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A wide range of expressions have been used to refer to residential mobilities related to leisure, a complex phenomenon whose conceptual boundaries continue to be difficult to determine under the conventional theories of tourism or migration. This study seeks to carry out a comprehensive and unbiased literature review to develop insights on an intricate context with contentious opinions about the operability of terms and a lack of precision regarding conceptual delimitations. By analysing the use of expressions over time, the regions involved, the research methods applied, and the themes covered, the contributions are a clear overview of the terminology employed and an overall picture of the research thus far covered. As a result, a polarized academic debate with two research trends is unearthed: on the one hand, the studies mainly preoccupied about emigrants’ issues; and on the other hand, those essentially concerned with the effects triggered on destinations.

A wide range of expressions have been used to refer to residential mobilities related to leisure, a complex phenomenon whose conceptual boundaries continue to be difficult to determine under the conventional theories of tourism or migration. This study seeks to carry out a comprehensive and unbiased literature review to develop insights on an intricate context with contentious opinions about the operability of terms and a lack of precision regarding conceptual delimitations. By analysing the use of expressions over time, the regions involved, the research methods applied, and the themes covered, the contributions are a clear overview of the terminology employed and an overall picture of the research thus far covered. As a result, a polarized academic debate with two research trends is unearthed: on the one hand, the studies mainly preoccupied about emigrants’ issues; and on the other hand, those essentially concerned with the effects triggered on destinations.

The lifestyle migration conceptual framework is based on the motivation for moving reported by the migrants themselves. We discuss the operability of this approach, which is built on the subjective assessments of individuals. It diminishes the actual importance of economic factors and has an underlying ideological element associated with the categorisation of people according to their nationality. A comparative analysis of residential variations by nationalities between 2005 and 2010 in Alicante (Spain) shows that, when faced with the economic crisis, the so-called lifestyle migrants are changing their mobility patterns in a way similar to the rest of the migrants. This calls into question the adequacy of juxtaposing lifestyle and labour migration. Both theory and research show that this duality, instead of clarifying applied research, makes it more difficult. We argue that the lifestyle migration framework is inadequate to study changes in mobility patterns, particularly when using a quantitative approach.

The lifestyle migration conceptual framework is based on the motivation for moving reported by the migrants themselves. We discuss the operability of this approach, which is built on the subjective assessments of individuals. It diminishes the actual importance of economic factors and has an underlying ideological element associated with the categorisation of people according to their nationality. A comparative analysis of residential variations by nationalities between 2005 and 2010 in Alicante (Spain) shows that, when faced with the economic crisis, the so-called lifestyle migrants are changing their mobility patterns in a way similar to the rest of the migrants. This calls into question the adequacy of juxtaposing lifestyle and labour migration. Both theory and research show that this duality, instead of clarifying applied research, makes it more difficult. We argue that the lifestyle migration framework is inadequate to study changes in mobility patterns, particularly when using a quantitative approach.