ENTERTAINING VISITING FRIENDS AND RELATIVES (VFR) IN DESTINATION SETTINGS: A CROSS-CULTURAL HOST COMPARISON

Abstract

This study aims to examine whether there is a difference between two different host groups in terms of hosting styles in visiting friends and relatives (VFR) tourism. The study provides some insights into this issue by comparing hosting type, hosting length, expenditure type, etc. between Turkish and British hosts. A self-administered questionnaire was conducted among 238 Turkish and 224 British hosts who live in Didim, located in the Aegean Region of Turkey. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. The findings demonstrated that Turkish and British participants played an important role in hosting their friends and/or relatives. They also represented a large and underestimated part of VFR tourism with their expenditures and behaviors towards their guests. On the other hand, significant differences were found between Turkish and British hosts in which hosting their guests. Another finding of the study is that Turkish and British hosts and VFR travelers engage in activities in and around Didim. However, British hosts participated in activities more than Turkish hosts. In other words, this study found that British hosts contribute more to the local economy.