B2B Travel Glossary
Definitions for pricing, technology, business, operations, and distribution terminology used in B2B hotel booking.
Complete A-Z glossary of 124 B2B hotel distribution terms across five categories: Pricing, Technology, Business, Operations, and Distribution. Each term includes a definition, industry context, usage example, and links to related terms. Maintained by the Maqami team.
A
Affiliate
A referral partner earning a commission for generating bookings.
Agency Model
A model where hotel collects payment and intermediary receives commission.
All-Inclusive
A package model where accommodation, meals, and selected activities are bundled.
Allotment
A pre-allocated room block reserved for a distributor within a date range.
Amendment
A modification applied to an existing reservation, such as dates or guest names.
API
An application programming interface that allows systems to exchange data and actions.
ASTA
The American Society of Travel Advisors, a professional body for travel advisors.
Authentication
The process of validating identity before API access is granted.
B
B2B
A business model where products are sold from one company to another.
B2B2C
A layered model where suppliers sell via intermediaries to final consumers.
B2C
A business model where travel products are sold directly to consumers.
BAR (Best Available Rate)
The lowest unrestricted public rate a hotel offers at a given moment.
Bearer Token
A token sent in authorization headers to prove access rights.
Bed Bank
A B2B accommodation distributor aggregating hotel inventory for travel resellers.
Blackout Date
Dates where specific rates, promotions, or allotments are unavailable.
Booking Engine
Software that powers search, pricing, and reservation workflows.
Booking Margin
The profit difference between wholesale booking cost and final selling price.
Booking Reference
An internal or external code used to track a reservation lifecycle.
Boutique Hotel
A smaller design-led property with differentiated guest experience.
C
Caching
Temporary data storage used to speed up repeated requests.
Cancellation Fee
A charge applied when a booking is cancelled after allowed free-cancel windows.
Cancellation Policy
Rules that define when and how bookings can be cancelled and refunded.
CDN
A content delivery network that distributes static assets through edge locations.
Channel Conflict
Commercial friction when channels compete with inconsistent pricing or terms.
Channel Manager
A system used by hotels to synchronize inventory and rates across channels.
Co-Branding
A go-to-market model where two brands appear jointly in customer flows.
Commission
A compensation amount paid to an intermediary for each completed booking.
Commission Model
A revenue model where earnings are paid as a percentage of booking value.
Confirmation Number
A unique identifier issued after a booking is confirmed.
Content Mapping
Standardizing property content fields like amenities, descriptions, and media.
Contracted Rate
A negotiated hotel rate formalized between supplier and distributor.
CRS (Central Reservation System)
A centralized platform for controlling room inventory and rates across properties.
Cutoff Date
The final date for confirming group room allocations under contract terms.
D
Day Rate
A rate priced per calendar day, often used in corporate programs and long stays.
Direct Booking
A reservation made directly with the hotel or brand-owned channel.
Distribution Channel
A path through which hotel inventory is marketed and sold.
DMC (Destination Management Company)
A local specialist handling travel services and ground operations in destination markets.
Domestic Tourism
Travel activity within a traveler's own country.
Dynamic Pricing
A pricing approach where rates change in real time based on demand, seasonality, and inventory.
E
F
FIT (Free Independent Traveler)
A traveler booking independent itineraries rather than fixed group packages.
FIT Rate
A rate intended for Free Independent Traveler bookings, usually for low-volume personalized travel.
Flash Sale Rate
A short-duration discounted rate used for rapid inventory stimulation.
Force Majeure
A contractual clause covering extraordinary events that prevent service delivery.
G
H
I
IATA
The International Air Transport Association that standardizes global travel operations.
Idempotency Key
A unique key ensuring repeated write requests do not create duplicate transactions.
Inbound Tourism
Travel activity where international visitors enter a destination country.
Independent Hotel
A standalone property not operating under a major chain brand.
Indirect Booking
A reservation made through intermediaries such as OTAs, wholesalers, or agencies.
Inventory Syndication
Republishing inventory across partner ecosystems through connected channels.
J
L
M
Markup
The amount or percentage added to a net rate to create a selling price.
Markup Model
A revenue model where intermediaries earn by adding margin to net rates.
