The Effect of VFR Tourism on Expatriates’ Knowledge About the Destination

Abstract

Visiting Friends and Relatives (VFR) has become an increasingly popular research area with more consideration being given to this lucrative market. However, much of the literature reports that VFR is still underestimated and underreported. At the same time, the number of expatriates has been increasing, further stimulating VFR travel. This study considered the impact VFR travellers had upon their expatriate hosts’ ability to learn about the destination in which they reside. Face-to-face interviews were conducted with expatriate residents in Dubai to uncover the VFR traveller’s impact on the expat-host from a learning standpoint. Results indicated that participants did learn about Dubai as a result of their visitor, largely due to an implied feeling of duty towards their visitor. As a result of this duty, expat-hosts learnt about tacit elements of Dubai, such as its history and culture, while also becoming more familiar with particular surface-level elements, such as hours of operation for shops and entrance fees for various types of entertainment.