Hosting friends and family as a sojourner in a tourism destination

This study explores the characteristics in the hosting experiences of foreign sojourners in Macao. In-depth interviews with 20 sojourners reveal that different strategies in hosting visitors, including the way sojourners prepare for hosting, attract guests with selective destination information, and design itineraries, are used. Such strategies are related to the way they use the local tourism space, shaped by their personal interest, previous leisure pattern, and their unhurried exploration of the destination. The findings are discussed with regard to literature on both visiting friends and relatives (VFR) and sojourners in tourism. The study draws attention to understanding sojourners as important agents in tourism and the importance of their hosting experience in destination management.