The field of hospitality is an expanding and growing career path. Encompassing travel, tourism, restaurants, and recreation, more and more people and governments are turning to the industry to make money. For those planning a career in the hospitality industry, it helps to know general terms as well as industry specific words. If you manage a restaurant on a road with heavy tourist traffic, for example, you will want to stay current with area attractions and visitor questions outside of your restaurant experience. This will allow your customers to get the best service possible, which is the focal point of the hospitality industry.
Experienced travelers may want to know hospitality industry acronyms, abbreviations, and industry keywords in order to plan the best vacation possible. Beginners may want to be informed of current jargon in order to make their travels go more smoothly.
Hospitality Glossaries and Dictionaries
Use a general hospitality glossary to look up unfamiliar words or to clarify something a travel agent has mentioned. A glossary lets you learn more about the consumer service industry and assists you in making the best choices with your money and time. For example:
- Glossary of Hospitality Terms by Libra Club: Use this short glossary to look up general hospitality terms with a letter search. Each term has a sentence or two explaining what it means. The font used is fairly small, however, which can make the site hard for some to read.
- Glossary of Hospitality/Tourism Terms: This six page glossary is easy to read and more extensive than many others. The file is a PDF, so you'll need to have the Adobe Reader software downloaded in order to view the document. It is geared more towards agents and those within the industry, rather than consumers of hospitality services.
- Travel Industry Dictionary: Search by letter to find the abbreviation, acronym, or word you need. The letter "g" alone has over 50 entries, making this glossary an extensive reference for anyone interested in the hospitality industry. It also includes slang terms, such as "greasy spoon."
Trade Specific Hospitality Glossaries
Sometimes your venture into the hospitality world requires a little more than just an all-encompassing dictionary. Trade specific hospitality glossaries can help if you are interested in a more specialized area within the service field. If you want to learn more about restaurant hospitality, recreational hospitality, or other specific areas within the business, you should use a specialized hospitality dictionary. For example:
- Glossary of Timeshare Words and Phrases: If you are interested in selling or buying timeshares, use this short glossary to look up words related to this popular vacation option. The site is best used for timeshare options in the United Kingdom, although some of the terms are applicable to other areas as well.
- ARDA Glossary of Terms: The American Resort Development Association brings this short glossary for use by those within the resort development community. Use it to find out more about vacation ownership.
- FCSI Glossary of Industry Terms: Learn about restaurant hospitality and essential terms by using this glossary brought to you by Foodservice Consultants Society International. Restaurants are a big part of the hospitality industry, even in less traveled areas.
To find out more about specific trades within the hospitality industry, visit the "specialty" section of yourDictionary.com for links to the following related topics:
- Pools and spas
- Recreation
- Transportation
- Gambling
- Theater
- Food industry
- Travel
Each of the above topics relates back to the hospitality industry. The service industry is about consumer happiness, so educate yourself in order to retain customers or get the most out of your experience.
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