Group travel glossary: the terms organisers need to know

Booking and contracts

These terms appear in quotes, supplier contracts and booking conditions. Most of the cost of a group trip is committed through them, so read each clause that uses them.

Allotment

A block of rooms, seats or places that a supplier holds for a group or agent at an agreed rate until a release date. Unsold space is returned to the supplier after that date.

Attrition

A reduction in group numbers below the contracted level. An attrition clause sets how far numbers can fall without charge and what is payable beyond that.

Cut-off date

The date by which a group must confirm names or numbers, after which unused space in an allotment is released or the price may change. Also called the release date.

Option date

The date until which a supplier holds space or a price without commitment. If you do not confirm by then, the hold lapses.

Deposit

A payment that secures a booking. Group deposits are often non-refundable, or only partly refundable, once paid.

Final balance

The remaining amount due to a supplier, usually before departure on a date set in the contract.

Cancellation scale

The schedule of charges payable if a booking or part of it is cancelled, usually rising as departure approaches.

Minimum numbers

The smallest group size on which a price or contract is based. If numbers fall below it, the supplier may reprice or cancel.

Free place

A free or reduced place offered by a supplier for a set number of paying participants, often written as 1 free per X paying. Terms vary, and taxes may still be payable.

Force majeure

A contract clause that excuses a party from performing when extraordinary events beyond its control prevent it. In English law it applies only as written in the contract, so the wording decides what is covered and what happens to payments.

DMC (destination management company)

A company based in the destination that arranges local services such as transfers, guides, venues and activities, using its own supplier contacts.

Ground handler

A local company that delivers on-the-ground services, such as transfers and meet-and-greet, for a tour operator or agent. Often used interchangeably with DMC.

TMC (travel management company)

A company that books and manages travel for organisations, typically providing booking, traveller support and reporting under an agreement.

FAM trip

A familiarisation trip that lets organisers or agents see a destination, venue or supplier before booking groups there.

Inclusions and exclusions

The written list of what a quoted price covers and what it does not. Exclusions such as local taxes, baggage or meals are a common source of overruns.

Flights and airlines

Group air bookings run on airline group desks and reservation systems with their own rules. See group flights explained for how the process works end to end.

IATA

The International Air Transport Association, the trade association for the world's airlines. It sets industry standards and runs systems such as the BSP.

TIDS (Travel Industry Designator Service)

An IATA programme that gives travel agents and other sales intermediaries a unique numeric code so suppliers can identify their bookings. It is an identification code, not accreditation, and TIDS holders cannot issue airline tickets through IATA's BSP.

BSP (Billing and Settlement Plan)

IATA's system through which accredited travel agents report ticket sales and settle money with participating airlines.

GDS (global distribution system)

A reservation network, such as Amadeus, Sabre or Travelport, that travel sellers use to search and book flights and other travel services.

PNR (passenger name record)

The booking record for a reservation in an airline or GDS system, identified by a short alphanumeric reference. A group PNR holds a block of seats that are named and ticketed later.

Group fare

A fare negotiated with an airline for a group travelling together on the same flights. The minimum group size varies by airline, often 10 passengers, and group fares carry their own deposit, naming and ticketing rules.

Ticketing deadline

The date by which seats in a booking must be paid for and ticketed. If tickets are not issued by then, the airline may cancel the seats.

Name change

Replacing one passenger's name on a booking with another. Airlines set whether and until when this is allowed on group bookings, and may charge per change.

Name list

The list of passenger names, exactly as shown in passports, submitted to the airline for a group booking by its naming deadline.

ADM (agency debit memo)

A charge raised by an airline against a travel agent for a booking or ticketing irregularity, such as using the wrong fare or breaking fare rules.

Codeshare

A flight operated by one airline but also sold under another airline's flight number. Check-in, baggage rules and service are usually those of the operating airline.

Interline

An agreement that lets airlines sell one ticket covering flights on different carriers and transfer baggage between them.

MCT (minimum connecting time)

The shortest time allowed to change between two flights at an airport, set for that airport and its terminals. Connections sold on one ticket must meet it, but large groups often need more time.

