Dictionary of Travel, Tourism and Hospitality Part 2

B bank guarantee A guarantee by a bank that it will pay in the event of default, so that no enquiries regarding the solvency of an individ-ual need be made. Bank Holidays Days on which banks in the UK are legally closed, also usually kept as public holidays. Bank Holidays in England, Wales, Northern Ireland and the Channel Islands are: New Year’s Day, Good Friday, Easter Monday, Early May Holiday (first Monday in May), Spring Holiday (late May/early June), Late Summer Holiday (last Monday in August), Christmas Day, Boxing Day. In Scotland the public holidays fall on the same days as in England, except that 2 January is substituted for Easter Monday and August Bank Holiday is taken on the first Monday instead of the Late Summer Holiday. In Northern Ireland 17 March (St Patrick’s Day), and in the Channel Islands 9 May (Liberation Day), are also public holidays. bank selling rate The rate of exchange at which a bank will sell a foreign currency or traveller’s cheques (traveler’s checks). See also bank buying rate. Bank Settlement Plan (BSP) A system of settlement of travel agency accounts with airlines based on uniform documentation for all airlines, in which payments are made through a bank and not directly to carriers. Under the system agents report airline sales and their bank accounts are debited with the amounts owed. bar code Universal Product Code (UPC), system of printed lines on a product, which gives a price when read by a computer. bareboat charter An arrangement whereby a yacht or another vessel is hired without a crew or supplies for a specified period. Evidence of competence is usually required by the charterer and seashore facilities are usually available to provide fuel and other supplies. This is a highly developed approach in princi-pal sailing areas, such as the Caribbean and is also common in Queensland, Australia; it is to be distinguished from crewed charter and provisioned charter. See also flotilla cruising. barge A wide flat-bottomed boat used mainly on rivers and in harbours. barometer An instrument for measuring atmospheric pressure, also used in estimating altitude and in weather forecasting. See also altimeter. Baroque Architectural style of the seven-teenth and early eighteenth centuries in Europe characterized by ornate decoration, complex spatial arrangement and grand vistas. The term is also applied to the painting of the period. barrage A structure built across a river to hold back water for such purposes as irrigation, storage and also for flood control, as, e.g., the Thames Barrier in London, which has become a major tourist/visitor attraction. Sometimes a distinction is drawn between a barrage and a dam, the latter but not the former being used for power generation. barrel A unit of capacity used in the brewing industry equal to 36 Imperial gallons. barrier island A low sandy ridge running parallel to a coastline, from which it is separated by a lagoon, so that it acts as a barrier between the lagoon and the open sea. Well-known examples are to be found along the eastern seaboard of the USA, north coast of continental Europe and the coast of east Africa. See also barrier reef. barrier reef A coral reef running parallel to a coastline, from which it is often separated by a lagoon, so that it acts as a barrier between the lagoon and the open sea. A well-known example is the Great Barrier Reef, extending for over 2000 kilometres (1200 miles) off the coast of Queensland, which is one of Australia’s chief tourist/visitor attractions. See also barrier island. barter Exchange of goods or services without the exchange of money, to be found in primi-tive communities, but see also black economy. base fare The fare excluding taxes and other surcharges. basing fares See basing point basing point A location to and from which air fares are established, and which is used in the absence of published fares for a given itinerary to construct through fares between 20 B the point of origin and the final destination. The component part fares are known as basing fares. Bathing Water Directive European Community Council Directive of 1975 laying down minimum or ‘mandatory’ and stricter ‘guideline’ water quality standards for beaches in member states. At the end of each bathing season member states have to present the results of weekly testing to the EC, which publishes the season’s results in an annual report Quality of Bathing Water, available from public libraries and European Documentation Centres. See also Blue Flag; Seaside Awards. Bay Express New Zealand rail service linking Wellington and Napier in the North Island. bazaar (a) An Oriental market place, usually consist-ing of a large number of shops or stalls, such