Domestic and visiting friends and relatives tourism

Abstract

[Extract] Visiting friends and relatives (VFR) as a topic in tourism research is now an active area of analysis. Studies began during the 1990s, and consolidation of this research effort is continuing (Jackson, 1990; Seaton, 1994; Lehto et ai., 2001; Pennington-Gray, 2003). It can be argued that this research area has grown because the findings have consistently revealed the substantial scale and socio-economic importance of the VFR markets in diverse domestic and international settings. Both industry voices and academic analyses now view VFR travel as an integral part of the broad definition or tourism, bringing its own important commercial outcomes and opportunities.