stranded.

First class – The class which offers the most premium service. Enhanced seating, meal selection, and drink offerings staples of this services.

First Officer – Pilot who is second in command. The pilot in the cockpit sitting on the right with 3 stripes.

Fishing Trips and tours – a fishing trip or fishing tour is a travel tour category where groups of fisherman are provided guided tours and typically lodging with the overall purpose of catching fish.

FIT – foreign independent tour – actually used generically now for a travel package put together by a travel agent from separate components such as car, hotel and airfare, adjusted exactly as the traveler wishes. May include city tours, theater tickets, and other “independent ” options, and may also include custom mapping/routing to accomplish the client’s goals. It now is more commonly used as an acronym for Flexible Independent Travel.  It describes a type of travel or tourism that does not incorporate a packaged tour but is nonetheless customized by a travel-selling professional.

Fjord – a narrow inlet from the ocean, usually bounded by cliffs, and with spectacular scenery. Most are located in Alaska, Norway, and New Zealand.

Flight Attendant – Commonly referred to as stewards/stewardesses and air hosts/hostesses, flight attendants are available to ensure the safety and comfort of the passengers of an aircraft.

Flight Crew – Sometimes called the aircrew, the flight crew consists of everyone hired by the airlines on a flight, including pilots, pursers, and flight attendants.

Fly/drive tour – An F.I.T. package that always includes air travel and a rental car and sometimes other travel components.

Fly-drive package – a travel package featuring airfare, rental car, and perhaps hotels. Usually less expensive than booking each separately.

Folio – An itemized record of a guest’s charges and credits which is maintained in the front office until departure. Also referred to as a guest bill or guest statement.

Fore – Directional term. Towards the front of the craft, lengthwise, such as the bow of a ship or the nose of a plane. Opposite of aft.

Frequent Flier Program – A program that a traveler can enroll in that earns them rewards such as free flights on a particular airline for being a loyal customer of that airline.

Frequent Flier – One who flies frequently.

Frequent Independent travel (F.I.T.) – A custom-designed, prepaid travel package with many

Full house – A hotel with all guest rooms occupied.

Full service hotel – a hotel with restaurant facilities.

Function room – A special room that is used primarily for private parties, banquets, and meetings. Also called banquet rooms.

Funnel flight – a flight, such as on a regional or commuter carrier that “feeds “larger planes which continue on to other destinations. Also, the use of a single flight number for an itinerary that really involves a connection with two separate flight numbers, thus making the itinerary appear to be a direct flight with a change of aircraft as opposed to a connection. Just call it a connection and be done with it.

Fuselage – The aircraft’s main body section, the cylindrical, central piece that contains the cabin and holds the crew and cargo.

Galley – The kitchen/kitchenette area of a plane or train or ship. On a plane, the galley may be a small affair with a simple arrangement and a few carts.

Gate-Airport – The specific area in an airport where passengers board a plane for a flight. Gates are located in concourses.

Gateway – City, airport, or area from which a flight or tour departs.

GDS – Global Distribution Systems – A system containing information about availability, prices, and related services for Airlines, Car Companies, Hotel Companies, Rail Companies, etc. and through which reservations can be made and tickets can be issued. A GDS also makes some or all of these functions available to subscribing travel agents, booking engines, and airlines. The GDS leaders are Amadeus, Apollo/Galileo/Worldspan, Sabre.

Geotourism – this is “tourism that sustains or enhances the distinctive geographical character of a place.

Global distribution system (GDS) – An international computer reservation system that accesses many databases of suppliers, airlines, etc. in different countries, such as Sabre.

Graduation travel – graduation travel is a milestone category of travel which refers to travel celebrating a graduation typically from high school or college.

Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) – solar based time in Greenwich, England, fun which time in all other time zones in the world is based.

Gross Registered Tonnage (GRT) – a measurement of the enclosed space in a ship. Cruise ships in the 70,000 ton range are considered “superliners”.

Ground operator – See receptive operator.

Group – several persons, usually 10 or more, traveling together. Group travel is often available at discounted rates.

Group leader – An individual who has been given the responsibility of coordinating tour and travel arrangements for a group. The group leader may act as a liaison to a tour operator or may develop a tour independently (and sometimes serve as the tour director).

Group Rate – A negotiated rate on travel, perhaps a stay or vacation plan, that incentivizes for a large crowd or group that books together.

Group tour – A travel package for an assembly of travelers that has a common itinerary, travel date, and transportation. Group tours are usually prearranged, prepaid, and include transportation, lodging, dining, and attraction admissions. See also escorted group tour.

Group Travel – group travel refers to a category of travel with a group arranged by an outside company or organization or travel with a group of friends and family that you have organized yourself. Some groups are small, private and escorted, while others large.

GST – Goods and Services Tax, such as levied in Canadian Provinces.

Guaranteed share – a cruise term that promises that a companion will be found for a single passenger, at a special rate. That rate will be honored even if the cruise line is unable to find a cabin mate. The rate is usually the going double-rate at that time, and is much less than the single person rate for that cabin.

Guaranteed tour – A tour guaranteed to operate unless canceled before an established cutoff date (usually 60 days prior to departure).

Guest account – See folio.

Guest houses – a guest house is a private house offering accommodations to paying guests.

Guest ranch – a guest ranch, also known as a dude ranch, is a type of ranch oriented towards visitors or tourism. It is considered a form of agritourism.

Guide or guide service – A person or company qualified to conduct tours of specific localities or attractions.

Guided tour – A local sightseeing trip conducted by a guide.

Half pension – a hotel rate that includes breakfast and one other meal, usually dinner. Sometimes called Modified American Plan (MAP) or demi-pension.

Hard-copy – a printed version of a document, such as an airline ticket or hotel voucher.

Head tax – Fee charged for arriving and departing passengers in some foreign countries.

Hidden-city ticketing – another airline no-no; buying a ticket from A to C with a stop in B. The passenger gets off at B, which was the intended destination anyway. The ticket is purchased because the fare from A to C is LESS than A to B.

High season – the time of year when a destination gets the greatest crowds, and thus can increase hotel and rental car rates, etc. As an example, summertime is high season for travel to Europe (just check the airfares!).

High season – See peak season.

Hiking Trips and tours – a hiking trip or hiking tour is a category of travel vacation or getaway where the traveler is walking or hiking as the major mode of transportation.

Honeymoon Travel – Honeymoon travel is a category of travel where a newly married couple travels while celebrating their marriage.

Hosted group tour – A group tour that features a representative (the host) of the tour operator, destination, or other tour provider, who interacts with the group only for a few hours a day to provide information and arrange for transportation. The host usually does not accompany the group as it travels.

Hostel – an inexpensive accommodation, usually dormitory style, popular with the student crowd – thus the term “youth hostel”.

Hotel – a hotel is an establishment providing accommodations, meals, and other services for travelers and tourists.

House – A synonym used for hotel.

Hub – an airport or city in which an airline has a major presence and many flights to other destinations. As an example, Delta has a hub in Atlanta. Many carriers use the hub-and-spoke system to maximize profits by keeping the aircraft in the air as much as possible. Flights to the hub are many, and from there flights too many other destinations are scheduled.

Hub-and-spoke itinerary – A travel routing design that uses a central destination as the departure and return point for day trips to outlying destinations and attractions.

Hurricane season – in the Caribbean primarily, and the Southeastern US, a period from June through October during which such storms are likely to occur.

IATA – International airline industry trade group, headquartered in Montreal, Canada, with executive offices in Geneva, Switzerland.

IATAN – International Airlines Travel Agent Network – administers the IATAN card, the only widely accepted form of legitimate travel agent identification.

In season – meaning only available at certain times of the year.

In transit – en route; in the process of traveling.

Inbound operator – A receptive operator that usually serves groups arriving from another country.

Inbound tour – A tour for groups of travelers whose trip originates in another location, usually another country.

Incentive or incentive commission – See override.

Incentive tour – A trip offered as a prize, particularly to stimulate the productivity of employees or sales agents.

Incentive trave l – travel as a reward for an employee’s outstanding performance.

Incidental Charge – Items and services billed to a room after their use, such as movies, phone calls, etc.

Incidentals – Charges incurred by the participants of a tour, but which are not included in the tour price.

Inclusive tour – a package tour that bundles transportation, accommodations, transfers, sightseeing, possibly some meals, etc.

Inclusive tour – See all-inclusive package.

Independent tour – A travel package in which a tour operator is involved only with the planning, marketing, and selling of the package, but is not involved with the passengers while the tour is in progress.

In-flight Service – Entertainment (movies, television, etc.), meals, beverages and other items made available during a flight for the convenience of the passenger.

Inside cabin – a stateroom aboard ship that has no window. Sometimes smaller, but at times the same size as an outside cabin.

Intercontinental – Having to do with two continents. In travel, transit from one continent to another. Not to be confused with transcontinental.

interline connection – a flight on one airline that connects to a flight on another carrier – these tickets are usually more expensive than flying all on one carrier but may be the only way to get to a destination in some cases.

Intermodal tour – A tour that uses several forms of transportation, such as a plane, motorcoach, cruise ship, and train.

International Air Transport Association – International airline industry trade group, headquartered in Montreal, Canada, with executive offices in Geneva, Switzerland.

