A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | Y | Z

R

Rack Rate: The official, full price of a hotel room before any discounts or promotions are applied. It is often displayed in the room or quoted to customers when they are booking.

Rail Pass: A cost-effective ticket that allows unlimited travel on trains within a specific geographic area (e.g., a country or region) for a set period of time, popular in Europe and Japan among tourists.

Ranger-Led Programs: Educational or recreational activities led by park rangers, often available in national parks and protected areas, designed to inform visitors about the natural environment, wildlife, and conservation efforts.

Rapid Rewards: A term often used by airlines for their frequent flyer programs that reward passengers with points or miles that can be redeemed for free flights, upgrades, and other benefits based on their travel frequency.

Rate Parity: A practice in the hospitality industry where a hotel ensures that all its distribution channels (direct booking, online travel agencies, etc.) offer the same room rates for the same conditions (e.g., room type, cancellation policy).

Rating Systems: In travel, systems used to classify hotels, restaurants, and other service providers based on quality, facilities, and services offered, often represented by stars or diamonds.

Record Locator: A unique code assigned to a traveler’s itinerary or booking, used to retrieve the reservation details in an airline’s, travel agency’s, or hotel’s system. It typically consists of six alphanumeric characters.

Recreational Vehicle (RV): A motor vehicle or trailer equipped with living quarters and amenities found in a home, such as a kitchen, bathroom, and sleeping facilities, used for road trips and camping.

Red-Eye Flight: A flight that departs late at night and arrives early the next morning, typically flying west to east. It’s called “red-eye” due to the tired, red eyes of passengers from lack of sleep.

Reef Tourism: The practice of visiting coral reefs via snorkeling, diving, and boat tours, which is popular in regions like the Great Barrier Reef in Australia. It emphasizes the beauty and biodiversity of underwater ecosystems.

Refundable Ticket: A type of airline ticket that allows the passenger to cancel their booking and receive a full or partial refund, often with less restrictive conditions than non-refundable tickets.

Reissue: The process of issuing a new ticket or booking confirmation to replace an existing one, often required after making changes to travel dates, destinations, or traveler information on an airline ticket or reservation.

Rejuvenation Tourism: A form of tourism where the primary goal is health restoration and stress relief through activities like spa treatments, wellness retreats, and therapeutic landscapes, often in tranquil settings.

Regional Airport: An airport serving traffic within a relatively small or lightly populated geographical area, typically not offering long-haul flights but connecting to larger, international airports.

Religious Tourism: Travel motivated by faith or spiritual reasons, including pilgrimages to holy sites, visits to religious monuments, and participation in religious festivals and events.

Relocation Cruise: A cruise that occurs when a ship needs to move from one region to another, often between seasons, offering unique itineraries and often available at a lower cost than regular cruises.

Rendezvous Point: A pre-determined location where travelers agree to meet, often used in group travel or tours to gather participants before moving on to the next destination or activity.

Renewable Tourism: Tourism practices that emphasize sustainability and the use of renewable resources to minimize the environmental impact of travel activities and accommodations.

Rental Agreement: The contract between the rental company and the customer, outlining the terms and conditions of the vehicle rental, including rental period, fees, and responsibilities of the renter.

Repatriation: The process of returning a person back to their place of origin or citizenship. In travel insurance, it covers the cost of returning home if the traveler is seriously ill or deceased.

Repatriation Tourism: Visits to one’s homeland or ancestral country by individuals or descendants who live elsewhere, often seeking to connect with their roots, culture, and heritage.

Repellent: In the context of travel, substances or products used to deter insects or wildlife from coming into close contact with humans, crucial for travelers in areas where vector-borne diseases are prevalent.

Research Tourism: Travel for the purpose of academic research or scientific exploration, often involving fieldwork in disciplines like archaeology, biology, geography, and sociology.

Reservation: The process of booking accommodations, flights, or services in advance to ensure availability. It often requires payment or a deposit.

