Understanding challenges faced by VFR hosts: A study of Japanese migrant hosts in Australia

A research article co-authored by CTR researchers, Dr. Sho Kashiwagi (CTR Visiting Fellow) and Dr. Hayato Nagai, has been published in the Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Management.

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Title

Understanding challenges faced by VFR hosts: A study of Japanese migrant hosts in Australia

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Authors

Sho Kashiwagi,?Faculty of Cross-Cultural and Japanese Studies, Kanagawa University

Hayato Nagai,?Faculty of Tourism, Wakayama University

Tomoyuki Furutani,?Faculty of Policy Management, Keio University

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Source

Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Management

Volume 54, March 2023, Pages 306-315

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhtm.2023.01.004

* Indexed in Scopus

https://www.scopus.com/sourceid/21100255484

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Abstract

Hosting behaviours and experiences have gradually been acknowledged as influential factors in visiting friends and relatives (VFR) travel. However, the challenges facing VFR hosts while hosting VFR travellers have not been well researched, especially for VFR hosts who are migrants from different cultural and language backgrounds. This study aims to explore the challenges of hosting friends and relatives who have different cultural and language backgrounds to the destination country using the case of Japanese migrant VFR hosts in Australia. Qualitative analysis revealed 12 challenges, which were grouped into three areas, leading to some hosts being reluctant and inactive in receiving VFR travellers. These challenges were rooted in communication difficulties, including the language barriers of their VFR travellers and the social obligations of VFR hosts. This study also suggests socio-cultural differences and living environments between VFR hosts living in the migration destination and VFR travellers living in the home country, making these challenges even greater despite sharing cultural backgrounds. Further research is required to uncover the patterns and impacts of each challenge based on the host and traveller types and to support the design of measures to develop the VFR market.

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Keywords

Australia, Japanese migrants, Language barriers, Socio-cultural differences, VFR host Challenges, VFR travel