Convention Industry Council

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D/B/A	Doing Business As
DA	Distribution Amplifier. Amplifier which increases the amplitude of a signal in a line in order to distribute it to multiple points of use.
Daily Newsletter	Daily information sheet for participants during event. See SHOW DAILY. See Also Show Daily
Dais	Raised platform usually above the floor of a hall or large room. See PODIUM. See Also RISER. See Also Podium , Riser
Damage Clause	Part of a contract dealing with procedures, penalties, and rights of the party causing damages.
Damask	Woven silk or linen fabric used for napery (napkins and tablecloths).
Dance Floor	Area for dancing, can be carpeted when not used for dancing. Portable dance floors come in 3 foot x 3 foot sections.
Dark	A day on which a facility or hall has no events or performances booked. Monday is the traditional dark day for theaters.
DAT	Digital Audio Tape
Data Projection	See COMPUTER DATA PROJECTION. See Also Computer Data Projection
Data Projector	A self-contained unit with a LCD panel, light source and lens that works with both PC and Mac computers and duplicates the image being shown on the monitor without any need for special software or complex setting up. See LCD PROJECTOR. See Also LCD
Database	A collection of all information on all prospects (attendees and exhibitors).
Date Draft	A draft document, such as a contract, which matures a specified number of days after the date it is issued, without regard to the date of acceptance.
Date Protection	A guarantee that the dates an event organizer has selected for an event in a specific facility are reserved for that organizer.
Day Glo	Trademarked name for iridescent paints or inks that glow.
Dead Areas	Areas where sound is muted or absent.
Dead End Flight	Last leg of a flight.
Dead Time	Time during which an employee is unable to work due to factors beyond his or her control and for which he is paid.
Debate	A discussion which takes place within a meeting, a public or private sitting or in one of the various types of assembly or meeting.
Debt Service	Regular payments required to keep a loan current.
Declared Value	Shipper's stated value of entire shipment in terms of dollars.
Décor	Props, lighting, and other elements used to create a theme or ambiance. Décor is used to enhance an event with elements including but not limited to carpet, pipe and drape, stage props, customized lighting, linens, tablescapes, skirting, ceiling treatments, stage sets, projection images, special effects or sound effects.
Decorating	Dressing up an area with carpet, draping, plants, etc.
Decorator	An individual or company providing installation & dismantle and booth/stand and hall dressing services for a trade show and/or its exhibitors. Decorator services may be provided by carpenters, sign painters or others depending upon union jurisdiction. Term applies to both contractor and skilled craftsperson. See Also I&D
Deferred Air Freight	Long haul air freight that waits for available cargo space (usually 1 to 2 days) at a reduced rate.
Deferred Airfreight/Deferred Service	Airfreight that can wait for available cargo space because of low delivery priority. Usually a three- to five-day service that moves at a reduced cost.
Deferred Rebate	A deferred rebate is the return of a portion of the freight charges by a carrier to a shipper, in exchange for the shipper giving all or most of his shipments to the carrier over a specified period of time (usually 6 months). Payment of the rebate is deferred for a further similar period during which the shipper must continue to give all or most of his shipments to the rebating carrier. The shipper thus earns a further rebate which will not, however, be paid without an additional period of exclusive or almost exclusive patronage with the carrier. In this way, the shipper becomes tied to the rebating carrier.
Definite Booking	Space reservations confirmed in writing.
Delegate	1) Person who attends an event primarily to visit exhibits or attend meetings and/or conference sessions. This excludes exhibitors, media, speakers, and companions. 2) Registered meeting participant. 3) Voting representative at a meeting.
Delegate Card	Admission card confirming a booking and registration.
Demi	Half.
Demi Tasse	Small cup of coffee, used for espresso.
Demi-Pension	A rate inclusive of breakfast and dinner, in addition to the room. In the U.S. and Canada it is called MODIFIED AMERICAN PLAN (MAP), which means breakfast and one other meal (usually dinner). See Also AMERICAN PLAN, BERMUDA PLAN, CONTINENTAL PLAN, EUROPEAN PLAN. See Also Modified American Plan , American Plan , Bermuda Plan , Continental Plan , European Plan
Demographics	Characteristics that help create a profile of exhibitors and attendees. May include company location, job function, purchase budget, purchase intentions.