as the Istanbul bazaar, one of the city’s major tourist/visitor attractions. (b) A fair for the sale of articles, commonly with a charitable objective, attended mainly by residents of a locality, but sometimes also by visitors. beach An area of sand or shingle on the shore of a lake or of the sea; when the latter, primar-ily between low and high water mark, but often extending above highwater and backed by cliffs, dunes and vegetated land. On a rocky coastline, in bays between headlands, beaches are characteristically arcuate in shape and less than a mile in length, but on soft coasts they can be much longer and straighter, e.g., Ninety Mile Beach in New Zealand. Beaches are a major tourist/visitor attraction, both in their own right and for water-based activities. While beaches are, within the tidal range, to a large extent self-cleansing, they, and the offshore waters in densely settled areas, have been greatly affected by pollution, by litter deposited by users, by refuse dumped offshore, by urban sewage, and by oil spills; the European Union is attempting to promote clean beaches by a system of evaluation and the award of Blue Flags for those that achieve the required standard. beam A nautical term denoting the breadth of a ship at its widest point. Beaufort scale A numerical scale of wind force, ranging from 0 (calm) to 12 (hurricane, above 120 km per hour). bed and board See American Plan (AP) bed and breakfast (a) An establishment providing sleeping accommodation with breakfast, usually operated by private households and partic-ularly common in the British Isles. Often referred to as a ‘B & B’. (b) Accommodation tariff which includes sleep-ing accommodation and Continental or English breakfast, offered by private house-holds as well as commercial establishments. See also Bermuda Plan (BP); Continental Plan (CP); European Plan (EP). bed tax Tax levied by central or local govern-ment or another agency on staying visitors collected at the place of stay, as a means of raising revenue; sometimes the proceeds are applied to tourism purposes. May be also called hotel, or room tax. See also resort tax; tourist tax. bed types/descriptions See berth queen (size) bunk rollaway bed double single double double sofa bed Hollywood studio bed king (size) twin Murphy ‘Z’ bed beehive-style hotel A Japanese-style sound-proof, airconditioned cubicle with bed, table, television, telephone and small bathroom. bell boy American term for page boy in a hotel. bell captain American term for hotel head porter. See also concierge. bell hop American term for hotel porter, also called bellman. bellman See bell hop below-the-line advertising Term often used to describe any form of advertising and promotional activity other than in the commis-sion-paying media, and including, e.g., direct 21 B mail and merchandising. See also above-the-line advertising. beltway An American road round a town or city providing an alternative route for through traffic, called bypass in the UK. Ben Gaelic term for mountain peak in Scotland and Ireland, e.g., Ben Nevis (the highest mountain in the British Isles). benchmark Something that serves as the standard by which similar items can be compared or measured. Hence benchmarking in business involves comparing the performance of different businesses and identifying the best practice, with a view to improving the perfor-mance of one’s own organization. See also competitor analysis. Benelux Group of countries consisting of Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg, which in 1948 set up a customs union, abolish-ing internal tariffs, reducing import quotas and adopting a common external tariff. This, together with a free movement of labour and capital within the union, preceded the three countries’ joining the European Economic Community (EEC) in 1958, to be followed by increasing integration of their fiscal and monetary systems. With a combined popula-tion of more than 26 million (2000) and a high standard of living, the Benelux countries are significant generators of international travel/tourism. See also Low Countries. Benelux Tourrail Pass Unlimited travel first or second class rail ticket for any five days in a month within Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg available from railway stations in those countries or agents elsewhere. See also rail passes. Bermuda Agreement A bilateral air services agreement made in 1946 between the United Kingdom and the USA regarding air services between the two countries (renegoti-ated as Bermuda 2 in 1977), which established a model for other similar bilateral agreements, hence described as Bermuda-type agreements. See also Chicago Convention; freedoms of the air; traffic rights. Bermuda Plan (BP) Hotel tariff