Blending ‘home’ and ‘away’: young Israeli migrants as VFR travelers

Lirit Ashtar, Amir Shani, Natan Uriely

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

16 Scopus citations

Abstract

This study explores the nexus between migration and tourism by focusing on the experiences of young Israeli migrants who engage in return-visits to their country of origin. The experiences of the migrants are examined with respect to transnational theory, VFR (visiting friends and relatives) travel and conceptualizations of ‘home’ and ‘away.’ The migrants’ sense of ‘being at home’ is deconstructed in terms of familiarity with place, privacy and situational control, and sociability in associations. The findings of this multidimensional analysis reveal that the young migrants’ experiences of ‘home’ and ‘away’ is transformed across time in accordance with their sense of adaptation in the receiving country. While in terms of familiarity with place and sociability in associations the sense of being at home is weakened considerably, it is actually strengthened in terms of privacy and situational control. These findings stress the complexity of VFR experiences in the context of transnational migration.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)658-672
Number of pages15
JournalTourism Geographies
Volume19
Issue number4
DOIs
StatePublished - 8 Aug 2017

Keywords

  • VFR travel
  • migration
  • sense of home
  • transnationality

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Geography, Planning and Development
  • Tourism, Leisure and Hospitality Management

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