Through-checked baggage

Checked bags tagged to the final destination at the first airport, so travellers do not collect and recheck them at a connection. It normally needs the flights on one ticket or an interline agreement.

Excess baggage

Baggage over the free allowance in weight, size or number of pieces, charged at the airline's rates. Sports equipment and production kit often fall under special baggage rules.

No-show

A passenger who does not travel on a booked flight without cancelling. Airlines commonly cancel the onward and return flights on that booking.

Charter

An aircraft hired for the exclusive use of one group or organiser, rather than seats on a scheduled flight.

APD (Air Passenger Duty)

A UK tax on passengers departing UK airports, included in the fare. Children under 16 travelling in the lowest class are exempt.

API (advance passenger information)

Passport and travel document details that airlines collect and send to border authorities before a flight.

Accommodation

Rooming list

The list sent to a hotel showing who is sharing which room and room type, with arrival and departure dates. Hotels set a deadline for receiving it.

Room block

The set of rooms a hotel reserves for a group under contract. It works like an allotment, with release and attrition terms.

Board basis

Which meals are included: room only, bed and breakfast, half board (breakfast and dinner) or full board (all three main meals).

Single supplement

An extra charge for one person occupying a room priced for two. It often applies to staff and leaders.

Tourist tax

A local tax charged per person per night in many cities and regions, often collected at check-in rather than included in the room rate. Also called city tax.

Occupancy

The number of people sharing a room, such as single, twin, double, triple or quad. Group rates are usually quoted per room or per person at a stated occupancy.

Ground transport

Transfer

Transport between two points, typically airport to hotel, booked for the group at agreed times.

Meet and greet

A representative who meets the group on arrival, usually at the airport, and takes them to their transport.

Manifest

The official list of passengers on a specific journey, such as a flight, coach or ferry, used for safety, security and checks at boarding.

Drivers' hours rules

Legal limits on how long coach drivers can drive and work, with required breaks and rest periods. Long days or late returns may need a second driver or an overnight stop.

Group rail booking

A rail reservation for a group travelling together, often with its own fares, booking windows and seat reservation rules set by the operator.

Safety and compliance

These terms describe who is responsible for traveller safety and how risk is managed. For practical detail, see duty of care in group travel and school trip risk assessment.

Duty of care

The obligation of an organisation, and its staff, to take reasonable steps to protect the health, safety and wellbeing of the people it is responsible for, including when they travel.

In loco parentis

Latin for "in the place of a parent". It describes the responsibility of staff supervising under-18s to act as a reasonably careful parent would.

Risk assessment

A written process that identifies hazards, judges how likely and serious harm would be, and records the controls that reduce the risk to an acceptable level.

Dynamic risk assessment

The continuous judgement leaders make on the spot as conditions change, such as weather, crowds or group behaviour, and the decisions that follow.

Incident management plan

A plan setting out roles, contacts, communication steps and first actions for when something goes wrong on a trip. Also called an emergency plan or emergency response plan.

Home contact

A named person at base who is reachable at any hour for the duration of a trip, holds participant records and escalates incidents. Also called the 24-hour contact or base contact.

EVC (educational visits coordinator)

A member of staff in a school or other establishment who supports and oversees off-site visits and helps the head approve them. Department for Education guidance says schools should appoint one.

OEAP

The Outdoor Education Advisers' Panel, which publishes National Guidance for the management of outdoor learning, off-site visits and learning outside the classroom, used by many UK employers and schools.

ISO 31030

ISO 31030:2021, Travel risk management: Guidance for organizations. It sets out how organisations can build a travel risk policy and programme, and is guidance rather than a certification standard.

Travel risk management

The policies, planning, training and support an organisation uses to manage risks to people travelling on its behalf.

Safeguarding

The measures an organisation takes to protect children and vulnerable adults from harm, abuse and neglect, which continue to apply on trips.

DBS check

A criminal record check from the Disclosure and Barring Service in England and Wales, commonly required for staff and volunteers supervising under-18s.