Demonstration	1) The act of showing how to do something. 2) A group of individuals organized to picket or protest against a group using placards, literature, songs, shouts and, sometimes, marches or sit-ins.
Demonstrator	Person hired to work in a booth/stand demonstrating or explaining products.
Denied Boarding Compensation	Refund of airfare or payment to passenger when airline fails to honor a confirmed reservation within two hours of scheduled departure.
Density	Pounds per cubic foot, determined by mathematical formula where the weight of an article or shipment is divided by the cubic feet it occupies.
Departure Date	Date when majority of event participants check out of a facility.
Departure Tax	Fee collected from traveler by host country at time of departure.
Deposit	An advanced partial payment to secure product or service.
Depreciation	The gradual erosion of the usability and value (possibly due to obsolescence) of an organization's fixed assets. In some cases depreciation can be declared as a tax deduction.
Design	Artist’s concept or visualization of how a printed piece should look.
Desktop Publishing	Using a personal computer to prepare materials for printing.
Desktop Videoconferencing	DVD. Videoconferencing on a personal computer.
Destination	A city, area or country which can be marketed to groups or individuals as a place to visit or hold an event.
Destination City	A city which in and of itself is an attraction, e.g. Orlando or San Francisco.
Destination Control Statement	Any of various statements which the U.S. Government requires to be displayed on export shipments and which specify the destinations for which the shipment has been authorized. Also Called ANTIDIVERSION CLAUSE.
Destination Management Company	DMC. A professional services company possessing extensive local knowledge, expertise and resources, specializing in the design and implementation of events, activities, tours, transportation and program logistics. Depending on the company and the staff specialists in the company, they offer, but are not limited to, the following: creative proposals for special events within the meeting; guest tours; VIP amenities and transportation; shuttle services; staffing within convention centers and hotels; teambuilding, golf outings and other activities; entertainment, including sound and lighting; décor and theme development; ancillary meetings and management professionals; and, advance meetings and onsite registration services and housing. See Also Professional Congress Organizer , Ground Operator
Destination Manager	Local on-site coordinator.
Detail Drawing	Drawing showing method of construction, plan views, elevations, floor ports, drains, etc.
Dialogue	Discussion of ideas and opinions.
Die Cut	Method of producing repetitive cutout shapes in quantity.
Diffuser	An open grid or a solid translucent plastic to soften or conceal light sources.
Digital Subscriber Line	DSL. Provides high-speed access to the Internet via telephone lines. DSL service requires a DSL modem.
Digital Video	Capture, manipulation and storage of video in digital format on a computer. Can be displayed on a computer as part of a graphic presentation.
Dimensional Weight	Generally refers to air-freight and van line shipments. Invoices are calculated with two weights, actual and dimensional. The dimensional weight is based upon the volume of the shipment. The billing weight is the larger of the two.
Dimmer	A device to control light intensity. See RHEOSTAT. See Also Rheostat
Dimmer Board	A combination of switches, dimmer plates and fuses for controlling light. See SWITCHBOARD. See Also Switchboard
Dine Around	Use of a number of restaurants in a destination with reservations and billing arrangements to one particular client.
Dinner	Evening meal for a group; not usually ceremonial.
Direct Billing	Accounts receivable made available to individuals or firms with established credit.
Direct Flight	Flight between two points on the same aircraft. There may be stops, but no plane changes.
Direct Lighting	The aiming of a fixture directly at the object/area to be illuminated.
Direct Mail	A marketing technique in which material is mailed directly to individuals in a target audience.
Direct Sales Method	Selling direct to the end user with promotional efforts using advertising, direct mail or telephone sales.
Direct Spending	All expenditures associated with an event that flow into the host destination’s local economy. Direct spending includes attendee spending, exhibitor spending and event organizer spending. See Also ECONOMIC IMPACT, INDIRECT SPENDING, & INDUCED SPENDING. See Also Economic Impact (Total) , Indirect Spending , Induced Spending
Directional Signs	Signs directing attendees to an exhibit, event or special area.
Directory	1) The printed document passed out to event attendees that includes a list of conference sessions, exhibitor descriptions, a floor plan and other information. 2) An alphabetized list of members with contact information.
Disability	A physical or mental impairment that limits normal life functions.
Discussion Form	Paper containing an application to put a question during a conference session to a particular speaker on a specific subject; usually submitted in advance of the session.
