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Tourism & Hospitality vocabulary · Guest Relations & Complaints

Goodwill gesture

Meaning in tourism & hospitality, with examples

nounCommon term

In tourism & hospitality, goodwill gesture means: Something small that a hotel gives a guest for free, such as a dessert, a drink or a late check-out, to show it cares after a problem.

In Turkish: jest, iyi niyet jesti, gönül alma jesti

How it is used

Used when the hotel does not have to pay anything but wants to keep the guest happy: "As a goodwill gesture, we've upgraded your room." Also written gesture of goodwill. Managers decide which goodwill gestures staff can offer without asking, such as a fruit basket or a free drink.

Example sentences

  1. As a goodwill gesture, we've sent a bottle of wine to your room.

  2. The manager offered the family a free late check-out as a gesture of goodwill.

Common collocations

  • as a goodwill gesture
  • gesture of goodwill
  • offer a goodwill gesture
  • small goodwill gesture
  • complimentaryGiven free of charge by a hotel or business, often as a courtesy or as part of good service.
  • compensationSomething a hotel or company gives a guest, such as money, a discount or a free service, to make up for a problem or a loss.
  • apologiseTo tell someone that you are sorry for a problem, mistake or inconvenience that you or your hotel has caused.
  • complaintA statement from a guest that something is wrong or not good enough, such as noise, a dirty room or slow service.
  • upgradeA move to a better room, seat or service than the one booked, either free of charge or for an extra payment.

This word in other fields

The same English word can have a different meaning in another field:

More terms: Guest Relations & Complaints

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