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International Area Studies Review
[ Article ]
International Area Studies Review - Vol. 27, No. 3, pp.250-266
ISSN: 2233-8659 (Print)
Print publication date 01 Sep 2024
DOI: https://doi.org/10.69473/iasr.2024.27.3.250

Beyond Borders: Analyzing the Dynamics of Visiting Friends and Relatives (VFR) Travel in the Context of Global Migration

Jangwook Kwon*
Department of Tourism, Dongseo University, Republic of Korea

Correspondence to: *Email: kenpoet@naver.com

Abstract

This study analyzes the characteristics of Visiting Friends and Relatives (VFR) travel in Korea, distinguishing it from leisure travel based on data from the 2022 international visitor survey by Korean government. The paper identifies significant behavioral and demographic differences between VFR and leisure travelers, revealing that VFR travelers tend to spend more, stay longer, and are more likely to revisit. They are also more likely to dispersed across various regions rather than concentrated in major cities, thus contributing to the local economy and reducing tourism congestion. Despite facing challenges such as the COVID-19 pandemic, VFR travel has shown resilience and continues to be a substantial part of international tourism due to its year-round stability and economic impact. This research fills a gap in the literature by focusing on Asia, particularly Korea, and provides valuable insights for destination marketing organizations to develop tailored marketing strategies that leverage the social networks and unique preferences of VFR travelers.

Keywords:

Migration, VFR travel, International tourism, Destination Marketing, Comparative analysis

AI Acknowledgment

Generative AI or AI-assisted technologies were not used in any way to prepare, write, or complete essential authoring tasks in this manuscript.

Conflict of Interests

I declare that I have no conflicts of interest in this research.

Funding

I declare that there is no funding.

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