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Information and Communication Technologies in Tourism 2005 pp 405–416Cite as

Information Behaviour of the VFR market: The Case of Switzerland

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Abstract

The paper studies the information sourcing behaviour of the VFR (visit friends and relatives) market, as compared to all other leisure travel (i.e. not motivated or characterized by the wish to visit friends and relatives), emphasizing on the use of the WWW. The research is based on the case of Switzerland, which is not only a relevant example in terms of its degree of travel market maturity but also in terms of its internationality. Based on hypotheses, tested by means of independent samples t-tests, the study reveals that hosts are traded in as (non-commercial) information sources at disfavour of all other (commercial) sources except the WWW as soon as there is interest in getting to know a destination. Concluding from the results, destinations have to embrace managerial and technical means to include their residents in destination marketing in general and in electronic marketing in particular.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute for Public Services and Tourism, University of St. Gallen, Switzerland

    Thomas Bieger, Pietro Beritelli & Christian Laesser

Authors
  1. Thomas Bieger
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  2. Pietro Beritelli
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  3. Christian Laesser
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. School of Business and Enterprise, Queen Margaret University College, Edinburgh, Scotland, UK

    Andrew J. Frew

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© 2005 Springer-Verlag Wien

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Bieger, T., Beritelli, P., Laesser, C. (2005). Information Behaviour of the VFR market: The Case of Switzerland. In: Frew, A.J. (eds) Information and Communication Technologies in Tourism 2005. Springer, Vienna. https://doi.org/10.1007/3-211-27283-6_37

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/3-211-27283-6_37

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Vienna

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-211-24148-6

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-211-27283-1

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