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Hotel Revenue Management Glossary

Hotel technology can be hard to navigate. This glossary explains common tools, pricing terms and revenue measures in plain language. Use it to understand the concepts behind your daily decisions.

New to revenue management? Start with occupancy and pricing terms. If you already work in the field, use the glossary as a quick reference.

A – B

ADR (Average Daily Rate)

The average daily room revenue: Shows the average revenue per occupied room.

Formula:

ADR = Room Revenue / Number of Rooms Sold

ALOS (Average Length of Stay)

The average number of nights a guest stays.

Formula:

ALOS = Number of Guest Nights / Number of Bookings

Ancillary Revenue

Revenue generated from non-room sources (e.g., dining, parking, spa services).

Automation

The use of technology to perform tasks or processes with minimal human intervention.

Available Rooms

The total number of rooms available during a given period.

Average Rate Index (ARI)

Compares ADR performance to competitors.

Formula:

ARI = ADR (own) / ADR (competitors)

Best Available Rate (BAR)

The most favorable publicly available room rate defined by the hotel.

C – D

Cancellation Rate

The proportion of bookings that were canceled by guests.

Formula:

(Number of Canceled Bookings / Total Bookings) × 100

Central Reservation System (CRS)

A system that enables hotels to manage and distribute their room inventory across various sales channels.

Channel Management

The effective management of sales channels (e.g., OTAs, direct bookings).

Channel Manager

Software that synchronizes room inventory and prices across different sales channels, such as OTAs and hotel websites.

Competitive Set (Comp Set)

A group of hotels considered direct competitors.

Cost Per Acquisition (CPA)

The average cost of acquiring a booking (e.g., marketing expenses).

Formula:

CPA = Total Cost / Number of Bookings

Data Analysis

The process of analyzing large data sets to uncover patterns and relationships.

Data Synchronization

Ensures data consistency and updates across different systems or platforms.

Demand Forecast

Predicting future demand for hotel rooms based on historical data, market trends, and other factors.

Dynamic Pricing

Real-time price adjustments based on demand and supply.

E – F

Early Bird Discount

A discount offered to guests who book their stay well in advance of their arrival date.

EBITDA (Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation, and Amortization)

Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization.

Fenced Rates

Pricing strategies that come with conditions or restrictions (e.g., advance purchase discounts).

Forecast Accuracy

The degree to which demand forecasts match actual results, typically measured as a percentage.

Forecasting

Predicting future demand and revenue based on historical data.

Free Sale

An agreement that allows a distribution channel to sell rooms without needing real-time inventory confirmation.

G – H

GOP (Gross Operating Profit)

Revenue after deducting operating expenses.

GOPPAR (Gross Operating Profit Per Available Room)

A performance metric that measures gross operating profit per available room.

Formula:

GOPPAR = Gross Operating Profit / Available Rooms

Group Booking

A reservation for multiple rooms, typically 10 or more, often with special rates and terms.

House Count

The total number of rooms occupied in a hotel on a specific night, including all guest types.

Hurdle Rate

The minimum price that a hotel will accept for a given period.

I – J

Incremental Revenue

Additional revenue generated beyond core operations (e.g., premium services).

Integration

The process of connecting different systems, software, or components to work seamlessly together and communicate with each other.

Inventory Management

The process of controlling and optimizing room availability across all distribution channels.

Jump Rate

The significant increase in room rates when demand approaches full occupancy.

K – L

Key Performance Indicator (KPI)

Measurable metrics used to evaluate the success of revenue management strategies (e.g., ADR, RevPAR, occupancy).

Last Room Availability

A distribution agreement ensuring that the last available room can be sold at the agreed rate.

Length of Stay Controls

Restrictions on minimum or maximum stay requirements to optimize revenue and occupancy patterns.

M – N

Market Penetration Index (MPI)

Compares a hotel's occupancy performance to its competitive set.

Formula:

MPI = Hotel Occupancy / Comp Set Occupancy

Minimum Stay Restriction

A requirement that guests book for a minimum number of nights, often used during high-demand periods.

No Show

A guest who has a confirmed reservation but fails to check in without prior notice.

O – P

Occupancy Rate

The percentage of available rooms that are occupied during a specific period.

Formula:

Occupancy = (Rooms Sold / Available Rooms) × 100

Online Travel Agent (OTA)

Digital platforms that allow travelers to book hotel rooms online (e.g., Booking.com, Expedia).

Overbooking

Accepting more reservations than available rooms to compensate for expected no-shows and cancellations.

Pace Report

A comparison of current booking levels versus historical data or budget targets.

Rate Parity

Maintaining consistent room rates across all distribution channels to ensure fairness and compliance.

Pick Up

The rate at which bookings are being made for future dates, often tracked daily or weekly.

Q – R

Qualified Rates

Special rates that are offered to specific groups (e.g., corporate partners, loyalty members).

Return on Investment (ROI)

A measure of the profitability or value of an investment relative to its cost.

Revenue Management

The strategic process of optimizing pricing and inventory to maximize revenue and profit.

Revenue Management System (RMS)

Software that helps hotels set prices, forecast demand and manage room inventory. RoomRaiser is a revenue management system.

RevPAR (Revenue Per Available Room)

A key performance metric in the hotel industry that divides total room revenue by the number of available rooms.

Formula:

RevPAR = ADR × Occupancy

RoomRaiser RMS

RoomRaiser helps accommodation providers automate dynamic pricing. It uses market data, competitor rates, occupancy and other factors to calculate room prices. The aim is to grow revenue and reduce manual pricing work. Its system integrations can update rates across sales channels automatically.

S – T

Sell-Through Rate

The percentage of total capacity sold for a given period.

Shoulder Period

The period before or after the peak season.

Shoulder Season

The period between peak and low seasons, typically with moderate demand and pricing.

Stay Restrictions

Rules governing minimum or maximum length of stay, arrival/departure days, or advance booking requirements.

TRevPAR (Total Revenue Per Available Room)

A comprehensive metric that includes all hotel revenue sources, not just rooms.

Formula:

TRevPAR = Total Hotel Revenue / Available Rooms

Turnaway

Potential guests who could not be accommodated due to lack of availability.

U – Z

Upselling

The practice of selling a superior, more expensive version of a product (e.g., room upgrade) to increase revenue.

Walk-in

A guest who arrives at the hotel without a prior reservation and requests accommodation.

Wash Factor

The expected cancellation percentage for group bookings.

Yield Management

The practice of maximizing revenue through strategic pricing and inventory control, often used interchangeably with revenue management.