Markup-Based Earning
An earning model where profit is generated by setting a selling price above wholesale cost.
Maximum Stay
The highest number of nights allowed under a specific rate plan.
Merchant Model
A model where intermediary collects payment and remits net amount to supplier.
Meta Search
A discovery channel comparing hotel prices from multiple booking sources.
MICE
Meetings, incentives, conferences, and exhibitions travel segment.
Minimum Stay
The least number of nights required for booking eligibility.
N
O
OAuth
An authorization framework for delegated access without exposing credentials.
Opaque Pricing
A pricing method where some product details are hidden until after purchase.
OTA (Online Travel Agency)
A digital travel seller distributing inventory to end customers online.
OTA Connectivity
Technical linkage between suppliers and online travel agency distribution channels.
Outbound Tourism
Travel activity where residents depart their country for international trips.
Overbooking
A condition where confirmed reservations exceed available rooms.
P
Package Rate
A combined rate bundling accommodation with extras such as transfers or tours.
Pay at Hotel
A rate plan where payment is collected by the property at check-in or check-out.
Penalty Rate
A charge condition triggered by late cancellation, no-show, or contract breaches.
Per Diem
A daily allowance limit used by organizations to control travel spending.
PMS (Property Management System)
Hotel software for managing reservations, check-ins, housekeeping, and operations.
Preferred Supplier
A supplier prioritized through negotiated commercial and operational agreements.
Prepaid Rate
A discounted rate requiring payment at booking time.
Private Label
A partner-branded product offering sourced from a third-party platform.
Profit Hold Period
The processing window between booking confirmation and profit becoming withdrawable.
Promotional Rate
A temporary discounted rate tied to marketing campaigns or seasonal offers.
Property Mapping
Matching the same hotel entity across multiple data providers.
R
Rack Rate
The publicly available standard room rate published by a hotel.
Rate Fence
A condition used to qualify eligibility for specific rate levels.
Rate Mapping
The process of aligning equivalent rate plans across systems.
Rate Parity
A contractual requirement to keep equivalent public rates aligned across channels.
Real-Time Availability
Inventory status that reflects live room availability at search and booking time.
Refundable Rate
A rate plan allowing cancellation with refund under specific conditions.
Release Period
The deadline before arrival when unused allotment is returned to hotel inventory.
Resort
A destination-focused property offering accommodation with leisure facilities.
REST API
An HTTP-based API style using resource-oriented endpoints and standard verbs.
Rooming List
A guest-by-room assignment list submitted for group bookings.
S
Sandbox
A test environment that mimics production behavior without live commercial impact.
SDK
A software development kit that simplifies integration with API services.
Search Link
A personalized booking URL used to share marked-up hotel search results with buyers.
SLA
A service level agreement defining availability, support, and performance commitments.
SSL/TLS
Encryption protocols that secure data in transit between systems.
Static Rate
A pre-agreed rate that remains fixed for a defined contract period.
Stop Sale
An instruction to close a room type or rate from further bookings.
T
TMC (Travel Management Company)
A company managing corporate travel programs, policy, and supplier procurement.
Tour Operator
A company creating and selling package travel products.
Transparent Pricing
A model where full price components and hotel details are shown pre-booking.
Travel Affiliate Program
A referral or markup program that rewards partners for generating travel bookings.
Travel Agent
A professional intermediary booking travel products on behalf of clients.
Travel Consolidator
An intermediary aggregating negotiated rates from multiple suppliers.
Travel Consortium
A network of agencies pooling buying power and negotiated supplier terms.
U
V
W
Waitlist
A queue of requested bookings pending inventory availability.
Webhook
An HTTP callback that pushes event notifications to subscribed systems.
Webhook Signature
A cryptographic signature used to verify webhook authenticity and integrity.
White Label
A booking solution rebranded to match a partner's identity.
Wholesale Rate
A discounted B2B hotel rate sold to intermediaries for onward distribution.
Wholesaler
A distributor purchasing inventory in bulk and reselling it to agencies.
X
Z
Explore More
Understand how these concepts apply to real travel operations through our use-case guides, competitive analysis, and solution deep dives.