International Date Line – at 180 degrees longitude, the date on one side of this imaginary line, running from the north to the South Pole, is different from the other. The line runs through the Pacific Ocean, and because of it, it is possible to leave one destination on one day, and arrive in another the day before

International Rate Desk – Utilizes all available resources to ensure the lowest fare for your selected itinerary, including splitting tickets, consolidator fares, and available discounts.

Involvement device – An element of direct mail that gets the reader involved in the process of evaluating and/or responding to the solicitation.

Itinerary – A list of a tour’s or entire trip’s schedule and major travel elements.

Jet Bridge – An enclosed, movable connector which extends from a terminal gate to a plane, allowing passengers to board and disembark without having to go outside.

Jet lag – an upset of one’s biological clock, due to travel across many time zones; not all folks are affected by it.

Jones Act – a law dating back to 1886, that forbids foreign-flagged ships from carrying passengers between US ports with no foreign port stops in-between.

Judgment sample – A sample based on the researcher’s choice of subjects for a study.

Jump Seat – A flight term referring to an auxiliary (extra) seat for persons who are not operating the aircraft, such as the cabin crew or perhaps a trainee.

Kilometer – a measure of distance used in almost all other countries, at about 5/8 mile.

King room – a hotel room with a king bed.

Knot – a nautical measure of speed equaling approx. 1.5 mph. A ship traveling at 15 knots is traveling at about 22 mph.

Kph – kilometers-per-hour – land speed measurement in most other countries. 60 kph equals approx. 36 miles-per-hour.

Land arrangements – all the details of a land portion of a trip (hotel, car, tours, sightseeing, etc.).

Land Destinations – A land destination or travel destination is a place to which one is journeying, typically for its inherent or exhibited natural or cultural value, historical significance, natural or built beauty, offering leisure, adventure and amusement.

Land operator – See receptive operator.

Land Transfers – travel by train, bus, limo or taxi to and from an accommodation, plane or cruise ship.

Land-only – a rate that does NOT include airfare; usually includes most other land-based charges such as accommodations, transfers, taxes, and perhaps other optional items like theme park tickets, rental care, etc.

Last-seat availability – the ability of a travel agent to get, literally, the ” last seat ” for you on a particular flight, either at a certain fare or actually the last remaining seat on an aircraft. See “direct access”.

Late booking fee – a fee due if travel arrangement are made at the last minute. Normally covers express delivery of documents and other last-minute arrangements that may have to be made by a tour operator.

Late Checkout – A more exclusive perk for some guests that allow a few extra hours to check out from the normal hours.

Latitude – imaginary horizontal lines of angular distance, measured in degrees north or south of the equator.

Layover – a period of time spent during a trip, sometimes overnight, while waiting for a transportation connection – usually a change of planes.

Layover – The period of time spent between connecting flights.

LDW – loss damage waiver – additional insurance pertaining to car rentals, covering theft and vandalism in addition to accident damage.

Lead-in price – the lowest available price for a travel product, often pertaining to cabins on a cruise ship. Usually, there are only a few staterooms available on board each cruise liner in this category, but often better accommodations are only slightly higher in price. Rock-bottom price shoppers normally insist on these rates, though they sell out quickly.

Leeward – the side of a ship or an island that is located opposite from the direction of the prevailing wind -the “Leeward Islands” in the Caribbean for example.

Leg – Portion of a journey between two scheduled stops.

Leisure travel – Usually signifies traveling for relaxation, vacation, or to visit friends/family. Travel for pleasure as opposed to business.

Letter of agreement – A letter from the buyer to the supplier accepting the terms of the proposal. This may also be the supplier’s first proposal that has been initialed by the buyer.

Lido deck – usually the deck on a cruise ship that surrounds the pool area.

Limited service hotel – a hotel property without a restaurant.

List broker – A seller of mail lists for direct marketing.

Load factor – The number of passengers traveling on a vehicle, vessel, or aircraft compared to the number of available seats or cabins.

Locater map – A map of an area or a city, showing locations of attractions and hotels.

Lodging – Any establishment that provides shelter and overnight accommodations to travelers.

Logistics – Management of the details of an operation.

Low season – the period when a destination experiences its lowest prices and the fewest number of guests.

Low season – See off peak.

Lower (bed) – in a cruise stateroom, the bed(s) on the floor as opposed to the higher bunks (uppers), if any. On many ships, two lowers can be arranged to make a king or queen bed.

Lowest available fare – the current, lowest airfare available for purchase right then.

Lowest available fare – The most inexpensive flight currently available.

Lowest fare – the lowest published airfare between two cities; may not have seats available at that fare, as the airlines usually have a limited number of those seats on any given flight.

Luxury class – the most expensive, high-class accommodations or category of fare.

Luxury Cruise – Luxury cruises are the most comfortable and convenient way to see the world. Ships are usually smaller in size so the ratio of crew and staff to guests is generally higher than other cruise ships offering that premium service and attention to detail to be expected of exquisite vacations.

Luxury Ocean Cruise – a luxury ocean cruise is an ocean cruise on a luxury cruise ship or luxury cruise liner or passenger ship used for pleasure voyages, where the voyage itself and the ship’s amenities are a part of the experience, as well as the different destinations along the way.

Luxury River Cruise – a luxury river cruise is a river cruise on a luxury cruise ship or luxury passenger ship used for pleasure voyages, where the voyage itself and the ship’s amenities are a part of the experience, as well as the different destinations along the way.

Luxury travel – while luxury travel is completely subjective to the traveler, it can be loosely defined at travel that constitutes the state of great comfort and extravagant living.

Luxury vacations – a luxury vacation is a vacation that encompasses a state of great comfort and extravagant living.

Macro-environment – The broad forces in society and the business world that impact most companies.

Management Company – A firm that owns several lodging properties.

Manifest – Final official listing of all passengers and/or cargo aboard a transportation vehicle or vessel.

Market demand – The amount of a specific product or service that may be purchased during a certain period of time in a particular geographic area.

Market forecast – The realistic demand within a given time period for the products produced by all companies within a certain industry or product category.

Market – All existing and potential customers for a product or service.

Marketing mix – The 4 Ps of marketing- product, price, promotion, place (distribution).

Marketing plan – A written report that details marketing objectives for a product or service, and recommends strategies for achieving these objectives.

Marketing research – The function that links the consumer, customer, and public to the marketer through the systematic gathering and analyzing of information.

Markup pricing – Pricing a product by adding a standard markup to costs. Also called cost-plus pricing.

Markup – A percentage added to the cost of a product to achieve a selling price.

Master account – The guest account for a particular group or function that will be paid by the sponsoring organization. See folio.

Maximum stay – The longest period of time a traveler can stay at a particular destination and still qualify for the promotion or discounted fare.

Media – Communications channel such as broadcast (radio, TV), print (newspapers, magazines, direct mail), outdoor (billboards), and multimedia (Internet).

Meet-and-greet service – A pre-purchased service for meeting and greeting clients upon arrival in a city, usually at the airport, pier, or rail station, and assisting clients with entrance formalities, collecting baggage, and obtaining transportation.

Meeting/conference tour – A tour designed around a specific meeting or conference for the participants.

Microenvironment – Those forces close to a company that impact operations and marketing programs.

Midships – Directional term. Amidships, sometimes termed midships, is the center of the vessel or aircraft.

Minimum connect time – defined as the minimum time necessary between connecting flights – 30 minutes domestically, usually – ideally, at least an hour. The shortest time required in order to successfully transfer to a connecting flight. It is recommended to select a connecting flight that exceeds the minimum connection time.

Mission statement – The concise description of what an organization is, its purpose, and what it intends to accomplish.

Modified American plan (MAP) – meal plan that includes two daily meals, usually breakfast and dinner.

Motorcoach tour operators – Tour operators that own their own motorcoaches.

Motorcoach Tour – A tour that features the motorcoach as the form of transportation to and from destinations.

Motorcoach – A large, comfortable bus that can transport travelers and their luggage long distances.

MST – Mountain Standard Time.

Multi-day tour – A travel package of two or more days. Most multi-day tours are escorted, all-inclusive packages.

Multigenerational Travel – multigenerational travel is a travel category referring to travel with parents, siblings, kids, grandkids, and assorted family members with the goal to broaden horizons, provide opportunities to reconnect and provide an enriching assortment of shared experiences.

Murder-mystery tour – A tour that features a staged “murder” and involves travelers in solving the crime.

Mystery tour – A journey to unpublicized destinations in which tour takers aren’t told where they will be going until en route or upon arrival.

NACTA – National Association of Career Travel Agents – trade group representing primarily independent and home-based agents, now part of ASTA.

National tourism organization (NTO) – A federal-government-level DMO that promotes country as a travel destination.

Nautical Mile – Unit of length that is about one minute of arc of latitude along any meridian, but is approximately one minute of arc of longitude. Air-Sea distance measurement of approx. 1.1 statute miles.

Negotiated Rate – A discounted rate offered to a company based on the volume of business you agree to provide the selected vendor.

Net fare, net rate – Implies the commission has already been added to the price of the fare.

Net wholesale rate – A rate usually slightly lower than the wholesale rate, applicable to groups of individuals when a hotel is specifically mentioned in a tour brochure. The rate is marked up by wholesale sellers of tours to cover distribution and promotion costs.

Niche market – A highly specialized segment of the travel market, such as an affinity group with a unique special interest.