Discussion Group	1) A group of participants in a separate debate within some types of meetings. Similar to a working group but with no expectation of reports or papers. 2) A threaded bulletin board where participants can post messages under the heading of a particular topic and responses are grouped by topic or thread. Groups are asynchronous, not occurring in real-time.
Discussion Leader	Person who introduces topic of discussion and controls the discussion in the group. Moderator.
Dishonored Reservation	If a hotel accepts a reservation but can't provide a room, the hotel has breached the contract and the injured guest is owed damages. The usual term is for the guest to be compensated for the first night to stay at the second hotel and usually reimbursement for transportation between the hotel and the second hotel. See HOTEL RESERVATION. See Also Hotel Reservation
Dismantle	1) Take-down and removal of exhibits. 2) To take apart.
Dismantling Deadline	The time and day by which booths/stands have to be dismantled and removed from an exhibition area.
Dispatcher	Person responsible for scheduling and routing freight, labor, shuttle busses, etc.
Display	An arrangement of products or informational material.
Display Builder	Company or person that fabricates displays.
Display Case	See SHOWCASE. See Also Showcase
Display Material	The material exhibited by the various exhibitors. Such material is usually insured or has its value stated in writing for insurance purposes.
Display Place	Exhibit booth/stand.
Display Rules & Regulations	A set of specifications for exhibit construction endorsed by all major exhibit industry associations. Also refers to the individual additional rules which may be adopted by event management.
Dispute	A conflict or difference of opinion between an employer and a union or between an employer and employees over some phase of their relationship. Usually refers to a serious controversy that threatens or causes a work stoppage or that is submitted to an arbitrator or government agency for settlement.
Dissolve	See CROSS FADE. See Also Cross Fade
Dissolve Unit	Device that activates fade-out and fade-in of slides from one projector to another.
Distance Learning	A type of education where students work on their own at home or from an office, and communicate with faculty and other students via email, electronic forums, chat, webconferencing and other forms of online communication. Includes correspondence courses, audio, video and internet delivery. Meeting and event Web sites can facilitate distance learning by offering online educational programs.
Distribution Channel	The path a product follows to be delivered to the end user. This may be through distributors, retail outlets, self service outlets, vending machines, telephone sales, direct mail sales, etc.
Distributor	An enterprise that purchases products for resale to their customers who are usually retail outlets. The distributor expects to receive a significant price discount for providing the distribution service.
Distributor Show	An exhibition produced by a distributor at which exhibitors are the manufacturers of products sold by the distributor and attendees are the distributor's customers. See EXHIBITION. See Also TRADE SHOW. See Also Exhibition , Trade Show
Divider	Movable barrier that partitions a large area into smaller areas. May be sound resistant, but not necessarily sound proof. See AIR WALL. See Also MOVABLE WALL, PARTITION. See Also Air Wall , Movable Wall , Partition
DMC	Destination Management Company. See Also DESTINATION MANAGEMENT COMPANY. See Also Destination Management Company
DMC Consortium	National and/or international alliances of destination management companies who form select communities for the purpose of sharing collective efforts for business sharing, education, ethics and destination management industry monitoring.
DMCP	Destination Management Certified Professional. An accreditation offered by the Association of Destination Management Executives (ADME).
Docent	Tour guide in a museum, educational facility or art gallery.
Dock	A place where freight is loaded onto, and taken from, vessels or vehicles.
Dock Receipt	A receipt issued by an ocean carrier to acknowledge receipt of a shipment at the carrier's dock or warehouse facilities. When delivery of a foreign shipment is completed, the dock receipt is surrendered to the vessel operator or his agent and serves as the basis for the preparation of the OCEAN BILL OF LADING. See WAREHOUSE RECEIPT. See Also Ocean Bill of Lading , Warehouse Receipt
Dock Usage	Instructions on the allotment of a loading dock’s space and time required for loading and unloading of trucks for an event. This information should be included in the specifications guide for an event.
Document Sharing	A feature of many videoconference systems that allows participants at each conference site to view and edit the same document.
Dog Bone	A 1’ five wire cord that is used to help transfer high voltage power to 120 volt power on the BCP.
Dog House	An electrical outlet that will accommodate 6 plugs. See SEX (SIX) BOX. See Also Sex Box
Dolly	Any of several kinds of low, flat, wheeled frames for transporting heavy objects.
Dolma	Stuffed grape leaves.
