The Essential Dictionary for Vacation Rental Hosts

A handy vocabulary for short-term lets to learn the most common terms in the tourism sector.

Sun 28 Mar ±3|

April 2026

The short-term lets sector is full of technical terms that are really important for every host to get to grips with. Here’s a handy glossary for holiday rentals, packed with the most common short-term let terms used today.

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Holiday Rentals: The Complete Short-Term Lets Dictionary

Short-term lets: rentals that last a maximum of 30 days.
Airbnb: one of the most popular short-term let platforms.
Tourist accommodation: non-hotel properties that can host travelers for short periods.
High season: the period when accommodation properties receive the most bookings.
Listing: the description and availability of a holiday rental.
API: interface that allows data exchange between channel managers and OTAs.
Insurance: a policy that protects the host and guests in case of damage or injury.
Low season: the period least requested by guests.
Bed and Breakfast: a property that offers overnight stay and breakfast.
Blacklist: the list of undesirable guests within one’s property.
Booking.com: a well-known holiday rental portal.
Booking Engine: booking software that can be integrated into your own holiday rental website.
Branding: the set of elements that make a holiday rental recognisable, from its name to its logo.
Calendar: one of the essential tools for receiving bookings and managing them correctly.
Flexible cancellation: a policy that does not apply penalties to the guest in case of booking cancellation.
Cedolare secca (Flat-rate tax): a system (Italian) that involves paying 21% tax on the first rented property in terms of taxes applicable to short-term lets.
Channel manager: advanced paid software that automatically manages the calendars of various platforms.
Check-in: the time from which it’s possible to access the property.
Check-out: the time by which you must leave the apartment.
Cleaning fee: the fee applied by hosts to cover cleaning costs.
CIN: Codice Identificativo Nazionale (National Identification Code – Italian), essential for entering the tourist rental sector and for renting a holiday apartment through OTAs.
CIR: Codice Identificativo Regionale (Regional Identification Code – Italian), assigned to identify accommodation properties.
Customer Service: the assistance provided to guests during their stay.
Dashboard: the control panel provided by OTAs for managing the holiday rental.
Security deposit: a sum held by the host as a guarantee against potential damages.
Digital Key: automated system for accessing the accommodation property.
Disintermediation: a strategy for renting out the home without the involvement of agencies.
Double Booking: the circumstance in which two bookings are received on the same date for the same apartment.

Person reading a guide to learn vacation rental terminology

Early Check-in: a service that allows early access to the property.
Email: a tool used by hosts to communicate with guests.
Local experiences: guided tours, excursions, and trips offered by hosts to guests.
Fire extinguisher: a mandatory safety device to install.
Extranet: a management panel offered by OTAs to hosts.
Extra Guest Fee: an additional charge applied for each guest exceeding the base number.
FAQ: the set of most common questions and answers.
Follow-up: communication from the host to obtain positive reviews and customer loyalty after the stay.
Photographs: an essential tool for advertising a holiday accommodation on your own website, on social media, and on OTAs.
Genius: a Booking.com programme that allows guests to benefit from discounts.
Guest: the person who books a holiday rental.
Guest communication: the overall communication between host and guest.
Guest experience: the feelings experienced by the guest during their stay.
Housekeeping: the professional cleaning service for accommodations.
Holidu: a platform for placing adverts and booking holiday apartments.
Host: the person who manages the holiday rental.
iCal: standard tool used for managing calendars across multiple platforms.
ID verification: the identification carried out by the host upon guests’ arrival.
Welcome Kit: a small gift prepared by the host for guests.
Late cancellation: cancellation made outside the time limit, subject to a penalty charged to the guest.
Late Check-in: an optional service to postpone entry into the property.
Lead time: the days between the booking and the check-in date.
Listing: the advert for the holiday rental published on a holiday rental portal.
Lockbox: a secure box where keys are placed for autonomous access to the holiday rental.
Loyalty Program: a loyalty scheme introduced to encourage guests to book again.
House Manual: a digital or paper guide containing useful numbers and instructions to improve the guest’s experience.
Minimum Stay: the minimum number of days required for the booking.
Multilingual: translation of the advert into multiple languages.
Net Revenue: the host’s net earnings considering commissions and taxes.
No show: the circumstance in which the guest does not appear without cancelling the booking.
Occupancy cap: the maximum number of guests accepted in the property.
OTA: online travel agencies that connect hosts and guests.
Overbooking: the situation where the host receives more bookings than they can manage.
Overnight Stay: an overnight stay.
Pet Friendly: a property that accepts pets.
Photobook: a photo album in which the holiday rental is shown in detail.
Maintenance plan: the schedule of interventions to be carried out periodically to keep the property efficient.
PMS: property management software for managing holiday rentals.
Instant booking: the automatic acceptance by the host in case of a booking.
Base price: the minimum rate to start from for setting dynamic prices.
Dynamic prices: the automatic price management carried out by OTAs based on an algorithm.
Property manager: a host who manages a holiday rental owned by someone else.
QR Code Check-in: a system that allows sending and receiving information via a code.
Quality standards: the minimum quality requirements reserved for guests.
Rate plan: a strategy for diversifying prices and cancellation policies.
Review: the judgment on the experience had by the host and the guest.
Revenue management: the optimisation of revenues based on data analysis.
CO2 detector: a mandatory device for detecting the presence of carbon dioxide.
Guest registration form (Schedina alloggiati): the communication of guests’ details to the police by the host (Italian requirement).
Self Check-in: a system for autonomous access to the property.
Cleaning kit: household hygiene products made available to the guest.
Smart lock: an intelligent lock that allows opening the holiday rental door via a code.
Social Media: an excellent resource for advertising a holiday accommodation for free.
Seasonality: variation in tourist demand depending on the period.
Stay restrictions: restrictions applied by the host on bookings.
Superhost: a status awarded by Airbnb to recognise the most deserving hosts.
Non-refundable rate: a booking that does not provide refunds in case of cancellation.
Tourist tax: a local tax applied for each guest and per night of stay.
Conversion rate: the ratio between views and bookings.
Occupancy rate: the percentage of nights the property is booked.
Cancellation terms: the rules that establish the guest’s right to cancel the booking.
Tourist card: a card that offers travelers the possibility to access discounts.
Turnover: the interval between a check-out and a check-in.
Upselling: a technique where the host sells additional packages.
Virtual Tour: a 360° virtual view of the holiday rental.
Vrbo: a platform for renting out a holiday apartment.
WiFi: wireless internet access.
Red zone: an area subject to restrictions for travelers.
Tourist area: an area of tourist interest, which often includes specific regulations for hosts.