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Hospitality Management Glossary

25 essential terms — because precise language is the foundation of clear thinking in Hospitality Management.

Showing 25 of 25 terms

Total room revenue divided by the number of rooms sold, measuring average rental income per occupied room.

Related:RevPAROccupancy RateRoom Revenue

The areas of a hospitality property not visible to guests, including kitchens, laundry, employee areas, and storage.

Related:Front of HouseRooms DivisionHousekeeping

A detailed document outlining all specifications for a catered event, including setup, menu, timing, and audiovisual requirements.

Related:CateringEvent ManagementFood and Beverage

Software that synchronizes room availability and rates across multiple distribution channels in real time to prevent overbooking.

Related:OTAPMSRate Parity

A group of similar hotels used for benchmarking performance comparisons in occupancy, ADR, and RevPAR.

Related:STAR ReportRevPARMarket Segmentation

A specialized guest service role responsible for assisting guests with reservations, recommendations, transportation, and special requests.

Related:Guest ExperienceFront OfficeService Quality

The ratio of food ingredient costs to food sales revenue, used to monitor profitability in food and beverage operations.

Related:Beverage CostMenu EngineeringProfit Margin

A business arrangement where a hotel owner licenses a brand's name, systems, and marketing in exchange for fees and royalty payments.

Related:Management ContractBrand StandardsRoyalty Fee

The guest-facing areas of a hospitality property, including the lobby, front desk, restaurant dining areas, and public spaces.

Related:Back of HouseGuest ExperienceService Delivery

Gross Operating Profit Per Available Room, a comprehensive profitability metric that accounts for operating expenses beyond just room revenue.

Related:RevPARNOIProfit Margin

A structured marketing program that rewards repeat guests with points, perks, and status tiers to encourage direct bookings and brand loyalty.

Related:CRMRepeat GuestDirect Booking

The department responsible for cleanliness, maintenance, and aesthetic upkeep of guest rooms, public areas, and back-of-house spaces.

Related:Rooms DivisionTurnoverInspection Standards

An agreement in which a hotel owner hires an external management company to operate the property in exchange for base and incentive fees.

Related:Franchise ModelOwner-OperatorIncentive Fee

The analytical process of evaluating menu items based on their profitability and popularity to optimize menu design and pricing.

Related:Food CostContribution MarginMenu Mix

The percentage of available rooms sold in a given period, calculated as rooms sold divided by rooms available times 100.

Related:ADRRevPARDemand Forecasting

Third-party platforms such as Expedia and Booking.com that sell hotel inventory online, typically charging commissions of 15-25%.

Related:Channel ManagerDirect BookingRate Parity

The practice of accepting more reservations than available capacity to compensate for anticipated cancellations and no-shows.

Related:Yield ManagementNo-Show RateWalk Policy

The characteristic of hospitality services that they cannot be stored; an unsold room night represents permanently lost revenue.

Related:Revenue ManagementYield ManagementInventory

Central software for managing hotel operations including reservations, check-in/out, billing, room assignments, and guest profiles.

Related:Channel ManagerPOS SystemCRM

The practice of maintaining consistent room rates across all distribution channels to prevent price undercutting and guest confusion.

Related:OTAChannel ManagerRevenue Management

Revenue Per Available Room, calculated as ADR multiplied by occupancy rate or total room revenue divided by available rooms.

Related:ADROccupancy RateGOPPAR

The process of resolving a guest complaint or service failure to restore satisfaction and potentially increase future loyalty.

Related:Guest SatisfactionMoment of TruthComplaint Management

A benchmarking report from STR that compares a hotel's performance metrics against its competitive set.

Related:Competitive SetRevPARMarket Share

Management practices that reduce environmental impact, support local communities, and maintain long-term economic viability.

Related:Green CertificationLEEDCorporate Social Responsibility

A pricing strategy that adjusts rates and restrictions based on demand forecasts to maximize revenue from fixed, perishable inventory.

Related:Revenue ManagementDynamic PricingDemand Forecasting
Hospitality Management Glossary - Key Terms & Definitions | PiqCue