Segmenting visitor behaviour in the Comox Valley: a comparative analysis of purpose-based Visiting Friends and Relatives (VFR) and holiday tourists
Subject
Abstract
This study compares the behaviour of Visiting Friends and Relatives (VFR) tourists with holiday tourists in the Comox Valley region, British Columbia. Drawing on General Consumer Behaviour Theory, Expected Utility Theory with Utility Maximization Model, and Distance Decay Theory, the research tests five hypotheses concerning activity preferences, accommodation choice, likelihood of recommending the destination, transport mode, and temporal patterns of travel. Findings reveal a divergent accommodation preference pattern. 58.6 % of VFR visitors relied exclusively on non‑commercial accommodation versus 8.7 % of holiday tourists (χ² = 62.18, p < .001). Importance ratings for certain outdoor activities also differed, indicating that the two segments value the destination’s recreational offerings in subtly different ways. By contrast, segments did not differ significantly in Net Promoter Score categories, main transportation mode, overall trip nights (t = –1.03, p = .304), or the allocation of time spent in certain destination. In summary, the findings suggest that in the Comox Valley region the behavioural differences between the two groups of tourists are not dramatic. The different lodging choices may be due to the fact that utility attainment for VFR visitors relied on social bonds rather than the experience of traveling. In contrast, the convergence of trip length, mode of transportation, and satisfaction with Comox Valley region suggests that all short-haul tourists in this context of Comox Valley region may share common constraints. Therefore, local DMOs should target short-haul tourists in BC with packages that promote social bonding-oriented travel and relevant information about local communities, as well as avoid assuming large behavioural differences when designing transportation or length-of-stay programs for the broader tourist market.