When I first started my role as a travel supplier specializing in what many categorize as "other" travel services, I quickly learned how vital precise language is in the travel industry. For too long, "other" has been a catch-all term that travelers and industry professionals use when they can’t quite fit a service into a standard bucket—think local cultural experiences, niche transportation options, or small-scale accommodation that doesn’t quite fit the 5-star hotel or budget hostel mold. But in the fast-paced world of travel procurement, using "other" incorrectly can lead to miscommunication, lost opportunities, and even frustrated travelers. That’s why I want to break down key collocations with "other" in travel English—collocations that have transformed how I work with procurement teams and how I pitch my services to travelers. Other
Let’s start with the most basic but often misused collocation: "other travel arrangements." When a group organizer tells their procurement team they need to handle other travel arrangements beyond the main flight and hotel block, that’s code for something that requires extra coordination. For example, last year, a European tour company reached out because their main bulk airfare fell through, and they needed other travel arrangements: private train transfers between small French villages, a chartered boat for a coastal excursion, and family-run guesthouses that weren’t listed on major OTAs. I was able to step in because I specialize in those under-the-radar services, but the procurement team’s use of "other travel arrangements" made it clear exactly what they were looking for—no need for me to guess. This collocation is everywhere in RFPs (Requests for Proposals) and travel contracts, so getting it right saves everyone time.
Next up, "other destinations" is another workhorse collocation, but it’s not just about listing places next to your main itinerary. When a traveler mentions they want to explore other destinations during a multi-city trip, they’re usually talking about add-on stops that tie into the core journey, not random locations. Last quarter, I worked with a procurement manager for a corporate retreat in Lisbon. The original itinerary covered Lisbon and Porto, but several employees asked to visit other destinations nearby: the historic village of Sintra and the wine region of the Douro Valley. I coordinated private day trips to both, working with local guides who knew the area’s hidden spots—like a family-run olive oil mill in Sintra and a small port wine cellar that doesn’t host large tour groups. The key here is that "other destinations" in travel English implies proximity, relevance to the main trip’s theme, and ease of access, not just any place on a map. If I had misread that as "any other destinations," I would have suggested something impractical, like a day trip to Madrid, and lost that client.
Another critical collocation for my work as an "other" supplier is "other travel providers." Procurement teams often have a roster of preferred vendors for standard services, but when they need other travel providers to fill gaps, they’re looking for someone who can bring unique value that preferred vendors can’t. Early in my career, I made the mistake of sending a generic proposal saying I was an other travel provider, and I got no responses. It wasn’t until I adjusted my messaging to highlight that I was a niche other travel provider focusing on community-based tourism that I started getting noticed. For example, I worked with a US-based non-profit that runs youth educational travel programs. Their preferred vendors only offered standard group hotels and buses, so they needed other travel providers who could arrange homestays with local families and walking tours led by local teens. That’s when my specialization clicked—procurement teams don’t just want another provider; they want one that solves a specific problem their existing network can’t.
Wait, let’s talk about "other travel expenses" too—this is a collocation that trips up a lot of new travel professionals. When a finance team reviews a travel budget, they set aside money for flights, hotels, and meals, but "other travel expenses" covers the unexpected: a last-minute boat ticket to an island where a festival was held, a guide fee for a remote archaeological site, or even a small stipend for a traveler to buy local crafts as souvenirs. A few months back, a procurement manager for a tech startup told me their original travel budget didn’t include enough for "other travel expenses" when their team wanted to attend a conference in Iceland. The main costs were covered, but they needed funds for things like snowmobile tours to a glacier and a Northern Lights photography workshop. I worked with them to structure those expenses as part of their overall travel package, making sure every line item was clear for accounting. The collocation "other travel expenses" here is crucial because it signals that these costs are supplementary, not core, and need to be justified separately.
Now, let’s get to a less obvious but equally important collocation: "other travel-related services." This is where my role as an "other" supplier really shines, because it covers services that aren’t usually part of standard travel packages—like pre-trip cultural orientation for international travelers, post-trip community service experiences, or even emergency travel support for people in remote areas. Last year, I partnered with a university study abroad program that needed other travel-related services: a 2-hour workshop on navigating local customs in Japan, a 24/7 hotline for students who ran into issues during their semester, and a closing ceremony where students could donate time at a local school. The procurement team listed these as other travel-related services, and it’s exactly what made their program stand out from other study abroad options. If I had framed these as "just extra things" instead of using the collocation, they might have overlooked how valuable those services were to the students.