No show – a passenger who doesn’t show for a flight, hotel, or rental car booking. A guest with confirmed reservations who does not arrive and whose reservation was not canceled.

Non Stop Flight – Do not land in between your departure and arrival destinations. (I.e. San Francisco to New York)

Non-Changeable Ticket – A ticket that cannot be exchanged for a different route or flight once it’s been purchased.

Non-refundable – a fare that cannot be refunded either in cash or via a credit card credit; very seldom is there an exception.

Non-Refundable Ticket – A ticket that cannot be returned for cash or credit once it’s been purchased, but may be changeable for a fee.

Nonstop – A flight that travels directly to its destination without connections or layovers.

Non-transferable – A ticket that can only be used by the person who was originally scheduled to fly at the time of purchase.

NTSB – National Transportation Safety Board; investigates accidents and other incidents related to public transportation.

Objective and task method – A process for creating a promotion budget that sets objectives first, then defines the tasks needed to achieve those objectives, and then commits funds necessary to perform the tasks.

Occupancy rate – the percent of hotel rooms expected to be filled during a specific time period.

Occupancy – The percentage of available rooms occupied for a given period. It is computed by dividing the number of rooms occupied for a period by the number of rooms available for the same period.

Ocean view cabin – a cabin aboard a cruise ship with a window, such as a porthole or picture-window, and perhaps a balcony/verandah.

OCV – ocean view, usually in reference to a hotel room.

Offline connection – a change of aircraft also involving a change of carriers.

Off-peak – A less expensive time to travel as result of lower consumer volume during these periods.

On-site guide – A tour guide who conducts tours of one or several hours’ duration at a specific building, attraction, or site.

Onsite – An on-site is an expert travel provider that lives in the country they serve and has firsthand knowledge and long-standing relationships with all aspect of travel in their country.

Open jaw – a trip in during which there is no travel by air between two cities, such as a flight to Washington DC, then travel by rental car to Charlotte, NC, then a return by air from Charlotte back to the original departure city.

Open return – an air ticket with no return date specified. Rarely done these days, usually quite expensive and not allowed on most discounted fares.

Open-end question – A question that allows the respondent to provide a free-response answer.

Open-jaw itinerary – A travel routing design that departs from one location and returns to another. For example, travelers may fly into one city and depart from another one. Or a traveler may purchase round-trip transportation from the point of origin to one destination, at which another form of transportation is used to reach a second destination, where the traveler resumes the initial form of transportation to return to the point of origin.

Operations – Performing the practical work of operating a tour or travel program.

Operator – a company providing transportation or travel related services (airline, cruise line, railway, hotel, car Rental Company, etc.).

Operator – See Tour Operator.

Option date – drop dead date on which a reservation must be deposited or cancellation will result.

Optionals – Optional tour features that are not included in the base tour price, such as sightseeing excursions or special activities.

OTA – Online travel agencies, examples include Priceline, Expedia and Orbitz

Outbound – the departure leg of a journey.

Outbound operator – A company that takes groups from a given city or country to another city or country.

Outbound tour – A tour that takes travelers out of the area, usually from a domestic city to another country.

Outside cabin – see “ocean view ” cabin.

Outside salesperson – job description of a travel agency employee who sells travel but is not based primarily in the agency location most of the time.

Overbook – Accepting reservations for more space than is available.

Overbooking – the practice of selling more airline seats than are available on a specific flight, to make up for no-shows. Usually backfires on the carrier and at times can create much consumer ill-will. Requires passengers to be “bumped” – not always voluntarily. To some extent, happens in the hotel industry as well.

Overhead – Those fixed costs involved in regular operations, such as rent, insurance, management salaries, and utilities.

Override – A commission over and above the normal base commission percentage.

Packaged travel – A package in combination of two or more types of tour components into a product which is produced, assembled, promoted and sold as a package by a tour operator for an all-inclusive price.

Passenger facility charge (PFC) – a fee for the use of many airports, added in to the cost of an air ticket – another name for an additional tax on travelers.

Passenger name record (PNR) – The official name of one’s reservation in a computer reservation system (CRS).

Passenger vessel – Ships, yachts, ferries, boats, etc.

Passport/visa service – a service that will take your passport and hand carry, if necessary, to the appropriate embassy in order to expedite a visa. Can be expensive if you have waited until the last minute to obtain a travel visa.

Patronage Program – A program that rewards the customer for loyalty and repeat purchase, such as frequent-flyer programs.

Peak season – A destination’s high season when demand is strong. Also called the high season.

Peninsula – A piece of land that is connected to a mainland or larger piece of land on only one side, while the other sides are surrounded by water.

Per Diem – “by the day;” in the cruise industry, the per-day cost of a cruise, per person.

Per-capita costs – Per-person costs.

Per-capita tour – See scheduled tour.

Perceived value – The ratio of perceived benefits to perceived price.

Personal effects coverage – Additional car rental insurance covering loss of personal property from the rented vehicle.

Point-to-point – refers to the fares between two cities; the service between two cities without additional segments or any continuation.

Port – the place where a ship docks; a place visited by cruise ship; the left side of a vessel.

Port charges/taxes – fees levied by local authorities upon the cruise lines for each passenger visiting a port of call, normally added to the total cruise fare.

Port of Debarkation – Port of Debarkation is the geographic point where personnel arrive on a cruise vessel

Port of Embarkation – Port of Embarkation is the geographic point where personnel depart on a cruise vessel

Port of entry – Destination providing customs and immigration services.

Port-Directional – When facing forward, the side of the ship or aircraft that is on the left.

Porter – A person who handles luggage at an airport, train station, etc.; also called skycap or baggage handler.

Porthole – usually a round, sealed window in a shipboard stateroom.

Posada – a small country hotel (Spanish).

Positioning strategy – The development of a clear, unique, and attractive image for a company and/or product in the minds of target customers.

Positive space – space aboard a ship or aircraft that can be confirmed ahead of time.

Post-Cruise Vacation – a post-cruise vacation is a vacation or getaway prior to a cruise in the town or region of the port of debarkation of the cruise.

PPDO – per person, double occupancy. Most tours and cruises are quoted this way; the average cost to stay in a particular location per day.

Pre- and post-trip tour – An optional extension or side trip package before and/or after a meeting, gathering, or convention.

Pre-Cruise Vacation – a vacation or getaway prior to a cruise in the town or region of the port of embarkation of the cruise.

Pre-deduct commission – When a distributor such as a travel agent takes up front the commission on a sale and sends the supplier the balance of the sales price.

Preferred Supplier – The selection of specific supplier(s) for priority promotion to customers and/or integration in travel packages in exchange for reduced rates and/or higher commission.

Preferred Vendor – The vendor(s) a company specifies as their first choice for travelers.

Preformed group – A pre-existing collection of travelers, such as affinity groups and travel clubs, whose members share a common interest or organizational affiliation.

Prepaid ticket advice – a form used when purchasing an air ticket to be picked up and used by someone else at another airport. E-tickets have reduced the need for this greatly.

Primary research – The collection of data specifically to solve the marketing problem at hand.

Prix fixe – meals offered at a fixed price, usually fairly low, consisting of several courses with no substitutions allowed. Common in Europe.

Profit margin – A dollar value that represents the markup of a product’s price over its costs.

Promotion mix – Promotion tools including advertising, direct marketing, sales promotion, and public relations.

Promotional group tour – A travel package composed of tour elements that match the specific needs and wants of niche customers who aren’t part of an organized or preformed group.

Promotional partnership – The combination of two or more companies to offer special incentives to customers.

Prop – referring to propeller-driven aircraft.

Property – A specific lodging structure, such as a hotel, and the ground on which it is built.

Property – A general term that may be used by a place of accommodation that denotes the facility.

Protection overbooking – The practice of blocking space that will likely be in excess of what will actually be needed.

Pseudo-agent – someone claiming to be a travel agent who really isn’t.  They often produce bogus ID cards, and can disappear when problems arise!

PST – Pacific Standard Time.

Psychographics – Measures of a person’s lifestyle. See also AIO variables.

Public relations (PR) – A management function that determines the attitudes and opinions of an organization’s publics, identifies its policies with the interests of its publics, and formulates and executes a program of action to earn public understanding and goodwill.

Public tours – See scheduled tour.

Published fare – an airfare that is listed in the carrier’s tariff.

Pull strategy – A marketing approach that creates demand at the customer level by generating awareness, interest, and desire so customers pull a product through a distribution channel by demanding it.

Purser – aboard ship, the person responsible for providing a wide array of services such as information, making change, stamps, etc. Found at the purser’s desk.

Purser-(Airline) – On a flight, the purser is the head flight attendant, responsible for overseeing the attendants and making sure travelers’ needs are met.

Push strategy – A marketing approach that creates demand at the distributor level by providing resellers with an incentive to push (sell) a product to end consumers.

Quad – a room suitable for four persons.

Quay – a pier – pronounced the same as “key”.

Query – The process of sorting and retrieving information from a database.

Quid – a monetary term for a British pound sterling.

Quota sample – A research sample that involves forming groups based on certain characteristics. A random sample can then be selected form the quota segments.

Rack rate – The published (brochure) rate for a travel component. The price of a hotel prior to discount.

Rate desk – the office of an air carrier that calculates fares for passengers and travel agents.

