Visiting Friends and Relatives (VFR) Travel in a Post-COVID World

This editorial article introduces the six articles in this Visiting Friends and Relatives (VFR) travel Special Issue. A call for submissions was undertaken in late 2021 to invite articles for consideration for a Special Issue dedicated to VFR travel. Despite the size of VFR travel and its relevance to countries around the world, research interest has not been as high as would normally be expected for such a substantial form of visitor movement. The COVID-19 pandemic presented a juncture for VFR travel. On one hand, VFR was the ‘biggest loser’ during COVID-19 as people most missed contact with friends and family. However, it may be the ‘biggest winner’ in a post-COVID world, as people were harshly reminded of how vital social connections are. The six featured articles in this volume bring together a broad range of perspectives on how COVID-19 impacted aspects of VFR travel. This editorial piece summarises those articles and outlines future directions and conclusions.