From the “University of Travel” to the “University of Hosting”: Does Couchsurfing Hosting Provide Vicarious Travel and Vacation-Like Benefits?

Abstract

Existing tourism research often centers on active travelers, overlooking those who participate through hosting, especially in contexts where international mobility is restricted. This study draws on bottom-up spillover and vicarious experience theories to examine the experiences of Iranian Couchsurfing hosts whose ability to travel abroad is constrained by gendered restrictions, passport limitations, flight bans, and sanctions. Based on in-depth interviews with 25 hosts from diverse regions in Iran, the study introduces the concept of ‘vicarious travel’ to describe the psychological, sociocultural, and indirect rewards of hosting. Hosting, in this context, emerges as a form of tourism participation that enhances personal growth, cultural learning, and enduring transformation. Framed through the metaphor of the ‘University of Hosting’, these findings highlight how non-commercial hospitality platforms can serve as informal educational spaces, offering meaningful engagement with global cultures. This study broadens understandings of tourism by centering host experiences in constrained mobility contexts.