Reach – The measure of how many people in a market will be exposed to a certain advertisement via a specific medium.

Reasonable number – A forecast of the break-even point for a tour.

Rebate (ing) – the practice of returning part of an agency’s commission on a scale back to the client in the form of a rebate or “discount.” The trade-off is usually little or no personal/customer service. This is practiced often by “800 ” number travel sellers and others who deal in huge volume.

Receptive operator – A local tour company that specializes in services for incoming visitors, often for tour operator groups.

Reconfirm – to double-check a reservation.

Record locator – The number assigned to a reservation in the airlines number. This number is unique, as it will never be assigned again.

Record locator – the number assigned to one’s reservation in an airline’s computer system.

Red-eye flight – An overnight flight that leaves at night and arrives early the next morning.

Referral agent/agency – an ” agent ” that refers business to a travel agency in return for a commission or fee – often as part of a card mill operation

Registry – the formal registration of a ship’s ownership, and the country it is registered in (such as Panama, Liberia, Norway, etc.).

Reissue – the generation of a new ticket that is exchanged for another, due to a change of plans, dates, flights, etc. May involve additional fare, penalties and fees.

Relationship marketing – The process of building and nurturing ongoing, solid relationship with customers.

Repositionin g – the moving of a cruise ship to another home port for all of part of a season, such as the repositioning of ships to Alaska for the summer. Often these cruises are excellent bargains, but will involve one-way airfare home from the port of debarkation.

Res – short for “reservation”.

Research constraints – Those issues, such as cost and timing that will limit the scope of marketing research.

Reseller – See retailer and wholesaler.

Reservation fee – A customer payment for a certain percentage of the travel package price that’s made immediately after booking.

Responsible Tourism – Travel that extends beyond being merely environmentally responsible, to being culturally-conscious and economically-aware, locally.

Retail price – The actual price a customer pays for a travel element or tour.

Retail tour – See scheduled tour.

Retailer – A middleman, such as a travel agent, who sells directly to the customer.

Retirement travel – retirement travel is a category of travel referring to when a traveler is has retired from a career and commences to travel.  Travel done after retirement age.

Rollaway – a cot or other bedding that can be added to a hotel room to accommodate another guest. There is often an extra charge for this.

Romantic Destinations – romance destination and romance travel is a category of travel that involves travel involving a feeling of excitement and mystery associated with love and often refers to travel associated with a wedding, honeymoon, wedding anniversary, babymoon or another type of romantic getaway.

Room Night – In the hotel (hospitality) industry, a room night, room/night occupancy, is a measure of occupancy where a room is the unit of measure.

Room Occupancy – In the hotel (hospitality) industry, a room night, room/night occupancy, is a measure of occupancy where a room is the unit of measure.

Room rates – The various rates used by lodging properties to price rooms. These include- day rate (usually one half the regular rate for a room used by a guest during the day up to 5 p.m.-sometimes called a use rate), flat rate (a specific room rate for a group agreed upon by the hotel and group in advance), group rate (same as flat rate), net group rate ( a wholesale rate for group business to which an operator may add a markup if desired), net wholesale rate ( a rate usually lower than the group rate and applicable to groups or individuals when a hotel is specifically mentioned in a tour folder), and published rate ( a full rate available to or advertised to the public-also called the rack rate.)

Rooming list – A printout of the names of all tour participants that also lists special lodging requests and provides a spot for the hotel or cruise ship to fill in the passenger’s room number.

Round trip – A flight to a single destination and a return.

Run-of-house (ROH) – refers to a hotel room, the type of which is assigned at the discretion of the hotel shortly before you arrive. Usually, the rates are lower.

Run-of-ship – cabin is assigned at the last moment, giving the cruise line the ability to shift accommodations as needed. Usually, you are guaranteed a minimum category of cabin, and sometimes get an upgraded stateroom at no additional cost. Most upgrades are from inside-to-inside cabins, or from outside-to-outside but occasionally an inside-to-ocean view upgrade will occur. It is not always worth the gamble though.

Run-of-the-house rate – A flat rate for which a lodging property agrees to offer any of its available rooms to a group. Final assignment of the rooms is at the discretion of lodging management.

Sabre® – A computerized travel reservation system.

Safaris – Today the negative hunting connotations of the word ‘safari’ are being rapidly replaced by more modern associations with socially and environmentally responsible travel. Safari travel typically implies that the journey will include game viewing and some time spent in wilderness areas (game reserves and national parks). A traditional is usually focused on seeing wildlife, but safaris are definitely not limited to game viewing.  Safaris are now for admiring wildlife and birds in the wild, along with a host of other adventures. Safaris have largely developed into vacation trips that actually benefit the wildlife by supporting local conservation efforts and wildlife sanctuaries. As opposed to hunting the animals, visitors get to encounter them and help make a difference in protecting the species. Safari companies either actively contribute towards conservation projects or help generate tourism revenue which is used to manage wildlife projects and game reserves. The modern safari is also a socially responsible journey designed to interact ethically with local communities and have a positive impact on local economies. The cultural interactions offered by reputable safari operators do not exploit local people. The local communities benefit from sustainable tourism through employment and financial gains from selling goods and services.

Sales margin – A term used by resellers to describe profit as a percentage of sales revenue.

Sample – The portion of a population chosen to represent the population being studied for research.

Saturday night stay – A requirement by the airlines that your travel must involve a Saturday night stay over in order to obtain our lowest fare.

Saturday night stay – In order to receive a specialty fare, a Saturday stay over is sometimes required.

Scandals tour – A light-hearted history tour that shows locations where interesting scandals took place.

Scheduled carrier – An airline that offers regularly scheduled flights between destinations.

Scheduled flights – Air flights that are publicly scheduled and promoted by major airlines.

Scheduled tour – A tour that’s set in a tour operator’s regular schedule of tour departures and that’s often sold to the general public. Also called public tour or retail tour.

Sea bands – a product resembling a bracelet that is worn on the wrists and operates via acupressure.

Wearers claim that seasickness can be avoided by their use, thus eliminating the need for drugs such as Dramamine, etc.

Sea legs – the ability to move around on a ship without losing balance and without sea sickness.

Secondary information – Research data that was collected by another company or person and usually for a purpose that’s different than the research objectives and tasks at hand.

Sectioning system (GPS) – system of satellites that allows miniature radio receivers on earth to pinpoint one’s location within a few feet. Most cruise ships make use of this system to navigate the world’s oceans.

Segment – a “leg” or part of a journey, usually in reference to an air itinerary. One take-off and landing during air travel constitutes a “segment”.

Segment – One leg or portion of a trip. The segment begins when you board the plane and ends when you de-board the plane. (I.e. A connecting flight from San Francisco to New York through Chicago equals 2 segments)

Self-drive – a rental car (British term).

Service non comprise – in French, meaning “service not included”.

Shells – Preprinted brochures with photos, illustrations, and graphics but no text; also called slicks.

Shore excursio n – tours that are purchased as an option when visiting ports of call while on a cruise; can sometimes be bought before you cruise.

Shore excursion – A land tour, usually available at ports of call, sold by cruise lines or tour operators to cruise passengers.

Shoulder season – a period of time between high and low seasons, where prices at a destination are between their highest and lowest, and the crowds are thinner.

Shoulder season – Those periods between the peak and off season when destination demand is moderate.

Sightseeing companies – Organizations that provide local guided tours.

Sightseeing guide – See driver/guide.

Sightseeing tour – Short excursions of usually a few hours that focus on sightseeing and/or attraction visits.

Simple random sample – A sample that draws a group of respondents randomly from all members of the population.

Single Room – A room that is only guaranteed to comfortably accommodate one guest. May also be called a “Standard Room.”

Single Supplement – An additional charge added to a solo traveler, when prices were originally quoted for dual occupancy.

Sleeper – the sleeping compartment aboard a train.

Soft adventure – an outdoor travel experience that is not especially physically demanding, such as a canyon horseback trail ride or a hot-air balloon flight.

Sommelier – A wine professional, usually hired by the most upscale restaurants and establishments, on staff to primarily suggest wine and food pairing to patrons.

Spa – a resort area centered around a mineral springs, hot springs and the like, typically where one can find massage, hydrotherapy, exercise, steam baths, etc.

Special event tour – A travel package that features major happenings, such as concerts or sporting events, as the reason for the journey.

Special fare – Any fare that deviates from normal pricing (typically discounted).

Special interest tour – a tour catering to the needs of a specific interest, such as bird-watching, whale-watching, river rafting, mountain biking, rain forest exploration among many others.

Split itinerary – An itinerary in which part of the group does one thing while the other part does something else.

Split Ticket – Issuing multiple tickets for one round-trip journey. This is done to reduce the total cost of the entire reservation.

Sports Tourism – sports tourism refers to travel which involves either observing or participating in a sporting event staying apart from their usual environment.

Stabilizer – a device on most all cruise vessels, to reduce pitch and roll when at sea – the movement that can cause seasickness. Stabilizers are often pulled in at night in order to allow faster speeds when traveling between ports of call.

Standby – Referring to a passenger who does not have a confirmed seat on the intended flight.

Star Service – a critical guide describing in detail many hotel and cruise ship properties. Can be subjective, as it is based on someone’s opinion, but provides a travel agent with a non-commercial point-of-view.

