Hospitality and hospitableness

Abstract

Not long after the word hospitality emerged as a collective noun to describe the commercial provision of services associated with accommodation, drinking and eating, some academics began to investigate the meanings of hospitality and hospitableness. Whilst most academic programme provision related to developing those who would subsequently manage the delivery of commercial hospitality services, the study of hospitality from an array of social science perspectives has yielded some interesting insights. This paper explores some perspectives to be gained from a variety of religions, particularly the universal need to welcome and protect the stranger. It goes on to show that genuine hospitality is offered without any concern for repayment or reciprocity. It then describes the development of a research instrument that can be used to identify those individuals who are driven by a personal desire to be hospitable to others.