There are so many abbreviations and acronyms in the tourism industry that sometimes it sounds as if we're speaking a foreign language!  So, to help us all out, we've compiled a list! If there are some that we've missed, please e-mail them to Mary Ann Bell.

A  B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X W Y Z

Alphabetical by acronym or abbreviation

A

AAA - American Automobile Association
ABA - American Bus Association
ACME - Association of Convention Marketing Executives
ADR - Average Daily Rate
AGM - Annual General Meeting
AHMA - American Hotel & Motel Association
AMA - American Marketing Association
ASAE - American Society of Association Executives
ASTA - American Society of Travel Agents
ATBC - Aboriginal Tourism British Columbia
ATTC - Aboriginal Tourism Team Canada

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B

B&B - Bed & Breakfast
BBB - Better Business Bureau
BC - British Columbia
BCAA - British Columbia Automobile Association
BCHA - British Columbia Hotel Association
BCLCA - British Columbia Lodging & Campgrounds Association
BCMA - British Columbia Museum Association (now the Britannia Mine Museum)
BCMM - British Columbia Museum of Mining
BCTA - BC Trucking Association
BCTR - British Columbia Tourism Regions
BCYHA - BC & Yukon Hotel Association
BDC - Business Development Bank of Canada
BIC - Business Information Centre

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C

CAS - Call Accounting System
CBBH - Canada Bed & Breakfast Hosts (an online group at www.canadabbhosts.com)
CCA - Coast Cultural Alliance
CCCTA - Cariboo Chilcotin Coast Tourism Association
CDMO - Community Destination Marketing Organization
CHC - Choice Hotels Canada
CIC - Citizenship and Immigration Canada
CITAP - Canadian Inbound Tourism Asia Pacific
CMM - Canada Media Marketplace
COTA - Council of Tourism Associations (see also TIABC)
CRS - Central Reservation Service
CSAE - Canadian Society of Association Executives
CTA - Canadian Tourism Alliance
CTA - Close to Arrival
CTC - Canadian Tourism Commission
CVA - Convention and Visitors Association
CVB - Convention & Visitor's Bureau
CWM - Canada’s West Marketplace

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D

DMC - Destination Management Company
DMO - Destination Marketing Organization
DOS - Director of Sales

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F

FAM - Familiarization Tour
FIT - Free and Independent (of group) Traveler
FIT - Foreign Independent Traveler

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G

GDS - Global Distribution Service
GLAMER - Group Leaders of America
GLBA - Gibsons Landing Business Association
GLHA - Gibsons Landing Harbour Authority
GS - Guest Services
GSA - Guest Service Agent
GSM - Guest Service Manager
GST - Goods and Services Tax
GVRD - Greater Vancouver Regional District

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H

HAS - Hotel Association of Canada
HIEAC - Hospitality Industry Education Advisory Committee
HSMAI - Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International

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I

IAAMC - International Association of Association Management Companies
IACVB - International Association of Convention and Visitor Bureaus
IAEM - International Association of Exposition Managers
IAMC - Institute of Association Management Companies
ICET - Island Coastal Economic Trust
IFEA - International Festivals and Events Association
IMN - International Motorcoach Network
IOC - International Olympic Committee
ITB - International Tourism Bourse

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K

KRT - Kootenay Rockies Tourism

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M

MFC - Mighty Fraser Country
M & IT - Meetings & Incentive Travel
MJTI - Ministry of Jobs, Tourism & Innovation
MLOS - Minimum Length of Stay
MPI - Meeting Professionals International

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N

NACS - National Association of Consumer Shows
NAEM - National Association of Exposition Managers
N/S - No Shows
NTA - National Tour Association

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O

OCC - Occupancy
OFFMKT - Off Market
OMCA - Ontario Motorcoach Association

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P

PADI - Professional Association of Dive Instructors
PCMA - Professional Convention Management Association
PDMO - Provincial Destination Marketing Organization
PRPAWS - Powell River Parks and Wilderness Society

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Q

QA - Quality Assurance

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R

RDMO - Regional Destination Marketing Organization
RFP - Request for Proposal
REV PAR - Revenue Per Available Room
RRW - Resort Reservations World-wide
RVC - Rendezvous Canada
RVDA - Recreational Vehicles Dealers Association
RVRAC - RV Rental Association Canada

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S

SCBBOA - Sunshine Coast Bed & Breakfast, Cottage Owners Association
SCT - Sunshine Coast Tourism
SITE - Society of Incentive and Travel Executives
SMERFE - Social Military Religious Fraternal Entertainment
SNBC - Super, Natural British Columbia
SRP - Special Rate Plan
STCA - Surrey Tourism & Convention Association
SWOT - Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats
SYTA - Student & Youth Travel Association

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T

TA - Travel Agent
TAVI - Tourism Association of Vancouver Island (see also TVI)
TBC - Tourism British Columbia
TIABC - Tourism Industry Association of BC (formerly COTA)
TIAC - Tourism Industry Association of Canada
TIC - Tourism Information Councilor
TMAC - Travel Media Association of Canada
TMR&PM - Tourism Maple Ridge & Pitt Meadows Society
TOTA - Thompson Okanagan Tourism Association
TQM - Total Quality Management
TTRA - Travel and Tourism Research Association
TVAN - Tourism Vancouver
TVI - Tourism Vancouver Island
TW - Tourism Whistler

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U

UBC - University of British Columbia
UBCM - Union of British Columbia Municipalities
USCC - United States Chamber of Commerce
USTOA - United States Tour Operators Association

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V

VANOC - Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic & Paralympic Games
VCB - Visitors and Convention Bureau
VCEC - Vancouver Convention and Exhibition Centre
VCM - Vancouver, Coast & Mountains
VCMTR - Vancouver, Coast & Mountains Tourism Region
VHDA - Vancouver Hotel Destination Association
VHA - Vancouver Hotel Association
VIC - Visitor Information Centre
VIC - Visitor Information Councilor
VQA - Vintners Quality Assurance

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W

WCMC - Western Canada Marketing Committee
WCTA - Western Canada Travel Alliance
WED - Western Economic Diversification
WRSS - White Rock South Surrey Chamber of Commerce
WSAE - Western Society of Association Executives
WTM - World Travel Market
WTTC - World Travel and Tourism Council

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Y

YVR - Vancouver International Airport
YXX - Abbotsford International Airport

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