Starboard – the right side of a ship.

Stateroom – A private cabin or compartment with sleeping accommodations on a ship or train.

Step-on guide – A tour guide who boards a motorcoach to give detailed, expert commentary about the city or area being visited.

Stern – the rear of a ship.

Stopover – a planned stayover in a city for a day or more, while enrooted to another destination. Sometimes adds significantly to the cost of an air ticket.

Strategic plan – A report that describes a company’s mission statement, goals, objectives and strategic actions.

Student visa – permission to enter a country, issued to a student, normally for the purpose of attending school in that country.

Subcontractor – A local operator who provides services for a wholesaler.

Suite – a hotel accommodation with more than one room, or sometimes a single room with distinct sleeping and living areas and often a kitchenette. A suite in a hotel or other public accommodation denotes a class of accommodations with more space and amenities than a typical accommodation room. Luxury or upscale accommodations often have a scaled range of suites progressively increasing in size, luxury and amenities starting with a junior suite and culminating in the largest and most luxurious suite which is often called a presidential or royal suite.

Supplier – any company that supplies travel and/or related services to the traveling public. The actual producer and seller of travel components.

Surface – travel over land that does not involve an aircraft.

SWOT analysis – A summary of a company’s strengths and weaknesses, and the environmental opportunities and threats that will most influence it.

T&E – Travel and Entertainment expenses.

Target market – The group of customers who will be the focus of a company’s marketing efforts.

Tariff – a schedule of prices/fares.

Telemarketing – Direct marketing via the telephone.

Tender – a small boat or ferry that carries passengers from an anchored cruise ship to the pier at a port of call. Many ships are too large for existing port facilities at some destinations, and so they anchor just off shore and “tender “their passengers in for their visit.

Terminal – A building where clients report for trips via train, plane, etc.; also called a depot or a station.

TGV – the term applied to the French high-speed train system.

Theme cruise – a cruise devoted to a specific interest, such as big bands, country western, Star Trek, exercise and weight-loss, cooking and cuisine, and many more. There is usually a theme cruise to suit just about any interest.

Theme tour – A tour that’s designed around a concept of specific interest to the tour takers, such as history or sports.

Through passenger – a passenger who is not disembarking at a particular stop while enrooted to the final destination.

Ticket stock – Blank airline tickets.

Tickler system – A method for monitoring reservations and payments that’s arranged by date and points out late payments so customers can be contacted.

Tiered override pla n – When commissions rise proportionately with a corresponding increase in sales.

Tiered pricing – When suppliers offer different prices to receptive operators, tour operators, and group leaders, so each party can earn a profit by marking up the supplier’s price while still offering a fair price to customers.

Tour broker – See tour operator.

Tour catalog – A publication by tour wholesalers listing their tour offerings. Catalogs are distributed to retail agents who make them available to their customers. Bookings by retail agents are commissionable.

Tour Company – A tour company or tour operator typically combines tour and travel components to create a packaged vacation. They advertise and produce brochures to promote their products, vacation and itineraries.

Tour conductor – the person who accompanies and is in charge of a tour, often on a motor coach tour. See tour director.

Tour departure – The date of the start by any individual or group of a tour program or, by extension, the entire operation of that single tour.

Tour director – Also called tour manager, tour conductor, and tour escort. The person who is responsible for a group on tour and for most aspects of a tour’s execution.

Tour escort – See tour director.

Tour guide – A person qualified (and often certified) to conduct tours of specific locations or attractions.

See also step-on guide, city guide, on-site guide, and docent.

Tour manager – See tour director.

Tour manual – A compendium of facts about a destination, tour procedures, forms, and other information that a tour operator gives to its tour directors.

Tour menu – A menu that limits group clients to two or three choices.

Tour operator – A person or company that contracts with suppliers to create and/or market a tour and/or subcontract their performance.

Tour order – A voucher given to the purchaser of a tour package that identifies the tour, the seller, and the fact that the tour is prepaid. The purchaser then uses this form as proof of payment and receives vouchers for meals, porterage, transfers, entrance fees, and other expenses. See also voucher.

Tour planner – A person who researches destinations and suppliers, negotiates contracts, and creates itineraries for travel packages.

Tour rate – See group rate.

Tour series – Multiple departures to the same destination throughout the year.

Tour – A prearranged, prepaid journey to one or more destinations that generally returns to the point of origin, is usually arranged with an itinerary of leisure activities, and includes at least two travel elements.

Tourism – The business of providing marketing services and facilities for leisure travelers.

Tourist card – a card issued to a visitor in lieu of a visa, usually for a short duration visit.

Tourist – This is the majority of adult travelers, when not vacationing. Tourists may be couples, families, or just a person or two who visit locations.

Tours – a tour is a journey for pleasure which includes the visiting of a number of places in sequence, especially with an organized group often led by a guide.

Tracking study – A survey of customers before and after implementing a promotion campaign to assess changes in consumer behavior.

Trans-canal – passing through the Panama Canal.

Transcon – Having to do with crossing a continent. For example, travel of this sort would be from one end of a continent to another.

Transcontinental – Having to do with crossing a continent. For example, travel of this sort would be from one end of a continent to another.

Transfer – Local transportation and porterage from one carrier terminal to another, from a terminal to a hotel, or from a hotel to an attraction.

Transient Occupancy Tax – Also known as a Bed Tax, it is a City or County tax added to the price of the room.

Transient – A person who stays in a place for just a short while; not a permanent resident, such as a visitor or tourist.

Transit visa – A visa allowing the holder to stop over in a country or make a travel connection or a brief visit.

Transportation – Any method of moving travelers from one point in a journey to another, such as air, ship, rail, and motor coach travel.

Travel advisor – a travel advisor simplifies the time-consuming and complicated process of planning travel for their customers in addition to providing consultation services and entire travel packages. They may book flights, cruises, rental cars and hotels, as well as resort stays and events. Agents cater to a wide demographic, serving both individuals and corporations. They may also concentrate in a special segment of travel; many advisors specialize in leisure, business or group travel, or destination-specific journeys.

Travel advisory – a travel warning issued by the US Department of State, indicating a special caution should be taken in a country due to political unrest, natural disaster, or other special situation. These can be obtained from any good travel agent, on any area you are considering visiting.

Travel agency – Usually used in the travel industry to refer to an ARC-appointed storefront retailer.

Travel agent – A person or firm qualified to arrange for lodging, meals, transportation, cruises, tours, and other travel elements, typically on a commission basis. A travel agent simplifies the time-consuming and complicated process of planning travel for their customers in addition to providing consultation services and entire travel packages. They may book flights, cruises, rental cars and hotels, as well as resort stays and events. Agents cater to a wide demographic, serving both individuals and corporations. They may also concentrate in a special segment of travel; many agents specialize in leisure, business or group travel, or destination-specific journeys.

Travel component – Transportation, lodging, dining, attractions, entertainment, guide services, and other travel elements offered as part of a travel package.

Travel Destination – a place to which one is journeying.

Travel Experience – A travel experience or experiential travel (also known as immersion travel) as it is commonly referred to, is a form of tourism in which people focus on experiencing a country, city or particular place by connecting to its history, people and culture.

Travel Institute – the primary educational and certification arm of the travel industry. Was formerly the “Institute of Certified Travel Agents” (ICTA), located in Wellesley, Mass.

Travel Insurance – Travel insurance is insurance that is intended to cover medical expenses, trip cancellation, lost luggage, flight accident and other losses incurred while traveling, either internationally or within one’s own country.

Travel Itinerary – a travel itinerary is a travel plan or organization of your travel and involves all of the details, times and dates concerning things like airline, cruises and train transportation confirmations, hotel, villa and accommodation reservations, rental car information, restaurant reservations and much more.

Travel Policy – A fluid internal document, pertinent to the company’s culture that outlines the guidelines for business travel and expenses within a company.

Travel rewards – Travel reward programs are often referred to as a loyalty rewards program, and they are generally a campaign devised to generate repeat customers for a particular company by offering a point gratification system for the customers’ business. They are also meant to provide customers with a “thank you” for their loyalty to a company’s product or service. That benefit is typically some sort of discount on certain items or services. Travel specialist – a travel specialist is a travel agent or travel advisor that concentrates in a special segment of travel; many travel agents or travel advisors specialize in leisure, group or business travel, or destination specific travel.

Travel Tours – a travel tour is a journey for pleasure which includes the visiting of a number of places in sequence, especially with an organized group often led by a guide.

Traveler – One who travels.

Travelogues – Many travel websites are online travelogues or travel journals, usually created by individual travelers and hosted by companies that generally provide their information to consumers for free. These companies generate revenue through advertising or by providing services to other businesses. This medium produces a wide variety of styles, often incorporating graphics, photography, maps, and other unique content.

Trip director – An escort for an incentive company. Larger companies reserve this title for the person who directs all personnel and activities for a particular incentive trip.

Trundle Bed – Bed that stores itself under another bed, usually on casters. Often found in smaller hotel rooms or in cramped transport accommodations.

Turn – Airline parlance. A flight that leaves base and returns back to base in the same day. Also known as a turnaround.

Turnaway – A potential reservation that couldn’t be satisfied because the tour (or hotel, ship, etc.) was fully booked.

