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Abstract

The visiting friends and relatives (VFR) market in Florida is a substantial portion of the tourism market. Research suggests that much of the VFR market travels by automobile. In the events following 11th September, 2001, Visit Florida identified drive tourism as the primary segment to invest in. This paper uses Moscardo et al.’s¹ VFR model to understand better the short-haul domestic VFR drive market. Three segments were identified: travellers whose main purpose was to visit and stay with friends and relatives (AFR), travellers whose main purpose was to visit friends and relatives and stay in commercial accommodation (NAFR) and travellers whose main purpose was not visiting friends and relatives but who stayed with friends and relatives (OAFR). Results suggested that AFRs were the youngest segment and stayed the longest time. NAFRs were the oldest group of the three segments and participated in the smallest number of activities. OAFRs had varying levels of income, stayed almost one week on average, had slightly larger travel party sizes and participated in the greatest number of activities while in the area. Recommendations for marketing to the different VFR segments were suggested and limitations were addressed.

Keywords

visiting friends and relatives pleasure travel tourist typology tourism marketing

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References

Moscardo, G. , Pearce, P. , Morrison, A. , Green, D. and O’Leary, J. T. (2000) ‘Developing a typology for understanding visiting friends and relatives markets’ , Journal of Travel Research, Vol. 38, No. 2, pp. 251-259 .

Molnar, L. J. , Eby, D. W. and Hopp, M. L. (1996) ‘Developing Information Systems for the Driving Tourist: A Literature Review’, University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute, Report No. UMTRI-96-11, Ann Arbor, Michigan .

US Travel Data Center (1995) ‘1994 Travel Market Report: Full Year Results of the National Travel Survey’, US Travel Data Centre, Washington .

Prideaux, B. , Wei, S. and Ruys, H. (2001) ‘The senior drive market in Australia’ , Journal of Vacation Marketing, Vol. 7, No. 3, pp. 209-219 .

Spotts, D. M. , Kim, D. , Holecek, D. F. and Carr, J. A. (1997) ‘Segmenting the automobile touring market based on participation in recreation activities’ , in proceedings from the 28th Annual Travel and Tourism Research Association Conference, 15th-18th June, Norfolk, Virginia.

Eby, D. W. and Molnar, L. (2001) ‘Developing advanced traveller information systems (ATIS) for the driving tourist’, available at www-personal.umich.edu/eby/atis.html, accessed 3rd December, 2002.

Molnar et al., ref. 2 above.

Prideaux et al., ref. 4 above.

cited in Prideaux et al., ref. 4 above.

10.

Prideaux et al., ref. 4 above.

11.

Ibid.

12.

Journal of Tourism Studies (1995) Vol. 6, No. 1.

13.

Lehto, X. Y. , Morrison, A. M. and O’Leary, J. T. (2001) ‘Does the visiting friends and relative’s typology make a difference? A study of international VFR market to the United States’ , Journal of Travel Research, Vol. 40, No. 4, pp. 201-212 .

14.

Kate, N. T. (1987) ‘T.G.I.F.’ , American Demographics, Vol. 9, No. 11, pp. 16-17 .

15.

Bureau of Transportation Statistics (1995) ‘Home for the Holidays. American Travel Survey’, available at www.bts.gov/programs/home/famtrav.html, accessed 1st September, 2001.

16.

Shifflet, K. D. and Goldstein, D. (1999) ‘Close-knit competition’ , Hotel and Motel Management, Vol. 214, No. 11, p. 30 .

17.

Morrison, A. M. , Hsieh, S. and O’Leary, J. T. (1995) ‘Segmenting the visiting friends and relatives market by holiday activity participation’ , Journal of Tourism Studies, Vol. 6, No. 1, pp. 48-63 .

18.

King, B. (1996) ‘VFR: A future research agenda?’, in Yaman, H. R. (ed.) ‘VFR Tourism: Issues and Implications’, Victoria University of Technology, Melbourne , pp. 86-89.

19.

Beioley, S. (1997) ‘Four weddings, a funeral and a holiday: The visiting friends and relatives market’ , Insights, Vol. 8, No. 7, pp. B1-B15 .

20.

Kate, ref. 14 above.

21.

Braunlich, C. G. and Nadkarni, N. (1995) ‘The importance of the VFR market to the hotel industry’ , Journal of Tourism Studies, Vol. 6, No. 1, pp. 38-47 .

22.

Ibid., p. 39.

23.

Journal of Tourism Studies, ref. 12 above.

24.

Bureau of Transportation Statistics, ref. 15 above.

25.

Moscardo et al., ref. 1 above.

26.

Ibid., p. 258.

27.

Lehto et al., ref. 13 above.

28.

Moscardo et al., ref. 1 above.

29.

Ibid.

30.

Visit Florida (2001) ‘How’s Business — Special Edition: Market Intelligence Report for Partners’, available at www.flausamedia.com/subcategories/news, accessed 1st October, 2001.

31.

Visit Florida (2001) ‘How’s Business: Market Intelligence Report for Partners’, available at www.flausa-media.com/subcategories/news, accessed 15th October, 2001.

32.

Visit Florida, ref. 30 above.

33.

Visit Florida, ref. 31 above.

34.

Visit Florida (2002) ‘Visit Florida Receives $20 Million for Tourism Recover Plan’, available at www.flausa-media.com/subcategories/news, accessed 3rd September, 2002.

35.

Visit Florida, ref. 30 above.

36.

Visit Florida, ref. 31 above.

37.

Visit Florida (2001) ‘Florida Visitor Survey’, available at www.flausa-media.com/subcategories/news, accessed 15th October, 2001.

38.

SPSS Inc. (1996) ‘SPSS Advanced Statistics 10.0 Update’, SPSS Inc., Chicago .

39.

Moscardo et al., ref. 1 above.

40.

Pennington-Gray, L. and Holdnak, A. (2001) ‘A study of tourist behaviors in Alachua County’, Technical Report — Final Report, University of Florida, Gainesville .

41.

Ibid.

Understanding the domestic VFR drive market in Florida

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