which includes room and English breakfast. See also Continental Plan (CP); European Plan (EP). Bermuda triangle A triangular area south of Bermuda known for unexplained disappear-ances of ships and aircraft. Berne Convention An international agree-ment made in 1961 and amended in 1966 for the regulation of transport by rail in Europe. berth (a) Place where a boat or ship may lie when at anchor, at a wharf or in a marina. (b) A sleeping place on a ship or train, often folding and attached to a wall. best available Term used in reservation requests and/or confirmations to seek and/or promise the best room available in the hotel, for the required period, normally implying an undertaking on the part of the guest to pay the appropriate price. Best Practice Forum (BPF) British Government-backed initiative launched in September 2001 by six leading trade associa-tions in the tourism, hospitality and leisure sectors to set best practice standards. See also Excellence Through People (ETP); Hospitality Assured (HA); Investors in People (IIP). beverage cycle The sequence of stages in the beverage operation of a hotel or restaurant, usually seen for control purposes as compris-ing purchasing, receiving, storing and issuing, preparing, selling. biannual Half-yearly, twice a year, e.g., a biannual meeting. See also biennial. biennial Every two years, e.g., a biennial festival. See also biannual. Big Apple A term used for New York. Big Orange A term used for the state of California, adapted from New York’s Big Apple. bilateral Concerning relationship between two sides or parties as, for example, in bilateral agreements between countries, in which two countries agree reciprocal privileges not extended to others. Aspects of travel and tourism covered by bilateral agreements include, i.a., passport and visa requirements and scheduled air services between countries. 22 B However, compared with international trade in goods, there is less regulation of international travel and tourism; much that exists is multi-lateral rather than bilateral. bilharziasis Also known as schistosomiasis, a parasitic disease caused by a worm which penetrates the skin and can cause damage to the intestines, the liver and the urinary tract. The risk is present in many tropical and sub-tropical areas, especially in waterways in Africa. There is no vaccine but the disease can be treated. The main precaution is avoiding bathing and water/sports in streams, rivers and lakes in affected areas. bilingual Fluent in two languages. bill of exchange ‘An unconditional order in writing addressed by one person to another, signed by the person giving it, requiring the person to whom it is addressed to pay on demand, or at a fixed or determinable future time, a sum certain in money, to or to the order of a specified person or to bearer’ (Bills of Exchange Act 1882). The bill becomes valid once the recipient has ‘accepted’ it and like a cheque (check) it can be endorsed to bearer or to a named person. It is mainly used in inter-national transactions but is of declining impor-tance. See also bank(er’s) draft; letter of credit. bill of fare Literally list of dishes served in a restaurant, synonymous with menu. billabong An Australian term for a branch of a river that flows away from the main stream and comes to a dead end. billion In Europe, one million million; in the USA, one thousand million. American usage is now common worldwide. biometrics A process that identifies people by their physical characteristics. The best-known forms are finger-printing, retina scans, hand geometry, voice recognition and digitized photography. See automated immigration lane and INSPASS for the application of biometrics in travel and tourism. Biosphere Reserves Conservation areas of land and coast with significant ‘biomass’ (i.e., important wildlife species) designated by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). See countryside conservation designation schemes for other schemes. Birr (EB) Unit of currency of Ethiopia. bistro A small informal restaurant serving light meals and refreshments. See also bodega; brasserie. black box See flight recorder black economy Economic activities not declared to the authorities for taxation purposes and hence not included in national accounts and other official statistics. Also described as hidden, informal or parallel economy. Guesstimates of the size of the black economy in the UK have ranged from 2 or 3 to 15 per cent of the gross domestic product (GDP). Much of it appears to be undertaken on a cash or barter basis and to be particularly significant among small businesses and the self-employed, both promi-nent in tourism and hospitality activities. See also black market; ghosting; moonlighting. black market