Twenty-four hour time – used extensively in Europe and other countries, 1pm becomes 1300 hours, 4pm is 1500 hours, etc., up to 2359 ( 1159pm ). Midnight is then considered 2400 or “zero ” hours. 1-20am is then 0120 or “one hour, twenty minutes “and so on. Most schedules and timetables in the majority of other countries are listed in the 24-hour format.

UNESCO World Heritage Sites – a UNESCO World Heritage Site is a place (such as a building, city, complex, desert, forest, island, lake, monument, or mountain) that is listed by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) as being of special cultural or physical significance.

Unlimited mileage – No mileage restriction when renting a car.

Unrestricted fare – an airfare that has no special advance purchase, Saturday stay or certain days to travel requirements, and is usually refundable. Many full coach and most first-class fares are unrestricted. An airfare with no limitations. It is typically refundable and has no blackout days.

Upgrade – To move to a better accommodation or class of service.

USTOA – United States Tour Operators Association – a trade association which requires its members to be very financially stable and to have a million dollars or more in funds set aside for consumer protection against defaults. Visit www.ustoa.com for more information.

Value added tax (VAT) – a tax on goods in Europe, which under certain circumstances can be refunded.

Value season – similar to shoulder or low season, when pricing is lower. See off season.

Value – The relationship between the benefits associated with a product or service and the costs of obtaining the product or service. See also perceived value.

Value-added tax (VAT) – A type of tax system which adds a fixed percentage of taxation on products and services at each step of production or service delivery.

Value-based pricing – Pricing a product based on buyer perceptions of value rather than actual product costs.

Variable costs – Costs that change with sales or production levels.

Variance report – A summary of how much a company has gone above or below budget.

Verandah – a roofed-porch, such as connected to a cruise ship stateroom.

VIA rail – the Canadian railway system.

Villas – a large and luxurious country residence. A villa is a fancy vacation home. The word has been around ever since ancient Roman times to mean “country house for the elite.” In Italian, villa means “country house or farm.” Most villas include a large amount of land and often barns, garages, or other outbuildings as well.

VIP experiences – a VIP Experience is the most exclusive way to go behind the scenes or experience a travel destination, accommodation or mode of transportation.

Visa – usually a stamp in a passport allowing entry into a country for a specific purpose and a finite amount of time.

Visa service – a service that can expedite the processing of a visa, sometimes even at the last minute. A fee is charged that varies, depending on the nature of the service needed. Visas are usually stamped into the pages of a valid passport and are issued for varying reasons and periods of time. Not all countries require them, especially for United States Citizens.

Volume incentive – See override.

Volume purchase – The purchase of large quantities of a product or service.

Voucher – Documents that are exchanged for goods and service to substantiate payment that will be or already has been made.

Voyage – a voyage is a long journey involving travel by sea or in space.

Waitlist – A list of clients awaiting transportation or accommodations at times when they are not available. Waitlisted clients are confirmed as a result of subsequent cancellations.

Waiver – a written acknowledgement that a passenger has declined something, such as insurance coverage for a trip, for example. Also, the formal acknowledgement of the waiving or dismissal of a requirement, such as a waiver of a penalty for late booking, etc.

Waiver – A written acknowledgement that a passenger has declined something.

Walk-up – one who purchases an air ticket at the last moment, usually at the airport ticket counter.

Wants – Ways in which a person satisfies a basic need.

Wellness Travel – wellness travel is a category of travel for the purpose of promoting health and well-being through physical, psychological, or spiritual activities

Wet bar – the area of a hotel room that has a bar or other counter space with running water, used for the preparation of drinks.

Wholesale – Sale of travel products through an intermediary in exchange for a commission or fee generally at reduced tariffs.

Word-of-mouth promotion – Personal communication about a product or service from one customer to another.

World Travel Guide – a yearly publication that provides detailed information on most every country in the world, with entries on currency, transportation, climate, visa and passport requirements, sightseeing opportunities, etc. A primary book of knowledge for the professional travel agent.

Yield management – Calculating and analyzing the profits earned per customer.

World Travel Agency, LLC is owned and operated by Michael and Cheryl LaBaw. We are a husband and wife team dedicated to working together with our clients to insure they travel well. World Travel Agency, LLC is an independent affiliate of Andavo Travel, a Virtuoso® Member. Travel should be more than just a journey, it should be a series of unforgettable experiences. We work hard to ensure our clients’ trips are always stimulating, authentic and – above all else – fun... READ MORE

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31 Types of Travelers: Which One Are You?

Are you luxury, budget, a thrill-seeker, a pilgrim, or a culture vulture? Find out which you are on this list of 31 types of travelers!

The absolute best thing about travel is that it’s so personal. Take ten people and send them to the same place, on the same days, and they will have ten completely divergent experiences. Some of that is due to luck and happenstance, but there are also several different types of travelers, and your type partially dictates your experience. While there’s no right or wrong way to explore the world, which type of traveler you are will determine your budget, your level of cultural immersion, the activities you take on, and whether you come home rested and relaxed or totally wiped out!

We’ll just go ahead and put out there that there is no official list of the types of travelers. Every blog you read online will look a bit different. There are some scientific lists, but knowing what a “near allocentric” traveler is probably isn’t going to help you research and plan your next trip, so let’s take a look at more useful (Google-able) terminology and see what kind of traveler you might be!

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No matter if you’re bougie to the max or an ultra-budget traveler, you will find something you love on our list of fun and fabulous scavenger hunts! We’ve created art walks , ghost tours , sightseeing scavenger hunts , bar crawls , team-building events , and custom hunts that every type of traveler can enjoy. Just download the app , and get started today!

Does it matter what kind of traveler you are?

Honestly, not really. The information in this article isn’t going to drastically change your worldview or alter your travel preferences. However, what it might do is broaden your knowledge of what is out there, what is truly at your fingertips, and give you some ideas for how to explore it in a more efficient manner. Plus, it’s just fun to put things in categories (as I munch on a bag of sour candies that I have first sorted into piles).

Types of Travelers

We’ve already determined there’s no real list of traveler types, so this one will be based on my personal experience as a full-time traveler and the different sorts I have encountered. I will, however, try to use terms that you can do more research on if you find one that interests you. Secondarily, most people won’t fall into one category. I myself am a culture vulture, a part-time backpacker, a full-time digital nomad, and an adventure seeker. So, like me, many of you will incorporate several of these travel styles into your voyages.

1. The Culture Vultures

Culture vultures are a type of traveler who plans their vacation around cultural experiences. Instead of focusing on architecture, nature, or popular attractions, they will likely research historical sights, popular festivals, appropriate traditional dress, and the must-eat conventional foods. This intention is focused on learning the ins and outs of someone else’s culture, visualizing how they live, and trying to assimilate into daily life.

They will look for tours led by locals, spend time in parks and restaurants where locals hang out, and seek authentic interaction with those outside the tourist industry. There are really no designated destinations for those that love cultural travel. These peeps are just seeking drastically different cultures from their own.

Take a look at “ The 40 Biggest Cultural Festivals in the World ” for some culture vulture inspiration.

To learn more about this type of travel, assess “ Cultural Travel: Tips to Make You More Culture Conscious .”

2. The Pilgrims

Pilgrims are travelers on a mission. Traditionally, they’re traveling for religious or spiritual purposes and follow a historic or ancient route to a sight of spiritual significance. Many popular pilgrimage routes, like the Camino de Santiago in Spain, have now become popular tourist attractions in their own right and are traversed by travelers for all sorts of reasons, not just spiritual ones.

If you think a pilgrimage might be up your alley, check out “ The 15 Most Meaningful and Inspirational Pilgrimages in the World ” for some ideas.

3. The Thrill Seekers

This one is pretty self-explanatory—the consummate adrenaline junkies. The thrill-seeker is someone who plans their holiday around extreme mountain biking locations , the world’s best skydiving destinations, the tallest bungee jumps in the world, waterfall rappelling, the best surfing spots , spelunking, base jumping, etc. Sometimes they fly solo, but often they join tours of other adventure lovers to take on a massive challenge together.

New Zealand, Switzerland, Tasmania, Western United States, and Nepal are some of the most popular destinations for thrill seekers.

4. The Expeditioners

Expeditioners take adventure travel to the professional level. This type of traveler takes on longer journeys that require a specific level of training or skill. For instance, I recently ran into the parents of a young woman named Ellen Falterman. She is currently trying to become the first person to successfully row around the world in a row boat. You can learn more about her story at Ellen Magellan Expeditions . These are the folks that tackle trekking The Seven Summits, The Great Himalayan Trail, the full Appalachian Trail, and run the Marathon des Sables.

This type of expedition is usually in a less-traveled or difficult-to-traverse area. They are often group or guided tours that sometimes take months or years of preparation, and they can be very expensive as well.

5. The Explorers

Explorers are folks who live to get off the beaten path. They are not interested in anything they see on Instagram. They’re looking for the hidden gems of the world, and they are not afraid to tackle a series of challenges to find them. This often requires slow travel, cultural immersion, and a fearlessness that not every traveler has. Explorers are often willing to leave the comforts of their safety bubble, enter the unknown, and search out the extraordinary. However, they may also be city travelers, on the hunt for amazing and underrated cities !

Looking for an off-the-beaten-path destination? Check out “ Hidden Travel Gems: The Best Places You’ve Never Heard Of .”

