V, v
vacancy. An empty room at a hotel or motel. By extension, any available space.
vacation hangover. The letdown or exhaustion that follows a holiday trip.
vaccination. An inoculation given to produce immunity to a disease.
valet. 1. n. A personal servant. 2. adj. Describing services such as those provided by a personal servant, as in valet parking.
validation. 1. Approval or issuance, as of travel documents. 2. The marking of a document to indicate validity or payment.
validator. A machine used to imprint tickets or other documents.
validity dates. The inclusive dates for which a fare or other offer is valid.
valise. A small piece of luggage.
value added tax. A form of taxation in which taxes are added cumulatively as a product changes hands. A common tax in Europe, which, upon application, can often be refunded to foreign visitors after their visit.
value-based pricing. The practice of charging different amounts for the same or a similar product, depending on how each customer views the value of that product.
value season. 1. Shoulder season (qv). 2. Low season (qv). 3. Any period during which lower fares or rates are offered.
van. Any of a number of forms of motorized transportation larger than a car but smaller than a bus.
VAT. Abr. Value added tax (qv).
VDT. Abr. Video display terminal.
vector. The direction of motion, as of an airplane, often expressed in degrees of the compass.
veldt. The savannas of southern Africa.
velocity. Speed.
velodrome. A stadium designed for bicycle racing.
vending. In a hotel, an area containing vending machines.
vendor. In the travel industry, any supplier of travel products or services.
venture capital. Financial capital provided to fund the creation or expansion of a business, especially a highly speculative business with a high potential payback.
veranda, verandah. A roofed porch.
verboten. Ger. Forbidden.
verification. The process of authenticating or confirming, as of a reservation.
vertigo. A dizzy sensation brought on by an inner-ear condition or a fear of heights.
vessel. A generic term for any boat or ship.
VFR. CRS. Visiting friends and relatives.
VGML. CRS. Vegetarian meal.
via. Lat. By way of.
VIA Rail. Also, VIA Rail Canada, the Canadian railway system.
VICE. CRS. Instead of. (From the Latin.)
Victorian. Characteristic of the Victorian era or the late 1800s, used to describe architecture and interior decor.
videoconference. A meeting in which some or all of the participants are in different locations, linked by video transmitted by satellite.
villa. It. A country-home. Sometimes used in the hotel industry to describe a small, separate suite or cottage.
vintage. The year in which a wine was bottled.
VIP. CRS. Very important person.
virus. In computers, a malicious and destructive program designed to be passed unwittingly from machine to machine via floppy disks, downloading, or other means.
visa. A document or, more frequently, a stamp in a passport authorizing the bearer to visit a country for specific purposes and for a specific length of time.
visa expediter. A person or company charging a fee to procure visas an other travel documents.
visa support. 1. Any documentation, such as a letter of invitation from an approved organization or a receipt for confirmed bookings, required by a foreign government before a visa will be issued. 2. The act of providing such documentation.
vis-à-vis. Fr. Literally, "face to face." 1. In regard to. 2. Compared with.
visitor's visa. A tourist visa.
vistadome. A car on a train featuring a glassed-in, domed ceiling, offering a view of the passing countryside.
VLA. CRS. Villa.
volume incentive. An extra commission or other inducement offered by a supplier to a travel agency to increase sales.
voucher. 1. A coupon or other document, either prepaid or given free, entitling the bearer to certain goods, services, or discounts upon presentation. 2. An exchange order (qv).
V-shape setup. See chevron setup.
VUSA. CRS. Visit USA fare.