I don't think that's correct, at least as most people in the area understand the term "touring bike".

A touring bike isn't a "super fancy" road bike. It's a bike with most or all of the following characteristics -- longer than normal chainstays, longer than normal wheelbase, strong wheels, more relaxed geometry, lower gearing, and bars that permit a multitude of hand positions. A Surly LHT wouldn't be considered fancy by any stretch of the imagination but it's a touring bike. And it's not a question of cost -- for example, a 90s rigid mountain bike has most of the characteristics of a touring bike, although often outfitted with wider tires than ordinarily needed on a hard surfaced road (and might be better with different handlebars than flat ones).