Essential Vocabulary and Phrases for the Tourism Industry
Essential Tourism and Travel Vocabulary
Accommodation and Hospitality
- Cater for: To provide what is needed or desired
- Vouchers: Certificates that can be used instead of money
- Booking: Reservation
- Brochure: Pamphlet
- Chambermaid: Hotel room cleaner
- Doorman: Hotel entrance attendant
- Fee: Payment
- Full board: All meals included
- Housekeeper: Head of cleaning staff
- Layout: Arrangement
- Lodging: Accommodation
- Overtime: Extra work hours
- Perk: Benefit
- Resort representative: Tour operator’s agent
- Sommelier: Wine waiter
- Tip: Gratuity
- Wage: Salary
- Valet: Parking attendant
- Suitcase: Luggage
- Arrival-departure date: Check-in and check-out dates
- Cottage: Small house in the country
- Hostel: Budget accommodation
- Retreat: Secluded place for relaxation
Travel and Transportation
- Coach: Bus
- Flight attendant: Cabin crew member
- Gap: Space
- Ground steward: Airport customer service agent
- Overhead locker: Overhead compartment
- Delays: Postponements
- Carriageway: Lane
- Deck: Ship’s floor
- Harbor: Port
- Purser: Ship’s officer in charge of finances and passengers
- Roundabout: Traffic circle
- Runway: Airport landing strip
- Toll bridge: Bridge with a fee
- Launch: Boat trip
General Travel Terms
- Witnessed: Observed
- Sprang up: Appeared suddenly
- Take for granted: Assume
- Hallmark: Distinguishing feature
- Hoarding: Accumulation
- Aim: Objective
- Broad: Wide
- Purpose: Intention
- Range: Variety
- Reply: Response
- Season: Time of year
- Source: Origin
- Summary: Brief account
- Willingness: Eagerness
- Dwelling: Place to live
- Heyday: Prime period
- Shrine: Sacred place
- To set out: To become fashionable
- Flocking: Moving in large numbers
- Stagecoaches: Horse-drawn carriages
- Coaching inn: Pub with accommodation
- Steamboats: Steam-powered boats
- Income: Earnings
- Foreign: From another country
- To pull up: To look up
- Glitch: Error
- To dial: To call
- Sandy: Covered in sand
- Surrounding: Nearby
- Remote: Distant
- Steep: Sharp incline
- Scenic: Picturesque
- Sparkling: Shining brightly
- Second to none: Unsurpassed
- Deserted: Empty
- Spectacular: Impressive
- Majestic: Grand
- Pretty: Attractive
- Luxurious: Elegant and expensive
- Comfortable: Providing physical ease
- Spacious: Roomy
- Winding: Curving
Tourism Marketing Mix
- Product: Tangible (food and drinks) and intangible (services) offerings
- Place: Traditionally travel agencies, now primarily the internet
- Promotion: Direct marketing (websites) and sales promotions (discounts)
- Price: Value for money (benefits exceeding costs) and competitive pricing
English Grammar for Tourism
Past Tenses
- Past Simple: “I finished my homework five minutes ago.” (Completed action)
- Past Progressive: “When the boss arrived, I was sleeping on my desk.” (Action in progress)
Future Tenses
- Simple Future (will): “Tomorrow I will go and buy stamps.” / “The train won’t arrive on time.” (Prediction, intention)
- Future Progressive: “At this time tomorrow, we will be surfing the waves of the Indian Ocean.” (Ongoing future action)
- Near Future (be going to): “I am going to call him, I can’t wait anymore.” (Intention, strong conviction)
Modal Verbs
- Can: Expresses possibility or makes a request
- Could: Past of “can”, expresses something that already happened
- May: Similar to “can” but more formal, used to ask for permission or state a possibility
- Might: Used for suggestions or possibilities, more flexible than “may”
- Will: Refers to the future, used for predictions, questions, or concerns about something that might happen
- Would: Used for past habits, future willingness, or to establish conditions
- Must: Expresses necessity or a strong suggestion, can also be used to make assumptions
- Shall: Similar to “will”, expresses something related to what might happen
Pioneers of Tourism
- Thomas Cook: Pioneered mass tourism, organized excursions, and introduced traveler’s checks.
- Freddie Laker: Revolutionized air travel, making it more accessible.
- Cesar Manrique: Advocated for sustainable tourism development in Lanzarote, preserving its identity.
Formal Letter Example
“I would like to apply for… I am 21 years old… I am studying the Degree in Tourism at… after completing a higher national diploma in… I want the job because… I do not have experience… My qualities are… and I speak… The post you are offering attracts me because it can give me professional opportunities to grow. I look forward to hearing from you. Yours faithfully, Raquel…”
Requests and Orders (Reported Speech)
- Doctor: “Stay in bed for two days.” – The doctor told me to stay in bed for two days.
- Tom: “Please, stay with me.” – Tom asked me to stay with him.
- Anne: “Please, don’t move.” – Anne asked me not to move.
- David: “I’ll stay here until tomorrow.” – David said (that) he would stay there until the following day.
“Wish” vs. “Hope”
- To wish: To want something for somebody. “I wish you a safe journey.”
- To hope: To desire something. “We hope (that) it doesn’t/won’t rain tomorrow.”