Illegal transactions in scarce commodities, officially controlled goods or currencies. When currencies are to a significant extent bought and sold in the black market in the course of international travel/tourism, it is difficult to arrive at reliable estimates of inter-national tourism receipts and expenditures; this is particularly the case when the estimates are based on such indirect methods as bank reporting rather than visitor surveys. See also black economy. black tie Term used in invitations to social occasions to indicate that formal dress is to be worn. Black tie optional denotes that formal dress is preferred but a dark suit is also accept-able. See also business attire; casual attire. block spacing An allocation by one airline to another of a number of seats on some of its flights, which the airline sells to the travelling public through its own marketing and distrib-ution system. A block spacing agreement is used when the allocating airline has spare capacity and the airline to whom the seats are allocated is for some reason unable to serve an airport. For example, under an agreement between Delta Airlines and Virgin Atlantic in mid 1990s, Delta bought between 50 and 100 23 B seats on every Virgin flight between London and a number of US cities, thereby gaining access indirectly to London Heathrow, as well as boosting Virgin’s load factor. Among European airlines the approach is particularly favoured by Finnair, Swiss, SAS, CSA and LOT Polish Airlines. Blue Flag Originally a pan-European award for beaches and marinas meeting the stricter ‘guideline’ water quality standards and environmental management of the EC Bathing Water Directive and offering good on-shore facilities, now extending also outside Europe. A list of European Blue Flag beaches is avail-able from the Foundation for Environmental Education [www.fee-international.org]. See also Seaside Awards. Blue Riband of the Atlantic Common term for the Hales Trophy awarded to a passenger vessel holding the speed record for crossing the Atlantic. The current holder is the UK Hoverspeed catamaran Great Britain, which succeeded SS United States in 1990. Blue Train Luxury train service linking Pretoria, Johannesburg and Cape Town, a major tourist attraction in South Africa. blue-collar An American term used to describe manual workers, especially skilled manual workers, nowadays also widely used elsewhere. See also class; socio-economic group; white-collar. board (a) To go on to a ship, train, aircraft or another vehicle. (b) Meals provided to a guest or lodger. See bed and board. boarding house Establishment common in the British Isles and other English-speaking countries, providing accommodation and meals to residents. Generally a small owner-managed establishment, which often has the character of an extended household, the board-ing house has declined in popularity and is now a minority provider of holiday (vacation) accommodation. See also bed and breakfast; guest house; pension. boarding pass A card given to airline passen-gers on completion of check-in procedures prior to boarding an aircraft, showing the passenger’s name, flight number, section of aircraft and seat number. The analogous pass used in ships is called an embarkation card. boat and breakfast Overnight accommoda-tion on a boat with full American breakfast included in the price. boatel See botel bodega A Spanish term for a wineshop, wine bar or cellar, also in use elsewhere. See also bistro; brasserie. Bolivar (B) Unit of currency of Venezuela. Boliviano (B) Unit of currency of Bolivia. Bonded Coach Holidays Bonding scheme operated by the UK Confederation of Passenger Transport (CPT) for coach holiday (vacation) operators who subscribe to it on a voluntary basis. The scheme covers coaching holidays in the UK and on the Continent of Europe. Around 100 coach holiday operators belong to it (2000). See bonding schemes (UK) for other schemes. bonding Purchase of a guarantee of financial protection for a premium from a bonding or insurance company. Often employees handling cash require to be bonded as a condition of employment. Bonding is also a requirement for retail travel agents and tour operators in the UK and USA, as well as a number of other countries, to protect principals and/or consumers against default and/or failure. For bonding schemes in operation in the UK see bonding schemes (UK). bonding schemes (UK) See ABTA Bonding Scheme ABTOT Bonding Scheme AITO Trust Bonding Scheme ATOL Bonding Scheme Bonded Coach Holidays FTO Bonding Scheme IATA Bonding Scheme PSA Bonding Scheme boom A major increase in activity as, e.g., economic boom or baby boom. In the economic boom, demand, prices and wages rise, while unemployment falls. 24 ... - tailieumienphi.vn