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Meaning & use

booking agency

noun·Everydaybusiness

Last updated

UK/ˈbʊkɪŋ ˌeɪdʒənsi/
US/ˈbʊkɪŋ ˌeɪdʒənsi/

Meanings

  1. nouncountablebusiness

    A company that arranges paid performances or appearances for musicians, comedians and other entertainers, and takes a fee for doing so.

    Grammar: Countable: a booking agency, several booking agencies.

    Patterns

    • sign with a booking agency
    • booking agency for someone

    The band signed with a booking agency that found them festival slots.

    A booking agency arranged the comedian's tour of twenty cities.

    Our booking agency handles contracts, fees and travel for all its artists.

  2. nouncountablebusiness

    A business that reserves hotel rooms, flights or tickets on behalf of customers.

    Grammar: Countable and close in meaning to travel agency in this sense.

    Patterns

    • book through a booking agency

    We reserved the villa through an online booking agency.

    The booking agency found us a cheaper flight to Lisbon.

    Compare prices before you pay a booking agency any fees.

Word forms

pluralbooking agencies

Common combinations

sign with a booking agency
The singer signed with a booking agency last spring.
contact a booking agency
Contact the booking agency to ask about the DJ's fee.
through a booking agency
Most corporate events are arranged through a booking agency.
independent booking agency
An independent booking agency represents several local bands.
run a booking agency
She runs a booking agency for jazz musicians.

Synonyms and how they differ

talent agency
Talent agency is broader, often covering acting and modeling careers as well as live bookings.
travel agency
A travel agency specializes in holidays and transport, so it fits only the second sense.
agent
An agent is one person who represents a client, while a booking agency is the whole company.
promoter
A promoter organizes and sells an event, rather than finding events for performers.

Word family

book verb
to arrange for someone to perform, or to reserve a place
booking noun
an arrangement to perform or reserve something
booker noun
a person whose job is to book acts or guests
agency noun
a business that provides a service for others

Commonly confused: booking agency or casting agency?

booking agency vs casting agency

A casting agency finds actors for roles in productions, whereas a booking agency arranges live performances and appearances.

Practice

A band wants regular paid gigs at venues around the country. Who would most likely arrange them?

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