An ‘atypical’ voluntary hotel chain: The Le Mat project

The presence of voluntary hotel chains in countries with major tourism industries is widespread in the accommodation sector. These voluntary chains are run in various ways. The examined case represents an unusual proposal oriented towards social aims.The Le Mat chain first aimed to integrate persons with social or personal problems, such as unemployment, drug addiction, mental illness or disability, into the hotel organisation. Later, it broadened its mission to various aspects of sustainable tourism.The fundamental characteristics of the underlying franchising contract are examined along with the path followed to promote the affiliation of new units.