A substantial segment of Australian tourism is derived from domestic visitors who are visiting friends and relatives. Over the past decade, VFR travellers have comprised over a third of all visitors to both regional and urban centres.
This stage has involved a comprehensive review of academic and industry research to explore the motives and behaviours of VFR travellers that make them unique, creating a distinct segment for tourism agencies to target. Their desires to regularly reconnect with families and reaffirm their roots in their home-towns, creates a strong motive to travel on both a day trip and an extended holiday.
It also highlighted the connection with the destination host as an invaluable aspect of the VFR market to destination marketers. This relationship can be successfully leveraged for visitor promotions and actively encourage higher rates of VFR.
In stage two, we will explore aspects of the host experience through a series of resident surveys that aims to discover the behaviours of host-residents as they co-create the visitor experience. It will focus on answering key questions such as where do residents access visitor information and how do they best distribute destination images and ideas to their friends and family as prospective guests?
If you would like to receive a copy of the stage one Report and/or are interested in participating in Stage Two, please contact Andrew Sargant via email to andrew@destinationmarketingstore.com.au.
Destination Research is a valued partner of DMS. They offer services to government agencies and tourism businesses looking for research and insight into visitor markets, consumer perceptions and economic impacts.
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