Interdependencies in Visiting Relatives’ Travel: Uncovering the Nature, Meanings, and Dynamics of Host–Guest Interactions

Abstract

This study examines the role of visiting relatives (VRs) travel in enabling the interdependencies between transnational sojourners and their stay-behind family members. VRs travel is found to facilitate cross-border support exchange while preserving geographically stretched family ties. This study contributes to the theory by demonstrating that the current understanding of social exchange theory does not adequately explain the dynamics of VRs host-guest interactions, because some previously unidentified factors (e.g., felt obligation and family life cycle) also shape visiting and hosting behaviors. At a practical level, the findings help both sides better understand each other’s needs and respective roles in VRs travel. This study contributes new knowledge to the field of tourism planning and management, by revealing motives and patterns that lie behind VRs travel, while suggesting that the VRs travel market is more diverse than it seems to be, as parent and non-parent visitors tend to have different expectations of hosting.