The topic

I am interested in the experience of immigrants in the Toronto area who have hosted friends and relatives from overseas, particularly in regards to their sense of integration- does the experience of hosting and playing tour guide inspire people to find new things to do, to see, and to engage with?  Do these experiences that are shared with those with whom there is a close relationship change the way they feel about living in Toronto?  Does it make it a more friendly and engaging place?  Have their habits and sense of place changed since hosting?

Implications
What, then, are the implications, if any, for both agencies who work with newcomers, and for destination marketers?  Are there opportunities to partner that would see immigrants encouraged and facilitated to host that could lead to improved integration, as well as improved experiences for visitors, and increased awareness of the destination in the immigrants home country?

VFR and Immigration
Immigration creates this type of tourism (Visiting friends and relatives, or VFR), and also helps develop the cosmopolitanism and culture that is used to attract tourists in general (see Tourism Toronto's list of neighbourhoods for example).  In a city such as Toronto where almost half of residents were born outside of Canada it is no surprise that VFR accounts for a large proportion of visitors (48% in Toronto in 2011).  However, the market is traditionally not engaged by the tourism sector; or more specifically, residents (including immigrants) are not acknowledged as a useful and viable channel to communicate with actual and potential visitors.  The benefits of engaging residents in tourism promotion could improved VFR volume and behaviour, but also encourage residents themselves to participate in local events and attractions, developing local culture, enhancing social capital, and making their community a more interesting place to live and visit.

Existing efforts

However, it must be noted that the Ontario Tourism Partnership Corporation (OTMPC), the government agency responsible for destination marketing, has this summer (2012) started a campaign targeting newcomers (p. 18) to Ontario, not just as hosts of VFRs but also as potential visitors within the Province themselves. The Ministry has also published research on the potential for VFR in general and states that:

"The notion of promoting VFR within the host community rather than the potential guest population would seem to make good economic sense. Hosts are, by definition, easier to reach from a simple geographic perspective. Perhaps, more importantly though, they are receptive to the idea of promoting the province and already exhibit the required behaviours. They are already primary catalysts of the decision to choose Ontario and, presumably can be easily persuaded to do so even more effectively if equipped with the necessary information and tools." (p. 8).

There is some interest in VFR as a sustainable and positive form of tourism therefore, however its operationalisation has yet to truly gather momentum.