This book highlights the interdisciplinary nature of the tourism phenomenon, its outstanding socio-economic character and its importance for language learning and teaching focussing on theories about second language acquisition, teaching experiences and research findings in different fields of applied linguistics.

The book provides unique insights into the culture of computer-mediated hospitality and how this has begun to transform contemporary tourism and travel practice. Focusing on Couchsurfing.org, one of the largest online hospitality communities worldwide, the authors explore how social relations, intimacy and trust are built in the online environment and then extended into the offline contexts of actual tourism and travel. Being active couchsurfers themselves, the authors scrutinise the candid claim by much of the online hospitality community that couchsurfing creates a »better world«. The book is key reading for anyone interested in how computer mediated communication is changing contemporary forms of contact, travel and hospitality, and the kinds of cosmopolitism it brings into being. Authors: David Picard, Sonja Buchberger, Jennie Germann Molz, Dennis Zuev, De-Jung Chen, Bernard Schéou, Jun-E Tan, Paula Bialski and Nelson Graburn.   Rezension »Being skillfully written, making use of a narrative approach, and enriched by exciting and originial chapters 'Couchsurfing Cosmopolitanism' is a recommanded read for those who are eager to delve deeper and better understand the phenomenon of promoting cosmopolitanism as a desire for and openess to difference.« Variety Fair, 7 (2014) Reviewed in: Schweizerisches Archiv für Volkskunde, 2 (2013), Regina F. Bendix www.urbanophil.net, 08.08.2013, Paula Salomo http://popanth.com, 22.10.2013.