Domestic Beer/Wine	Beer or wine produced in the country where it is served.
Donation	Sum of money or item of value received as a gift or contribution.
Donkey Dick	A metal pole placed on the front of a forklift for carrying rolls of carpet.
DOS	Director of Sales.
DOT	Department of Transportation.
DOT	Department of Transportation. In the United States, on the national level, the Federal Department of Transportation is a government agency responsible for safety, interstate highways and interstate commerce matters.
Double	A guestroom assigned to two people.
Double Bed	Bed measuring 53-by-75 inches (135-by-191 centimeters).
Double Booking	1) Reserving space for two groups to use the same space at the same time and neither can be fully accommodated as contracted. 2) An organization reserving space in more than one venue for the same event. 3) Two or more reservations made for the same traveler for the same dates. Can be canceled by the airlines if discovered as they consider this a violation of their ticketing rules.
Double Cloth	Use of two tablecloths on a banquet table for decorative purposes, to muffle sound, or to attach skirting to. Usually two different colors are used. See OVERLAY. See Also Overlay
Double Decker	Two-storied exhibit. See MULTI-STORY EXHIBIT. See Also Multi-Story Exhibit
Double Lock	Two locks, one a dead bolt, on a door for extra security.
Double Room	A sleeping room occupied by two persons. The room may have one or more beds of any type in it. The symbol used by APEX to denote it is:
Double Room Rate	The price per person for a sleeping room to be shared with another person.
Double Width	Two tables placed together, allowing extra room in a BOARDROOM SET-UP. See Also Boardroom Set-Up
Double-Double Room	A sleeping room with two beds that is occupied by two persons. The symbol used by APEX to denote it is:
Double-Faced Panel	A panel of wood or other material that is finished, or not rough, on both sides.
Double-Faced Tape	Tape used to adhere carpet to floor, signs, or panels.
Doubletime	Premium pay, which is double the base rate of hourly wage.
Doubling	Playing, by musicians, of more than one instrument during an engagement.
Downgrade	To move to a lesser accommodation or class of service.
Downlighting	The use of lighting instruments to light down onto objects below.
Downline Space	On a multi-leg itinerary, the flights following first flight.
Downlink	The station which receives data transmissions from a communications satellite.
Download	Transfer a file from a host computer to your computer.
Downstage	Front of the stage, closest to the audience.
Draft	Bill of Exchange. An unconditional order in writing from one person (the drawer) to another (the drawee), directing the drawee to pay a specified amount to a named payee at a fixed or determinable future date.
Drain Line	Pipe that drains water. Usually used on the exhibit floor for displays that require water.
Dram Shop Laws	In the United States, a legal term for laws covering the liability of people serving alcoholic beverages. Under dram shop laws, a party injured by an intoxicated person can sue establishments contributing to that person’s intoxication. Many dram shop laws also cover serving alcohol to a minor.
Draped Booth/Stand	A booth/stand made up of back wall and sidewall of pipe and drape (typically provided by management).
Draper	Person who installs drapes, pleats, and special decor.
Drapery	Decoratively arranged tablecloths or skirting on the front of head tables and around reception and buffet tables.
Drapes	Decorative material, usually hung on pipe frames to partition an area, adorn a room, or provide privacy.
Draping	Decorating with drapes.
Drawback	A refund of duties paid on imported goods that is provided at the time of their re-exportation.
Drayage	Delivery of exhibit materials from the dock to an assigned exhibit space, removing empty crates, returning crates at the end of the event for recrating, and delivering materials back to dock for carrier loading.
Drayage Charge	The cost of moving exhibit materials within the confines of the exhibit hall, based on weight. This charge is calculated in 100-pound units, or hundredweight, abbreviated cwt. (There is usually a minimum charge for all drayage.)
Drayage Contractor	Company responsible for handling exhibit materials.
Drayage Form	Form for exhibitor requesting handling of materials.
Drayer	Official event handler designated to move exhibits from truck to dock to booth space. Usually handled by general service contractor.
Dress	1) Clothing worn by talent. 2) Dress rehearsal; final camera rehearsal. 3) Set dressing; necessary set properties. 4) To neatly arrange cables lying on the floor.
