Hospitality as Social Relations - Essay Example

As such, much scholarly attention has been paid to the question of how the social relations that occur in these contact zones (Pratt, 1992). The focus of this dissertation is to investigate the social relations between these online strangers and how these online communities are similar or dissimilar from the general modes of travel and accommodation, and how generally accepted principles regarding traveling apply to the scenarios of the home-stay sector that these websites contribute to creating.

The general considerations are focused on several of these online communities, including Hospitality club.org; GlobalFreeloaders.com, Hospitality Exchange at hospex.net, and CouchSurfing.com. To solicit and understand online travel community members' views and perceptions on participating in online community forums from technological and social perspectives where the essential element of hospitality is to find a home that is comforting. As recession bites, the nation is in the grip of economic malaise. . As such, much scholarly attention has been paid to the question of how the social relations that occur in these contact zones (Pratt, 1992).

The focus of this dissertation is to investigate the social relations between these online strangers and how these online communities are similar or dissimilar from the general modes of travel and accommodation, and how generally accepted principles regarding traveling apply to the scenarios of the home-stay sector that these websites contribute to creating. The general considerations are focused on several of these online communities, including Hospitality club.org; GlobalFreeloaders.com, and Hospitality Exchange at hospex.

net and CouchSurfing.com. To solicit and understand online travel community members' views and perceptions on participating in online community forums from technological and social perspectives where the essential element of hospitality is to find a home that is comforting. Chapter 1Introduction1.1 Study background As recession bites, the nation is in the grip of economic malaise. Prices are rising, property values are plummeting and interest rates are refusing to budge. Needless to say, when belts are being tightened, holidays are one luxury that many of us feel we can do without (MSN Travel 2008).

But perhaps we don't have to, because for those willing to try something different and the willingness of strangers to take risks, being on holiday these days can be almost as cheap as staying at home. Individuals and groups of people now travel across the world at ever-escalating distances, scales, and speeds, especially as the Internet and new mobile communication technologies bring geographically dispersed social networks together in new ways (Bauman 1998; Tomlinson 1999; Morley 2000; Urry 2000 cited Molz & Gibson 2007).