Visiting Friends And Relatives (VFR) Is BIG. Here's Why

Last updated: 8 October 2026

Visiting friends and relatives, often referred to as VFR, is one of the most prominent types of tourism. Whether you are a tourism management student or a tourism industry entrepreneur, it is important that you understand this vital sector of the tourism industry.

This article explains what is meant by the term ‘visiting friends and relatives’ (VFR), where the term came from, why people travel to visit friends and relatives and how this sector has grown. It also gives examples of VFR travel in a global context.

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What is visiting friends and relatives (VFR)?

Visiting friends and relatives is a term used frequently within the tourism industry, and the basic concept is easy to understand.

Essentially, VFR is the movement of a person away from the place where they live to a place where a family member or friend lives. Within the context of tourism, the visit must be far enough from the person’s home, and last long enough, to be classified as tourism. VFR is a large sector: UN Tourism data shows that visiting friends and relatives, together with health, religious and other purposes, accounts for over a quarter of international trips, and in the UK VFR typically makes up more than a quarter of residents’ visits abroad.

Is VFR tourism?

Does visiting a grandparent for afternoon tea in the next village count as tourism?

What about travelling to Spain to stay with a parent for two weeks in the summer holidays?

While it may seem obvious (the first is not tourism and the second is), there is no hard and fast rule that says when VFR is and isn’t tourism.

As discussed in a definition of tourism, this is a recurring theme in the tourism literature. The boundaries are often blurred, and the grey areas leave room for subjectivity and ambiguity.

This also makes VFR difficult to measure. Governments use different definitions and data collection methods, so comparing VFR across different countries can be challenging. In addition, VFR tourists often stay in private homes rather than paid accommodation, meaning they are under-represented in accommodation statistics.

There has been a steady growth in VFR in the UK, according to Visit Britain

Where did the term VFR come from?

Visiting friends and relatives (VFR) is a concept that was defined by tourism industry stakeholders in order to better understand this sector of the tourism industry.

Segmentation of this type enabled travel industry researchers and academics to study the relationship between VFR travellers and aspects such as economic and social impacts of tourism.

By having a better understanding of the VFR sector, tourism businesses could be better informed to plan their operations. So, for example, hotels could better understand what facilities guests might be seeking and tourist attractions can understand what provisions may be needed for these types of tourists.

Changing patterns of visiting friends and relatives

The notion of visiting friends and family, or VFR, has changed significantly over the years.

Migration patterns have changed considerably over time, from forced migration such as the transatlantic slave trade to today’s economic migration, international study and retirement abroad. Each of these creates links between people in different places, which in turn generates VFR travel.

Over the years travel has become easier, more affordable and more convenient. It is easy to hop on a budget airline flight to fly across Europe for a couple of days. Whilst it takes a bit longer, it is also perfectly reasonable to travel to the other side of the world to visit friends and family for a few weeks.

Other factors that have influenced the growth of VFR include increased urbanisation of areas, the building of more airports and transport infrastructure and globalisation.

Reasons for the growth in visiting friends and relatives (VFR)

There are several different reasons for the growth in the visiting friends and relatives market around the world. This includes globalisation, a growing expat population, migration, freedom of movement, education and the desire to travel.

Diagram of the reasons for the growth of VFR tourism

Each of these is explained below.

Globalisation

Globalisation is the notion that we are all becoming more alike, or more ‘global’. Globalisation is increasingly present in almost every aspect of the world that we live in. From English schools in Taiwan, to smart phones in Ethiopia to fajitas in Australia, the world is becoming more and more connected and more and more alike.

Globalisation is bringing people together- we can communicate more easily and understand each other better than before. But globalisation is also increasing distance between us. People who would never have considered a move to, say Japan, are now relocating across the globe for better financial benefits, knowing that they can still get many of their home comforts.

Many businesses are opening up offices, headquarters and factories around the world and workforces are distributed all over the globe. This leads to more business travel, and to more VFR travel as employees’ friends and families visit them.

Growing expat population

The corporate world has, in many regards, become a multinational industry, and more people than ever now live overseas. In the United Arab Emirates, for example, Emirati citizens make up only around 11-12% of the population, meaning that expatriates account for close to 90% of residents.

Naturally, expats will want to travel to visit their friends and families from time to time, and their friends and families are likely to want to visit them too. This is a clear example of VFR.

