The hospitality in the social network Couchsurfing: Crossing the virtual threshold in Jaguarão, in the extreme south of Brazil

Authors

  • Marcina Amália Nunes Moreira Universidade Federal de Viçosa http://orcid.org/0000-0001-9873-6937
  • Christianne Luce Gomes Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais/CNPq/CAPES/FAPEMIG

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.7784/rbtur.v12i2.1399

Keywords:

Hospitality. Tourism. Virtual social network. Recreation. Couchsurfing.

Abstract

This article addresses a social practice mediated by a virtual social network of travelers called Couchsurfing. Translated as "sofa surfing", this practice is known for the free hosting offer, worldwide, enabling online and offline interaction between registered individuals, as well as promoting the exchange of hospitality, in which host becomes a guest in other travel situations and vice versa. In this research, the hosts and guests of the municipality of Jaguarão, located in the extreme south of the state of Rio Grande do Sul (RS), Brazil, were investigated. The objectives of the article are to identify and discuss the main interests and motivations for the network and Couchsurfing trips among Jaguarian hosts and guests, as well as to understand the system of exchange between guests and hosts inspired by the studies of hospitality based on the Theory of Gift , by Marcel Mauss. The research had a qualitative approach and approached the etnographic method. The methodological course included a bibliographical study and a cyberspace field research, with semi-structured interviews and observations. The exchanges take place online and offline, in different prisms. The research presents new challenges for tourism, leisure and hospitality studies in the context of emerging social practices, such as Couchsurfing.

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Author Biographies

Marcina Amália Nunes Moreira, Universidade Federal de Viçosa

Turismóloga com doutorado em Estudos do Lazer (UFMG, 2017). Docente do Instituto de Ciências Humanas e Sociais da Universidade Federal de Viçosa, campus Florestal, MG.

Christianne Luce Gomes, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais/CNPq/CAPES/FAPEMIG

Professora da UFMG, no Bacharelado em Turismo e no Mestrado/Doutorado em Estudos do Lazer. Doutora em Educação, com Pós doutorado em Ciências políticas e sociais (2012) e Estágio Sênior na Universidade de Barcelona (bolsa CAPES, 2017-2018). Pesquisadora do CNPq, área Turismo (2015-2018). Líder do Grupo de Pesquisa LUCE - Ludicidade, Cultura e Educação. Membro de sociedades científicas no Brasil e no exterior.

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Published

2018-05-03

How to Cite

Moreira, M. A. N., & Gomes, C. L. (2018). The hospitality in the social network Couchsurfing: Crossing the virtual threshold in Jaguarão, in the extreme south of Brazil. Revista Brasileira De Pesquisa Em Turismo, 12(2), 1–24. https://doi.org/10.7784/rbtur.v12i2.1399

Issue

Vol. 12 No. 2 (2018): maio/agosto

Section

Articles

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