Le Couchsurfing : une forme d’hospitalité touristique entre familiarité et altérité

Abstract

With the advent of Web 2.0, a substantial number of internet users changed their relationship to mobility, including the way they travel. The emergence of hospitality networks, and most notably Couchsurfing, demonstrates how the internet has allowed for reinterpretations of tourism. Created in 2004, this network connects travelers with hosts willing to accommodate them free of charge for a few days. The cost-free and online nature of Couchsurfing has contributed to its growing popularity, leading to a steadily increasing number of users. This way of traveling is particularly acclaimed by members because of the “alternative” and personalized experience promoted by the network. If couchsurfers are convinced of the uniqueness and originality of their practice, we may question the type of innovations and modifications implied by hospitality networks. Based on a study among Parisian couchsurfers, we illustrate how encounters between members shape the touristic experience of travelers. Thus, this article focuses on new ways of understanding the touristic encounters generated by online hospitality networks, and especially their relationship to familiarity and alterity.