Abstract
Hospitality intrinsically means the norms of host behavior in welcoming guests, while the term used in business employs a different meaning.
Hospitality as a hosting spirit is based on the principle of providing guests with a warm reception with no thought of receiving financial gain, whereas business terminology emphasizes a customer-oriented mindset that expects rewards for satisfaction customers may get.
This paper argues that the concept of hospitality, consisting of gratuitousness, is misinterpreted by the reward-conscious attitude in the tourist industry. The discussion of hospitality in the tourist industry tends to apply to the illusionary idea that a host's individual care for each guest should partly depend on hospitable intentions with no expectation of rewards in return.
The author asserts that this terminological misapplication is derived from the recent trend of the replacement of service with hospitality, since "hospitality" sounds more humane than "service", which has a cold, institutional impression. It is essential in tourism study to keep the original meaning of hospitality and avoid unprofessional replacement by the business community.