Supervision ratio

The number of supervising adults per participant on a trip. Ratios are set by the organisation's own policy and risk assessment rather than one national figure.

FCDO travel advice

The UK government's official country-by-country travel advice, including where the FCDO advises against all or all but essential travel. Travelling against it can invalidate travel insurance.

Documents and entry

Entry rules change. Check each destination on gov.uk foreign travel advice before booking and again before departure, and see EES and ETIAS for UK groups.

Schengen area

A group of European countries that have removed passport checks at their shared borders and apply common rules for short stays by non-EU visitors.

90/180-day rule

British citizens can visit the Schengen area without a visa for up to 90 days in any 180-day period, counting previous visits in that period.

Schengen passport validity

For British citizens, gov.uk advises the passport must have been issued less than 10 years before the date of arrival and be valid for at least 3 months after the date you plan to leave.

EES (Entry/Exit System)

The EU's digital border system that registers non-EU nationals on short stays, recording their passport details, fingerprints and facial image at external Schengen borders. It replaces passport stamping and began operating on 12 October 2025.

ETIAS

The European Travel Information and Authorisation System, an online travel authorisation for visa-exempt visitors, including British citizens. It is scheduled for the last quarter of 2026 with a €20 fee for 18 to 70 year olds, but no start date had been announced as of 30 October 2026; check travel-europe.europa.eu.

UK ETA (electronic travel authorisation)

Permission to travel to the UK that many visa-exempt visitors, including most Europeans, need before arriving. Gov.uk lists the fee as £20, and every traveller needs one, including children.

Visa

Permission from a country to enter for a stated purpose and period, issued before travel. Requirements depend on nationality, so mixed-nationality groups need individual checks.

Emergency travel document

A UK document that lets a British national abroad make a single or return journey when their passport is lost, stolen or unusable. Gov.uk lists the application fee as £125.

ATA Carnet

An international customs document that allows goods such as equipment, samples or professional kit to be temporarily exported and imported without paying duties in participating countries. In the UK carnets are issued by the London Chamber of Commerce and Industry and other authorised chambers.

Parental consent letter

A signed letter from a parent or guardian authorising a child to travel without them, which border officials or airlines may ask to see. Requirements vary by country.

Health and insurance

GHIC (UK Global Health Insurance Card)

A free card for UK residents giving access to necessary state healthcare in the EEA and some other countries on the same basis as local residents. The NHS says it is not a replacement for travel insurance and does not cover repatriation or private treatment.

EHIC

The European Health Insurance Card that the GHIC replaced for most UK residents. Existing UK EHICs remain valid until their expiry date.

Travel insurance

Cover for risks such as medical costs, cancellation, baggage and personal liability. Group policies should be checked for every planned activity and for participants' declared medical conditions.

Assistance company

The 24-hour service attached to a travel insurance policy that arranges medical care, guarantees payment where covered and organises repatriation.

Repatriation

Returning a sick or injured traveller, or someone who has died, to their home country, usually arranged by the insurer's assistance company.

Excess

The amount the insured person pays towards each claim before the insurer pays the rest.

Events, sport and production

Accreditation (events)

The credential that gives a delegate, athlete, crew member or journalist access to specific areas of an event. Not to be confused with industry accreditation of travel sellers.

Delegate

A registered attendee at a conference or similar event.

MICE

Meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions: the business events sector.

Run of show

The minute-by-minute schedule for an event, used by crews, venues and suppliers.

Load-in and load-out

The scheduled times for bringing equipment into a venue and removing it afterwards. Travel for crews is planned around them.

Food and beverage minimum

A minimum spend on catering that a venue or hotel requires as a condition of a booking.

Call time

The time a crew member, performer or athlete must be at a set location, ready to work or compete.

How Roamly can help

Roamly is registered with IATA's Travel Industry Designator Service and arranges group flights, ground logistics and event travel through its group flights, logistics and event management services. The free travel document checklist and trip timeline builder help organisers put these terms into practice. For anything not covered here, contact us.