Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
1997). With VFR travel having been shown to be more resilient than other
types of travel in Victoria, this chapter discusses why destinations should be
marketing to 'Aunt Betty'.
Marketing to 'Aunt Betty' is rarely done. Despite VFR travel being a large
(by size) form of tourism in most destinations, it is typically overlooked as
a segment to market to. The reasons for this neglect have been put forward
(Backer, 2010a) as being:
• perceived minor economic impact;
• definitional problems;
• discrepancies in official data;
• lack of lobbying;
• lack of coverage in tourism textbooks;
• perception that VFR travellers are difficult to influence;
• difficulties with measurement;
• VFR travel is not a 'sexy' market.
That final reason for neglect - that VFR travel is not a 'sexy' market - is
important to consider. Typically, international marketing is regarded as pres-
tigious and domestic tourism is seen as inferior to it (Pearce, 1993; Scheyvens,
2007). Even less prestigious is 'marketing to “Aunt Betty” [which] is not as
glamorous' (Backer, 2010a: 340).
The eight reasons offered for why VFR travel has been neglected link in
to why the sector has been overlooked by many operators in their marketing.
Many tourism marketing bodies appear to believe that the investment
returns on VFR marketing campaigns are greatly inferior to those from
other campaigns (Morrison
et al
., 1995). One study surveyed destination
marketing organisations (DMOs) to ascertain whether they specifically
target VFR travellers in their marketing, or whether VFR travellers were
'lumped together with other groups of visitors' (Morrison
et al.
, 2000: 106).
The researchers concluded that a majority of tourism organisations did not
specifically market to VFR travellers. This was in part due to the perceived
disadvantages associated with VFR travel. VFR travellers were perceived to
make little use of tourism products and commercial accommodation outlets,
and to have levels of low expenditure on tourist products.
It is hardly surprising that minimal marketing specifically towards VFR
travellers is undertaken, given its perceived secondary status in tourism. As
little is known about VFR travel, not much effort seems to be placed on dedi-
cating resources towards research in this area. As a result, operators have been
traditionally disinclined to undertake dedicated VFR tourism campaigns.
Few organisations have developed marketing activities focused on VFR
travel. King (1996: 85) believes it is just as well that so little marketing has
been done in the area of VFR travel, given the 'absence of adequate research',
which may have caused the campaigns to 'miss their mark'.