Dress Casual	Collared shirts, sweaters, turtlenecks, blazers and slacks, such as khakis or corduroys for men; casual dresses or slacks, sweaters and blouses for women. No shorts, jeans, t-shirts, flip flops, etc. See FRIDAY CASUAL. See Also Friday Casual
Dress Code	Required or suggested acceptable manner or style of dress for an occasion or event.
Dressed Lumber	Term referring to lumber that has been sanded or smoothed down to less than its rough dimensions.
Dressing	1) Sauce for salads; stuffing in poultry. 2) Decor, costumes.
Dressing the Exhibit	Placing graphics, plants, literature and applying any finishing touches to the display.
Drive-In Instructions	Directions informing a venue or facility of the number of event participants expected to travel by automobile an event, in order to ensure adequate parking and bell staffing. This information should be included in the specifications guide for an event.
Driver	Another name for loudspeaker; the word “driver” is used by non-engineers to designate a compression driver like those used to drive horns for acoustic amplification and directional control of sound.
Drop	Large, painted piece of material used for stage background.
Drop Slot	Opening in countertop to receive cards.
Drop Time	The time at which passengers have been dropped off and vehicle service ends.
Drop-Off Food	Self-service hot and/or cold foods are prepared at one location and then delivered to the event site at a different location.
Dropout	Momentary loss of recorded audio or video signal during playback, due to imperfections in the tape.
Dry	Audio signal or sound without reverberation. An audio signal or sound with reverb is called “wet.” See Also Wet
Dry Lease	Rental of a plane without crew, supplies, fuel, and maintenance service.
Dry Run	Rehearsal or trial run-through of program.
Dry Snacks	Finger foods, such as peanuts, pretzels, potato chips, and corn chips, usually served at receptions.
DSL	Digital subscriber line. Brings high bandwidth via copper phone lines.
DSM	District Sales Manager.
DT Labor	Work performed on overtime and charged at twice the published rate.
du Jour	Of the day, e.g. soup du jour or vegetable du jour.
Dual Podiums	Placing two identical podiums at stage right and stage left, so that they can be used with multiple speakers or presenters. See PODIUM. See Also LECTERN. See Also Podium , Lectern
Dual Projection	The projection of two images at a time using two separate projectors and two screens.
Dual Set-Up	Arrangement of duplicate set-ups in two or more different locations.
Dualing Menus	Split (dual) entrées, e.g. Surf & Turf.
Dub	1) To transfer recorded sound from one unit to another. 2) Copy of a recording or Tape.
Duchess Potatoes	Potatoes mashed with eggs and squeezed through a pastry tube. Can be served as a side dish, or used to pipe decoration around a serving platter.
Duct Tape	Tape used to adhere carpet edges to floor or to cover wires and cables on a carpet. See CARPET TAPE. See Also GAFFER'S TAPE. See Also Carpet Tape , Gaffer’s Tape
Dummy	Mock-up of printed pieces as they should appear in the final form, made up of the correct size and number of pages, showing the position of the various text elements and illustrations.
Dump	See BONEYARD. See Also Boneyard
Duo	Two performers or musicians.
Duoserve Property	A hotel property in which logistics are handled by the convention services manager (CSM), with catering handled by a separate manager.
Duotone	Photograph prepared for two-color reproduction.
Dupe	Duplicate. Copy of film or tape which has been printed from the original copy.
Duplex Outlet	Double electrical outlet.
Duty	1) Fee levied on imported and exported goods. Duties are generally based on the value of the goods (ad valorem duties), some other factors such as weight or quantity (specific duties), or a combination of value and other factors (compound duties). 2) Actions required by one's occupation. See AD VALOREM TAX. See Also Ad Valorem Tax
Duty Roster	List outlining hourly schedules and responsibilities of all event staff members.
Duty-Free Imports	Item amounts and categories specified by a government that are free of tax or duty charges when brought into the country.
Duvetyne	A woven fabric with a nap, similar to Commando Cloth, but lighter and with a finer nap. A substitute for velour, most often used for masking drapes. Often misspelled as duvatyne, duventyne, and duvetine.
DVC	Desktop videoconferencing.
DVD	Digital Video Disk - holds more data than a CD Disk.
Dye Transfer	Technique of producing full color, accurate color prints.
Dynamic Range	Difference, in decibels, between the loudest and the quietest passages in a musical or audio program. Also, the difference between the maximum signal level that can be produced under nominal operating distortion levels by an electronic circuit, and that circuit’s obnoxious noise level (called the “noise floor”).
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