Caring wings of hospidarity: Creating safe transitional spaces through hospitality alliances

When people are treated as refugees, they feel like refugees, but when they are treated as tourists they feel like tourists. This study contributes to knowledge on solidarity tourism by introducing the concept of ‘hospidarity’ (merging the theoretical readings of hospitality and solidarity) and identifying it as a driving force in the creation of a caring environment. Safe transitional spaces facilitate individuals' role transition from that of refugee to a (formerly enjoyed) tourist role. Results from field research and interviews carried out in a spa-town close to a war-torn country, both with tourism stakeholders and refugees/guests, helped us to elaborate the concept of hospidarity. Tourism stakeholders are encouraged to adopt the hospidarity procedure as an action protocol in long-drawn-out crises. • A psychological understanding of role transition (refugees and tourists) is presented. • The concept of ‘hospidarity’ is introduced and operationalised. • The ways tourism service providers influence refugees' role transition process is investigated. • Implications for adopting the hospidarity procedure as an action protocol are discussed.