Hotel Management Glossary
There are currently 39 Glossary Items in this directory beginning with the letter I.
Ideal Average Rate
A rooms statistics which indicates the point at which rooms are sold at the best rate for the type of guests accommodated by a property.
Impact Study
An in-depth evaluation of the effect on occupancy percent and ADR that a new hotel in a given market will have on an existing hotel(s) in that same market.
In Balance
A term used to describe the state when the totals of debit amounts and credit amounts for a set of accounts are equal.
In-Room Beverage Service System
A system which dispenses beverages within a guestroom, monitors sales transactions, and determines inventory replenishments quantities. Two popular systems are non-automated honor bars and microprocessor-based vending machines.
In-Room Folio Review and Check-Out
A system which allows guests to use in-room computers to access guest folio data and approve and settle their accounts.
In-Room Movie System
A system which provides guestroom entertainment through a dedicated television pay channel. Automatic posting of charges to the appropriate guest folio may be possible.
Incandescent Lamp
A lamp in which a filament inside the lamp's bulb is heated by electrical current to produce light.
Incentive Rate
A special room rate for guests in affiliated travel and tourism organizations because of the potential referral business they can generate for the hotel.
Incident Report
A document prepared to record the details of an accident, injury, or disturbance, and the hotel's response to it.
Income
This is net earnings after all expenses for an accounting period are subtracted from all revenues recognized during that period.
Induction
The process of informing new employees about matters related to the department in which they will work.
Information Book
A collection of information kept at the front desk for front desk agents to use in responding to guests requests, including simplified maps of the area, taxi and airline company telephone numbers, bank, theatre, church, and store locations, and special event schedules.
Information Rack
An alphabetical index of registered guests used in routing, telephone calls, mail, messages, and visitor inquiries. The information rack normally consists of aluminum slots designed to hold information rack slips.
Innovation
A new idea, a recombination of old ideas, or a unique approach that is perceived as new by the individuals involved; innovation is the combination of both invention and commercialization.
Input/output Unit
A piece of computer hardware which allows a user to interact with the computer system. Input/output units include keyboards, display screens, and printers.
Inspector (Inspectress)
The individual(s) responsible for physically checking the room status of guest rooms, as well as other tasks as assigned by the executive housekeeper. See also as floor attendant, or floor-supervisor.
Institutional Food Service Operation (Noncommercial)
Those food services provided by health care, educational, military, religious, and numerous other organizations whose primary reason for existence is not to generate a profit from the sale of food/beverage products but rather is to support another organizational purpose.
Intangible Benefit
Lacking material qualities, not able to be touched or seen, but nonetheless perceived.
Intangible Resources
Organizational assets that are difficult to quantify, such as knowledge, skills, abilities, stakeholder relationships, and reputations.
Interface Applications
Stand-alone computer software packages which may be linked to a front office management system, including point-of-sale systems, call accounting systems, and electronic locking systems.
Interfaced
The term used to describe the process in which one data generating system shares its data electronically with another system.
Intermediary
An entity that acts as a communication or service link between buyers and sellers that are unable or unwilling to deal directly.
Internal Audit
An independent verification of financial records performed by members of the organization operating the hotel.
Internal Control
The policies, procedures, and equipment used in a business to safeguard its assets and promote operational efficiency.
Internal Recruiting
Tactics to identify and attract currently employed staff members for job vacancies that represent promotions or lateral transfers to similar positions.
Internet Distribution System
The group of online reservation systems and travel portals that utilize the Internet to connect travel-related businesses such as hotels with those individuals and companies seeking to buy from them. (IDS)
Intersell Agency
A central reservation system that handles reservations for more than one product line, such as airline companies, car rental companies, and hotel properties.
Interstate Commerce
The commercial trading or transportation of people or property that occurs between and/or among states.