Also, take a look at “ The Most Underrated Travel Destination to Add to Your Bucket List .”

6. The Holidaymakers

Holidaymakers are your resort hoppers. These travelers focus their vacations on rest and rejuvenation in a beautiful and easy-to-travel location. They often fly into a destination, get picked up by a resort coach, travel straight to the resort, and spend their days sipping cocktails at a swim-up bar, that overlooks the beach. They don’t leave the resort, except for possibly a guided tour to a nearby attraction. There’s not much prior planning. These types of vacations are full of stunning views, amazing food, room service, and rest.

7. The Zen Chasers

Taking the rest-cation to a whole new level, the Zen Chasers focus their travel on retreats. They visit sweat lodges, yoga retreats, and meditation centers in some of the most remote and beautiful places on earth. The plan is to get away from the stress and mundaneness of daily life and recharge spiritually and mentally. These trips often include extreme workout regimens, strict diets, early mornings, and required lectures, so it’s a very active rest.

Here are a few “ Retreat Vacation Ideas to Help You Rest and Recharge .”

The proper term for this kind of travel is “wellness travel.” Take a look at “ Wellness Travel and What It Can Do for You .”

8. The Business Travelers

Another obvious one. Business travelers are on a mission for their company. Their extent of exploration is generally taking possible clients to a nice restaurant or organizing a fun team-building activity for international staff.

9. The Digital Nomads

Digital nomads are taking over the travel scene in recent years. The Covid-19 pandemic made millions realize that their job can be done from a laptop, and they have taken to the skies. Obviously, I am one of them. I sit on a balcony in a small city in Spain, writing this as I stare out over a Medieval Knights’ Templar castle. Digital nomads tend to travel slowly , easily immerse themselves in the culture (or at least attempt to), and travel simply. They utilize public transit, move when they get sick of a place, and sometimes settle down for longer stints by getting a work visa.

Nomads have a huge variety of jobs and personalities, which means they are spread all over the world. However, there are a few hubs for online workers. Prague, Sophia, Chang Mai, and Medellin are huge international digital worker hubs. These cities tend to have excellent internet, working cafes or coworking spaces, plenty of nightlife, are walkable, budget-friendly, and have a welcoming spirit to foreigners.

While this way of life might sound like a fairytale, it certainly has its pitfalls, as I can attest.

Take a look at “ Is the Digital Nomad Lifestyle for You?: Advice From a Full-Time Traveler ” to see if this wild ride is right for you.

Also, check out “ The Best Cities in the World for Digital Nomads .”

10. The Travel Hackers

Travel hackers pride themselves on finding the absolute best deal! These are the tourists who sign up for every newsletter, hotel rewards program, and flight points program on the planet. They utilize AARP, Groupon coupons, free or reduced-price days for attractions, multiple credit card schemes, and internet plug-ins to rack up free travel in every way possible.

This method of travel takes a lot of time, but the rewards are monumental.

To learn more, take a look at “ Travel Hacking: Using Points to Pay Your Way Around the World .”

11. The Budget Travelers

Like travel hackers, budget travelers pride themselves on getting the cheapest trip possible. However, they are more likely to accomplish this by taking public transit, staying in cheap hostels, eating street food, sharing taxis with other travelers, rounding up friends to save money on a group tour, or organizing a self-guided tour. Budget travelers tend to visit places where the standard of living is lower, travel during the off-season, and look for free or reduced days for their activities.

If you are interested in learning how to travel cheaper, check out “ Travel Smart: Budget Travel Hacks From a Full-Time Traveler .”

12. The Backpackers

Backpackers are a form of budget travelers that prefer ultimate freedom. They leave home with nothing but a backpack and an open road. Some have a plan of action. Others follow the wind. Most are traveling on a very small budget, and living simply as they roam. Hostels are their homes, local buses their vehicles, and hitchhiking is a common pastime. Backpackers love to visit Southeast Asia, Europe, and South and Central America.

Like the digital nomad lifestyle, we have multiple articles on backpacking on our Explorer Blog.

Take a look at “ Backpacking Europe: Itinerary Advice From an Expert ,” “ A Beginner’s Guide to Planning a Backpacking Trip ,” and “ The Best Backpacking Meals on the Market .”

13. The Luxury Travelers

Luxury travelers wouldn’t be caught dead in a hostel… or wearing the same outfit on vacation more than once. Their travel plans include high-end restaurants, boutique shopping, spa visits, room service, and all-inclusive everything. They prefer a travel agent to set most of the trip up, and generally only utilize tours and outings arranged by their agent or their luxury hotel.

Dubai, Provence, New York, Bora Bora, the Maldives, private island vacations, and safaris in Botswana are popular for luxury travelers.

14. The Solo Female Travelers

Solo female travelers deserve a category all their own. They are perhaps among the most adventurous voyagers, taking on a world that can be extremely hostile towards them and difficult to navigate safely. They are experts on safety protocol, can find the best pastries in any city, and are masters at making friends. They often pair up or find travel partners to enjoy a destination with before moving on solo. It’s a form of travel that takes immense thought, strength, and bravery.

Check out this blog full of tips and trips by our resident solo female traveler, Kristin!

Also, take a look at “ The Best Solo Travel Destinations and Adventure Ideas .”

15. The Foodies

Do people actually plan their vacations around food? You bet they do! From YouTube vloggers like the Traveling Chefs and Mark Weins to regular gluttons, the most delicious destinations in the world draw us in by making our mouths water. From the street scene of Thailand to fabulous French cuisine, gastrotourism focuses on finding the best, most traditional, and most out-there foods on earth.

Here’s where to find the world’s best food !

16. The Fashionistas

Forget the food, these guys are looking for fashion. They hit the streets of Milan, Paris, NYC, Hong Kong, London, Singapore, and Tokyo looking for the latest trends. They often travel as a group of friends and study the vibe and street outfits of the locals. They scour high-end boutiques and local vintage shops, looking for the next outfit of the day, and they are dressed to the nines while they do it!

17. The Set Jetters

Set Jetters are a growing community of travelers, pinned to be the most popular in 2023. They plan their vacation based on the film locations of their favorite movie or television series. Iceland, Scotland, New Zealand, Croatia, and New York City are popular with Set Jetters.

Check out “ What is Set-Jetting: The Top Travel Trend for Movie Buffs ” and “ 25 Fun Vacation Ideas Inspired by the Big Screen .”

18. The Cruisers

Cruisers choose to spend their holiday on the water. They enjoy the massive amount of activities that a modern-day cruise presents, as well as the limited amount of travel planning necessary to enjoy a relaxing vacation. Many cruises also offer fantastic excursion options at ports of call, giving cruisers a good combination of relaxing float and adventure.

19. The Influencers

Influencers are those who make their living (or attempt to) by utilizing social media. They often strike deals with hotels, tourism boards, and resorts for free or reduced stays in exchange for content coverage on their platforms. They tend to flock to very popular locations that will get the most coverage on social media. Most of their vacation is focused on filming and capturing the best content possible. They often get up early, change clothes often, and spend time waiting for the perfect shot at popular spots.

We recently took a deep dive into “ How Social Media Has Changed Travel .”

20. The Volunteers

Volunteer work, whether short or long-term, includes travelers like missionaries, non-profit workers, and those doing research in a field related to humanities or environmental work. From teen-service trips to long-term projects, there are millions of fabulous volunteer trips out there, and it’s a fabulous way to experience the world on a different level!

Check out “ Volunteer Vacations: How to Give Back While You Get Away ” and “ Travel With Purpose: Long-term Volunteer Opportunities .”

21. The Gap Year Folks

A gap year is a common travel mode for European high school or university grads. It’s essentially taking a year or two to travel the world before entering the workforce. Most gap year travelers are backpackers, but many choose to utilize a working holiday visa to spend a year working in a foreign country. Common jobs are working on organic farms, in hostels, or as ESL teachers.

Check out “ Great Gap Year Ideas, Trips, and Activities for Young Adults ” for tons of great options!

22. The Work Exchange Crowd

Working holidays are a form of budget travel where the tourist exchanges some work hours for a free place to stay and sometimes food. Travel organizations like WWOOF , WorkAway , and Trusted Housesitters are the most popular platforms for finding this kind of travel opportunity.

Learn how to house-sit like a pro!

23. The Party Seekers

Partygoers are a group of travelers looking for a good time. They hit up destinations with legalized narcotics, prostitution, and epic nightlife. The island of Mykonos, Amsterdam, Miami, Las Vegas, New Orleans, and Bangkok are some popular spots.

24. The Weekend Warrior

Weekend warriors are experts at local travel. They can turn a three-day weekend into a lifelong memory with expert planning, epic packing skills, and a no-excuses attitude, they transform most weekends into an adventure! They often utilize road trips, state parks, nearby national parks, and quick city tours to make the most of a short time schedule.

Take a look at “ Microcations in America: 50 Magnificent Mini Vacation Ideas ” for some weekend warrior fuel!

25. The Soul Searchers

Soul searchers are on the hunt to find themselves. They long for mountain retreats, long treks in desolate deserts, or a different spiritual experience not available to them at home. They are generally young adults or middle-aged folks in crisis. Popular spots for soul searchers include Kathmandu, Nepal, Tibet, and Bhutan.

