Travel agency glossary: 26 essential terms

Terms (A–Z)

Abandoned cart

When a customer starts a booking but leaves without paying. It can be recovered with automatic reminders. Learn more →

Affiliate

A marketing model where partners (influencers, guides, hotels) send customers through a personal link and earn a commission on sales. Learn more →

Agency platform

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

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. Learn more →

B2B marketplace

An online trading space where agencies sell each other's tours, transfers and other products without integration, using contracts and commissions. Learn more →

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. Learn more →

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. Learn more →

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. Learn more →

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. Learn more →

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. Learn more →

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. Learn more →