The popularity of “volunteer vacations” is hard to ignore. I have a clear bias towards the benefits of seeking out meaningful volunteer opportunities while abroad because I’ve been working for an NGO that offers these kinds of international travel programs for many years, and I’ve seen powerful, transformative results for both travelers and host communities. […]
voluntourism
Voluntourism: Do they really need our help?
In this month’s National Geographic Traveler, Costas Christ questions the ever-blossoming voluntourism industry in his article, The Giver’s Conundrum. As both a traveler and a staff member at a non-profit volunteer travel organization, this is something I think and talk about almost every day. The questions that come up are completely valid and, in my […]
Traveling in the Wake of Disaster
The oil spill clean-up is on, the aftershocks have subsided, the political riots are over, and the volcano’s ash is dissipating….in all cases, the local economy is suffering and tourism could sure use a bolster. But is it time to go? Most economies struggle greatly with a massive decline in tourism following a disaster, whether […]