26. The Vanlifers

Vanlifers are the adorable crew that move all their earthly belongings, and sometimes their kids and pets, into a converted van, and take on the world by road. They eat, sleep, travel, and adventure in their home on wheels and usually gravitate to the United States and Central America where there is an abundance of free camping and park-ups.

Is vanlife for you? Time to find out !

27. The Disabled Travelers

Once pretty much banned from travel, now tourists with disabilities are exploring every landscape on earth. There are even tour companies now that specialize in disability travel. This one makes a smile really big!

If you have a disability, don’t let that hold you back from traveling the world. Find out how !

28. The Group Tour Peeps

An extremely popular travel trend among older folks and first-time travelers is the group tour. The number of group tours out there is innumerable and crosses a wide range of travel interests. Some are fully guided and planned. Others offer larger flexibility. However, all take some of the planning off the back of the traveler where they can just sit back and enjoy the ride.

If you are interested in this type of travel, check out “ 20 Types of Group Tours You Won’t Forget .”

29. The Nature Lovers

Here come the campers. Nature lovers don’t consider it a vacation if they can’t get lost in an epic mountain vista and take in an overload of fresh air. Camping, hiking, weekends at the lake, and scuba diving vacations are the name of their game!

30. The Escape Artist

This type of traveler is in search of new destinations that offer them an escape from home. These are often young travelers just branching out from under their parent’s wing, or older adults who have suffered a loss or gone through a traumatizing experience recently. They’re seeking a change of pace, a change of scenery, and a place to clear their heads.

31. The Dark Tourists

Dark tourists seek out the weird and wonderful. They often book ghost tours, serial killer tours, or snag a room in a haunted hotel. They seek out the strange and slightly morbid for their getaways. Popular spots include Chernobyl, Transylvania, New Orleans, and Isla de las Muñecas.

Check out “ The 45 Weirdest Places in the World !”

Closing Thoughts

We could honestly go on and on with types of travelers. We still haven’t discussed the ultimate planner, the lost one, the complainer, or the road trippers, but we have to stop somewhere. We hope you learned a little something about the types of travelers out there and maybe got some inspiration to change up your style and branch out for your next trip! Happy travels folks!

Frequently Asked Questions

There are many different types of travelers including culture vultures , gastrotourists , thrill seekers , luxury travelers , budget travelers , digital nomads , and pilgrims .

While there are some sorting systems based on personality, most find it more useful to sort travelers by non-scientific categories such as budget travelers , business travelers , and luxury travelers .

If you’re looking to change up your travel style, include interactive activities like sightseeing scavenger hunts , challenge yourself to travel on a budget , or complete a volunteer trip !

The word tourism comes from the Torah, meaning teaching or direction. The earliest forms of tourism were for business (trade) and spiritual pilgrimage .

Gastrotourism is planning a vacation around food. Paris, Tokyo, and Thailand are popular gastrotourism destinations for foodies.

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8 types of traveller you’ll meet on a group trip 

Join any of Intrepid’s small group adventures and chances are you’ll find yourself making friends and sharing new experiences with like-minded people of all ages, nationalities and backgrounds. That’s part of the joy of travel.  

But do enough globe-trotting on group trips and you may start to notice that certain character traits crop up time and time again among your fellow travellers. Of course, there are countless types of traveller out there – we’d never put you in a box – but these are just some of the classics. Some might be obvious, others might surprise you – perhaps you’ll even recognise yourself. 

The first timer 

This nervous newbie is often seen lugging around an extra heavy backpack or overstuffed suitcase, having packed for every possibility – but they’ve still managed to forget their phone charger. Wide-eyed and angsty, they tend to stick close to the trip leader at all times, lest they miss some vital nugget of logistical info (getting lost or abandoned at a busy bus station is their worst fear). In severe cases, they’ll clutch a printed – or, if they’re really committed, laminated – copy of the trip itinerary like a comfort blanket. 

Ideal trip: Highlights of Turkey and the Greek Islands , Grand Canadian Rockies or Mexico Unplugged for an epic destination overview. 

Buddy up: by lending a patient ear to their jittery ‘what ifs?’ and encouraging them to step out of their comfort zone. 

The veteran 

Their confident, well-rehearsed self-introduction at the welcome meeting on the first night is usually the first giveaway. And this cool customer’s impressive ability to retain the names of everyone in the group – without having to ask twice – suggests they have perfected the art of bonding quickly with strangers. Probe further and they’ll soon reveal that they’ve been to every continent and done seven other trips with Intrepid – with three more adventures in the pipeline.   

Ideal trip: Ultimate Antarctica , Bhutan Expedition: Hike the Trans Bhutan Trail   or Comoros: Wildlife Expedition for off-the-beaten-track bragging rights. 

Buddy up: by skipping the small talk and diving straight into deep chats. 

The documentarian 

Whether they’re snapping away on a hefty DSLR, shoving their smartphone between you and your first bite of a particularly Instagrammable meal or sharing snippets of your trip on TikTok , the documentarian is determined to record every aspect of your adventure. Sure, the ‘pics or it didn’t happen’ attitude and endless selfies might elicit an eye roll or two among the group, but ultimately, you’ll all be grateful for those banging group selfies and candid captures. 

Ideal trip: Bali & Lombok Adventure , Italy Real Food Adventure or Trek Patagonia for unforgettable aesthetic adventures. 

Buddy up: by offering your own camera skills to take pictures of them in beautiful locations. After all, they’re usually behind – or only an arm’s length from – the lens. 

The shy one 

Navigating new social situations is overwhelming enough for shy types. Throw in an unfamiliar place, time zone or language and a plethora of sensory bombardments and it’s enough to render most introverts entirely mute. If they’re quiet at the welcome meal or choose not to join a singalong on the drive between sights, chances are they’re not being rude – they’re just processing. Given enough space and time, you might find you can coax them into a meaningful conversation. Perhaps you’ll even discover that you’re totally compatible travel buddies! 

Ideal trip: Vietnam: Hike, Bike & Kayak , Peru Expedition: Trek the Great Inca Road or Morocco: Women’s Expedition for group bonding experiences. 

Buddy up: by showing an interest, without overwhelming them. Catching them after a particularly novel activity or local experience should get the conversation flowing easily. 

The ringleader (aka not-so-shy one) 

When a bunch of strangers suddenly converge in a new place, full of hope and expectations, it can take a day or two to establish the group dynamics. But the most extroverted character is likely to make themselves known straight out of the gate, instantly cementing their role as ringleader. This loud and lovable character is most likely to put you all at ease with their natural conviviality, not to mention charm the locals with their unabashed curiosity. If anyone’s going to convince the group to do tequila shots after another incredible day on the road, it’s them. 

Ideal trip: Rio Carnival Experience , Real Bangkok to Singapore or Balkan Adventure for urban escapades.  

Buddy up: by enabling their mischief and going along for the ride. 

The dark horse 

Watch out – this one’s full of surprises. Just when you thought you had them sussed, they blow all your preconceptions out of the water. Think otherwise aloof cool kid getting super dorky on the dancefloor or septuagenarian doing a bungee jump without batting an eyelid. Perhaps, towards the end of the trip, they’ll reveal they’re the sibling of a superstar, or get an impromptu neck tattoo to commemorate the adventure. Prepare for the unexpected. 

Ideal trip: Central Asia: Five Stans Express , Incredible Ethiopia or New Zealand’s South Island in Depth for the wow factor. 

Buddy up: by never judging a book by its cover. 

The parental figure 

Need a tissue? Someone to remind you to wear sunscreen? General ‘what should I do with my life’ advice? You’ll want to seek out the ‘grown up’ of the group. You know the type – they’re organised, quietly confident, naturally caring and always carry enough hand sanitiser to share. They may or may not be parents in real life, are possibly (but not necessarily) older and exude a certain quality – be it wisdom, kindness or simply a knowing smile – that makes them a thoroughly reassuring presence. You can count on them in a crisis. 

Ideal trip: Mountains & Mystics of India , South Australia Outback Adventure or Premium Japan for enlightening cultural encounters. 

Buddy up: by never taking their good deeds or generosity for granted. If the opportunity arises, flip the script and do them a favour or pay it forward. 

The couple 

We don’t like to define people purely by their relationship status – but it’s worth acknowledging that while Intrepid trips are great for solo travellers , plenty of couples enjoy small group adventures too. From newlyweds to empty nesters, these pairs tend to fall into one of two categories. First, there’s the loved-up duo who stick together, sharing one pair of headphones on long journeys and bickering benignly over who took the bigger bite of their shared gelato (cute!). Then there’s the independent, outgoing duo, who, boosted by the fact they have a partner in crime to fall back on, are perhaps the most vivaciously social of the entire group.   

Ideal trip: Premium Egypt in Depth , Classic Costa Rica or Iceland Discovery for making memories that last a lifetime. 

Buddy up: by making the first move. Couples can seem standoffish but are often totally open to expanding their travel circle. 

Check out Intrepid’s trip themes and travel styles to choose your perfect itinerary and meet like-minded travellers on a small group adventure.   

Feeling inspired?

Emma Sparks

The travel bug bit me when my family moved to New Zealand when I was 14. It sank its teeth in further during a solo RTW trip post-university. I never feel more ‘me’ than when I’m wearing a backpack and heading off into the unknown. See also: cat lady, geography quiz geek, global content specialist at Intrepid.

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