# Travel agency glossary: 26 essential terms

> Short, clear definitions of the terms travel agencies and tour operators use every day: B2B marketplace, XML integration, UETDS, allotment, PNR, voucher and more.

_Last updated: 2026-11-07_ · https://www.commoware.com/en/travel-glossary

## Terms (A–Z)

**Abandoned cart** — When a customer starts a booking but leaves without paying. It can be recovered with automatic reminders.

**Affiliate** — A marketing model where partners (influencers, guides, hotels) send customers through a personal link and earn a commission on sales.

**Agency platform** — The software that runs a travel agency's website, bookings, payments and management. It can be ready-made (SaaS) or custom-built.

**Allotment** — The number of seats, rooms or capacity reserved for sale for a tour, hotel or vehicle.

**API** — An interface that lets two systems exchange data automatically. In travel it carries live prices, availability and bookings.

**B2B marketplace** — An online trading space where agencies sell each other's tours, transfers and other products without integration, using contracts and commissions.

**B2C** — An agency selling directly to the end customer (traveller).

**Commission pricing** — A pricing model where the selling agency keeps a percentage commission on the sale price.

**Contract** — In B2B trade, the agreement between supplier and buying agency that sets prices, commissions and terms.

**DMC (Destination Management Company)** — A local company that organizes transfers, tours, hotels and events at a destination, usually serving other agencies.

**Dynamic packaging** — Combining separate products such as tours, hotels, transfers and flights into one package on demand, with automatic pricing.

**Incoming agency** — An agency selling tours, transfers and stays in Türkiye to visitors from abroad.

**MICE** — Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, Exhibitions — the business-travel segment for meetings, incentive trips, congresses and fairs.

**Net pricing** — A model where the supplier gives the buying agency a net cost and the buyer adds its own margin.

**OTA (Online Travel Agency)** — Large online-only travel platforms such as Booking.com or Expedia.

**Outgoing agency** — An agency selling trips, visas and stays abroad to travellers from Türkiye.

**PNR** — Passenger Name Record — the unique record number identifying a booking.

**Product feed** — A data file that sends product (tour, hotel) details automatically to ad platforms such as Google Merchant Center or Meta catalogs.

**Quotation** — A tailored price offer for a customer, including dates, number of people and services.

**Sub-agency** — An agency that sells a main agency's (or supplier's) products to its own customers at a set commission or net price.

**TURSAB** — The Association of Turkish Travel Agencies — the professional body travel agencies in Türkiye belong to.

**UETDS** — Türkiye's Electronic Transport Tracking and Control System, where trip and passenger details of passenger transport are reported to the Ministry of Transport.

**Virtual POS** — A bank or payment-provider service that lets a website accept credit card payments.

**Voucher** — A document confirming a booking, presented to the service provider.

**White label** — Offering a provider's platform under the agency's own brand and domain.

**XML integration** — Automatically importing a supplier's products, prices and availability into the agency system in XML format.

## FAQ

**What is a B2B travel marketplace?**
An online trading space where agencies sell each other's tours, transfers and other products without integration, using contracts and commissions.

**What is UETDS?**
Türkiye's Electronic Transport Tracking and Control System, used to report trip and passenger details of passenger transport to the Ministry of Transport.

**What is the difference between incoming and outgoing agencies?**
Incoming agencies serve visitors coming to Türkiye; outgoing agencies sell trips abroad to travellers from Türkiye.

**What is the difference between net and commission pricing?**
With commission pricing, the seller keeps a percentage of the sale price; with net pricing, the supplier gives a net cost and the seller adds its own margin.