VFR travel : Progressing towards greater recognition

Introduction - As a form of tourism, Visiting Friends and Relatives (VFR) travel is global in its reach and is recognised in academe and industry as being substantial in its scope. It may also be the oldest form of travel (Backer, 2011), with the first recognised VFR traveller being Celia Fiennes, who constructed travel schedules around visits to friends and relatives between 1685 -1712 (Leiper, 2004). Despite its size and long history, VFR has been largely overlooked by academics and practitioners. Whilst some academics have researched the field, VFR travel is considerably behind other spheres of tourism in terms of understanding and awareness