Migration

People have chosen to migrate from place to place throughout the history of tourism.

Over the years migration patterns have changed. Sometimes people migrate for safety reasons, such as war and political instability. Other times people choose to migrate for economic reasons, usually because the country that they are travelling to offers a better financial situation. And some people choose to migrate for other reasons such as the culture, the weather or the social aspects of a destination.

Common countries of origin for people who have migrated to the UK in recent decades include India, Poland, Pakistan, Romania, Nigeria and Jamaica.

People who have migrated out of the UK in recent years have typically chosen to relocate to the USA, Australia, New Zealand, Spain, Singapore and Hong Kong.

People who migrate will often return to their country of origin to visit their friends and relatives. Likewise, their friends and relatives will often travel to visit them.

Freedom of movement

Having the freedom to travel to different places has inevitably impacted the VFR industry.

This is most evident in Europe, where freedom of movement within the European Union has enabled people to live and work in other member states. Following EU enlargement in 2004, many people from Central and Eastern European countries such as Poland moved to the UK for economic opportunities, generating significant VFR travel between the two countries. Freedom of movement between the UK and the EU ended on 1 January 2021 following Brexit, although many of these family and friendship links remain.

Education

Education has also become increasingly globalised. Many families in countries such as China and India invest in international schooling to prepare their children for universities in the UK, USA, Australia or Canada. The UK alone hosts hundreds of thousands of international students each year.

Visits by families to students abroad, and by students returning home, are a significant part of the visiting friends and relatives sector.

Desire to travel

Lastly, the most dominant reason for an increase in VFR is the desire to travel.

People nowadays want to see more of the world than ever before. People want to experience new cultures and do things that may not be possible in their home areas (i.e. sunbathing on the beach or skiing on a mountain).

Increased desire to travel has resulted in more people moving overseas, embarking on expatriate lifestyles and travelling for VFR purposes.

VFR after the COVID-19 pandemic

The long-term growth in visiting friends and relatives was interrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic, when travel restrictions kept many families apart. During this time, the shut-in economy grew and people of all ages became more comfortable using video calls to stay in touch.

Some commentators expected technology to reduce the need to travel. In practice, however, VFR was one of the first segments of tourism to recover once restrictions lifted, as people prioritised reuniting with loved ones. VFR travel is generally seen as resilient, because the motivation to see family and friends remains strong even during economic downturns.

Video calling has nonetheless become an everyday part of maintaining relationships at a distance, and may influence how often people travel. However, it is unlikely to replace the desire to attend weddings, celebrate milestones or spend time with family in person.

Examples of VFR

Here are some examples of situations whereby a person might travel for VFR purposes:

Visiting an aunty who moved to Canada ten years ago
Going to stay with an old school friend who lives in Portugal
Meeting your spouse’s family who live in Ghana
Travelling to Thailand to attend a family wedding
Going to visit your son at university in California
Travelling to Dubai to visit your best friend who moved there for work last year
Spending a month in Australia with your grandchildren who were born down under
Taking a short trip to Romania to visit your sick relative
Returning to your university town for a reunion event

To conclude: Visiting friends and relatives (VFR)

VFR is an important and resilient part of the tourism industry, driven by globalisation, migration, international education and the desire to travel. There are many situations in which a person may travel for VFR purposes, from attending a school reunion to meeting new family members on the other side of the world.

Visiting friends and relatives: FAQs

Below are answers to some of the most common questions about visiting friends and relatives.

What does VFR stand for in tourism?

VFR stands for visiting friends and relatives. It refers to travel where the main purpose of the trip is to visit family members or friends.

Is visiting friends and relatives classed as tourism?

Yes, provided that the trip takes the person outside their usual environment for a sufficient distance and duration, for example an overnight stay. Short local visits are not usually counted.

Why is VFR tourism growing?

Growth is driven by globalisation, migration, growing expat populations, international education, cheaper air travel and the general desire to travel.

Why is VFR hard to measure?

VFR tourists often stay in private homes rather than hotels, and countries use different definitions and survey methods, so VFR is often under-represented in tourism statistics.

What are some examples of VFR travel?

Examples include visiting a relative who has emigrated, attending a family wedding abroad, visiting a child at university or staying with an old friend who lives overseas.

Visiting friends and relatives (VFR) is BIG. Here’s why