This thesis studies the place of hospitality in tourism and analyses how, in a rapidly growing sector, it can represent a differentiating factor for custom-built tour. The case study chosen is custom-built tourism commercialized by tour operators in France and carried out by receptive agencies in Brazil. These entities were the subject of a field-based study aiming to show the importance of hospitality, as well as the demand and the means of incorporating it into their offers. The studies highlight the paradox of hospitality, a concept deeply rooted in giving, which one tries to associate with the tourism market, in the form of a product. How to improve the offer of hospitality in the context of market relations without necessarily cancelling its social nature: This is the dilemma to which this thesis tries to provide an answer.
KEY WORDS :
hospitality, tour operator, receptive agency, custom-built tourism