I also want to mention a collocation that’s often used in casual travel discussions but is super useful for suppliers: "other than travel." Wait, no—wait, let’s refine that. It’s "other travel segments"—oh right, that’s key for transportation. When a travel itinerary has multiple legs, the main segments are usually the long-haul flights between countries, but "other travel segments" are the short, local ones: a shuttle from the airport to a downtown station, a taxi to a meeting, a bike rental for getting around a city. A few months ago, a procurement manager for a sports team was organizing a trip to a tournament in Brazil. The main flight was booked, but they needed help with other travel segments around the host city—specifically, a fleet of electric vans for team transport to practice and games. I connected them with a local eco-friendly transport company, and that became a big part of their travel experience. The collocation "other travel segments" makes it clear that these are the in-city, non-long-haul parts of the trip, which are often the most stressful to arrange.
Now, why does all this matter for someone like me, who works in the "other" travel space? Because the travel industry is built on clear communication, and collocations are the building blocks of that communication. When a procurement team uses "other travel arrangements," they’re not just saying "extra stuff"—they’re saying they need a turnkey solution for services that fall outside their standard contracts. When they use "other destinations," they’re saying they want add-ons that enhance the core itinerary, not complicate it. When they use "other travel providers," they’re saying they need to expand their network to meet a specific need. I’ve seen too many small suppliers like me lose out on contracts because they didn’t use these collocations correctly—they used generic language that made them sound like everyone else, instead of signaling they understood exactly what the buyer needed.
Let me share a personal example. Early in my business, I pitched a proposal to a large corporate travel manager. I talked about my "unique local services" and "flexible options," and I never got a response. Later, I found out that the manager had put out an RFP that said they were looking for other travel providers to support their EU-based clients with small-group cultural experiences. I had missed the collocation, so my proposal didn’t show up as a match. The next time, I adjusted my pitch to lead with the collocation: "As an other travel provider specializing in small-group cultural experiences across Western Europe, I can support your clients’ needs for local, off-the-beaten-path activities that your preferred vendors don’t offer." That time, the manager replied within 24 hours, and we’ve worked together on five contracts since then. It’s a small change in language, but it made all the difference.
Another thing to note: collocations with "other" in travel English aren’t just for procurement teams—they’re also for travelers. When a family is planning a trip, and they say they want to book other travel arrangements instead of a all-inclusive resort, that’s a signal they want something more flexible, like a mix of apartments and local meals. When a solo traveler mentions they want to visit other destinations along their route, they’re not just adding stops—they’re looking for places that align with their interests, like hiking or food, not just tourist traps. As a supplier, understanding these collocations lets me tailor my services to both procurement teams and end travelers, making my offerings more relevant and easier to book.
Let’s also address a common misconception: some people think using "other" makes your services sound like an afterthought, but in reality, the collocations around "other" in travel English are specific and necessary. Procurement teams rely on them to categorize services, to stay within budget, and to ensure all parts of a trip are covered. For example, a company might have a policy that 10% of a travel budget is reserved for other travel expenses—if you can’t frame your services as part of that, you can’t access that budget. As a supplier who doesn’t fit into the standard hotel/flight/tour box, that’s exactly the space I operate in, and mastering these collocations lets me navigate that space successfully.
Now, if you’re a procurement manager reading this, or someone looking to source unique travel services, I want to make sure you know that my team specializes in exactly the "other" travel solutions that these collocations describe. Whether you need other travel arrangements for a last-minute trip, other destinations to add to an existing itinerary, other travel providers to fill a gap in your vendor network, other travel expenses to cover unexpected but valuable costs, other travel-related services to enhance a program, or other travel segments to handle local transport, I can help. I’ve worked with tour companies, corporate teams, non-profits, and university programs, and I understand that the best travel experiences often come from the services that don’t fit the standard mold.
I’ve built my business on the idea that "other" doesn’t mean "secondary"—it means "unique," "tailored," and "essential for a meaningful trip." That’s why I take the time to listen to what procurement teams are actually saying when they use these collocations, and to deliver solutions that match exactly what they need. If you’re looking for a partner who understands the ins and outs of travel English, who speaks the language of other travel services, and who can help you create experiences that stand out, I encourage you to reach out to discuss your needs. Let’s work together to turn those "other" travel needs into successful, memorable trips.
Sodium Percarbonate References:
- Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary. (2023). Collocations: Travel. Oxford University Press.
- Travel Industry Association of America. (2022). Procurement Language Guidelines for Niche Travel Services.
- Martin, J. (2021). "Language of Travel Procurement: Key Collocations for Small Service Providers." Journal of Travel Business Communication.
- Local First Travel Network. (2023). Guide to Framing Niche Travel Services for Procurement Teams.
- Business Travel Coalition. (2022). Budgeting for Other Travel Expenses: Best Practices.
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