Reservation Fee: A charge applied at the time of booking to reserve a spot or service, such as a hotel room, a table at a restaurant, or a ticket for a tour. This fee may be part of the total cost or an additional charge.

Residence Inn: A brand of extended stay hotels that cater to travelers needing accommodations for longer periods, offering more space and amenities similar to a home, such as full kitchens and living areas.

Residents/Non-Residents: Terms used to differentiate between individuals who live in a particular area or country (residents) and those who do not (non-residents), often for purposes of determining eligibility for certain prices, taxes, or entry requirements.

Resilience Tourism: A concept that involves developing tourism strategies and practices that help destinations adapt to and recover from challenges such as natural disasters, economic downturns, and pandemics.

Resort: A self-contained commercial establishment that tries to provide most of a vacationer’s wants, such as food, drink, lodging, sports, entertainment, and shopping, on the premises.

Responsible Tourism: Tourism that operates in such a way as to minimize negative impacts on the environment, local culture, and economy, often emphasizing conservation and sustainable development.

Rest Area: Designated places on highways or motorways where drivers can stop to rest, use restroom facilities, and sometimes purchase food and fuel, essential for long-distance road trips.

Restorative Tourism: Similar to rejuvenation tourism, this focuses on improving the well-being of travelers through restful vacations that offer relaxation, meditation, and wellness activities, often in nature-centric or peaceful settings.

Restricted Area: Areas within tourist destinations or countries that have limitations on access due to reasons such as environmental protection, cultural sensitivity, or security concerns.

Restricted Fare: A type of airline ticket or travel service that is sold at a lower price but comes with strict conditions, such as no refunds, no changes, or specific travel dates and times.

Retail Travel Agency: A business that sells travel-related products and services to consumers, typically including airline tickets, car rentals, cruises, hotel bookings, tours, and vacation packages.

Retirement Travel: Travel undertaken by individuals who are retired, often characterized by longer durations and flexibility in travel dates, focusing on relaxation, exploration, and experiencing new cultures without the constraints of employment.

Ritual Tourism: Travel centered around witnessing or participating in rituals, ceremonies, and traditions, offering deep insights into the cultural practices of different communities around the world.

River Cruise: A cruise that sails along inland waterways, often stopping at multiple ports within a country or region, offering a closer look at local cultures, landscapes, and cities than larger ocean cruises.

River Tourism: Activities and travel focused on rivers, including river cruises, kayaking, rafting, and cultural tours of riverside communities. It highlights the cultural, historical, and natural significance of rivers.

Road Warrior: Informal term for a person who travels frequently for business, often spending a significant amount of time on the road and becoming adept at navigating travel schedules, airports, and hotels efficiently.

Romantic Destinations: Locations known for their appeal to couples seeking a romantic getaway, often featuring picturesque landscapes, luxurious accommodations, and activities designed for two, such as beachside dinners, couple’s spa treatments, or sunset cruises.

Room Rates: The price charged for a hotel room per night, which can vary based on factors such as the room size, view, amenities, time of year, and booking conditions (e.g., refundable vs. non-refundable).

Room Service: A service offered by hotels allowing guests to order food and beverages to be delivered to their room at any time during their stay.

Round Trip: A trip from one location to another and back to the original starting point. It often refers to airline tickets that include both departure and return flights.

Route: The predetermined path or course of travel from one place to another, often used in the context of air travel, road trips, or trekking.

Run-of-House (ROH): A term used in the hospitality industry to describe a room rate that allows the hotel to assign any available room upon check-in, typically at a lower cost but without guaranteeing a specific room type or location.

Rural Homestay: Accommodation in rural areas where guests stay with local families in their homes, experiencing the local lifestyle, traditions, and hospitality firsthand. It’s a popular way to immerse in local culture and support rural economies.

Rural Tourism: Travel to rural areas to experience and participate in activities that highlight the countryside lifestyle, culture, and nature. It often includes agritourism, outdoor recreation, and visits to local farms, markets, and artisan workshops.