Glossary
These are the definitions TCT has established for our platform. We recognize the variety of terms used across the industry and there is no wrong definition but we want to clearly convey how we define each term.
Adult Groups
A group usually consists of mostly adults aged 18 or older, with a minimum size of 10 to 20 people, depending on the supplier or travel company. Itineraries typically include prepaid transport, accommodation, sightseeing, and some meals.
Buyer
Person who works for a Travel Company and who has influence over which suppliers are selected
Destination
The destination is the country to which the traveller travels. Sub categories are regions, cities or other named areas.
Free trial
- A free trial lasts 14 days.
- A user can do a free trial once. – The free trial gives the user access to all source markets.
- When a free trial user performs a search they will see the number of travel companies that are included in the result of their search but they will only see the names and some details of 5 Travel Companies for each search that they perform.
- The following filters are not available to users on a free trial: offers my organisation, offers my organisation’s location(s).
- Users on a free trial cannot : see the following Travel Company details: contact details, buyer notes / perform a Travel Company name search / save their searches.
- When a free trial ends, the user can still access the platform but they cannot perform any searches.
Individual Travellers
Can be solo travellers, families, or small groups of friends. Travellers travelling in a group of under 10 people. In same cases, organisations will categorise groups of under 20 people as individual travellers.
Location
Location is the place (town or city) where your organisation operates.
School Groups/Educational Groups
Groups of school children or students.
Source market
Group of countries. A Travel Company is included in a source market when their office is located in one of the countries of that source market.
Special interests
Refers to travel experiences offered by Travel Companies designed to cater to the specific preferences, hobbies, or lifestyle of particular travellers. The Travel Companies focus on providing activities, destinations, and amenities that align with these special interests. Include but not limited to: accessible/disabled friendly, art, beach, camping/caravaning, countryside, cities, sea cruise, cultural events (theatre, opera, concerts), cycling, family, golf, LGBTQ+, luxury, motor/car/rallye, rail, religious/pilgrimage, remote (off the beaten track/adventure), river cruise, school/educational group travel, ski, solo travel, sporting events, walking/hiking, wine, youth travel (18-35). In the platform you will see that Travel Companies have up to 3 special interests. Travel Companies with more than 3 special interests are classified as having a “”Wide Range of Interests””.
Tour Operator
A company that arranges multi-day tours and/or single/multiple-based holidays. A company that packages hotels with excursions (sightseeing, tourist attractions) with or without transport. A company that packages travel products, and markets these travel products through travel agents or to the general public.
Travel agency/Travel agent/RetailerTravel agency/Travel agent/Retailer
A company that re-sells holidays that are packaged by Tour Operators, or that sells individual holiday components, for example flights, hotels, cruise.
Travel Company
A TCT Travel Company is a business that combines multiple components of a leisure holiday into a single package for sale to consumers or other businesses. The company must package at least transport and accommodation. Companies that only offer one element are not included in TCT. Companies that are not included on TCT:
- Transport providers (e.g., airlines, railway companies)
- Accommodation providers (e.g., hotels, hotel distributors like Booking.com, short-term rental specialists like Airbnb)
- Tour and activity distributors (e.g., GetYourGuide, Viator, Civitatis, TUI Musement)
- Sightseeing tour companies.
Additionally, the following are not included: companies that only sell packages curated by third-party providers, companies whose websites require a login and password for access, and companies that cater only to business travellers.
Travel type
The categorisation of travelers based on the nature and purpose of their travel: Adult Groups, School/Eductional Groups and Individual Travellers. In some cases travel companies can offer more than one category, but the TCT platform provides the main catogory for each travel company.
