Holiday With a Twist: Volunteering to Travel, Traveling to Volunteer

chillibreeze writer — Sneha Bhat

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In an age where variety is the spice of life, vacationers are weary of mundane vacations comprising sun-kissed beaches and snow-capped mountains. There is more to a holiday than a tan!

Travelers are starting to seek adventure and novelty in their journeys; journeys that would help them grow as individuals and establish uniqueness in identity. As more people are made aware of volunteer tourism, the need for ‘giving back to your own’ becomes paramount.

Traveling with a purpose

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‘Voluntourism’ (volunteer tourism) grants an excellent opportunity to travel-lovers to get acquainted with new cultures, while attaining greater insights into international affairs. The practice of voluntourism allows for a sense of mutual reciprocity - a relationship based primarily on ‘give and take’. There also seems to be a growing need among people to put their time to better use. A combination of community service and leisure travel is what most people desire.

Voluntourism is a note-worthy endeavor that brings together the for-profit and non-profit sectors - two very important industries. Voluntourism vacations allow you to participate in humanitarian and disaster-relief work that benefits the local people. Tasks at hand could range from teaching children to constructing houses, from reforestation to saving endangered species.

Voluntourism offers you the opportunity to contribute to the local economy through your time and efforts. The number of people seizing this opportunity is certainly large enough for the tourism industry to take notice. Hotels across the world have also recognized the myriad opportunities voluntourism offers. Studies conducted by travel websites have shown a tremendous increase in the percentage of travelers volunteering since 2006.

Opportunities galore

The sudden sprouting up of Voluntourism Operators (VTOs) on the global front is inevitable. Some non-profit organizations have emerged in the light of the Tsunami and Hurricane Katrina. The tourism and hotel industries are put on a pedestal, with the travelers’ quest for voluntour packages.

A good instance of a well-known VTO would be PEPY (Protect Earth, Protect Yourself) that conducts bike trips across Cambodia to raise money for education and health benefits. Cross Cultural Solutions is another noteworthy organization that offers you a plethora of international voluntour projects as well as customized programs.

The luxurious Fairmont Hotel in Winnipeg, Canada has taken hospitality and community service one step further. By associating with Habitat for Humanity, it provides voluntour services to their guests. Habitat for Humanity is an international, non-profit organization that works towards building homes through volunteer labor to provide affordable and decent housing. The guests staying at the Fairmont, who avail of these services, devote their time and efforts to building homes. The hotel on its part ensures them a good night’s sleep in their cozy rooms.

Cambodia in south-eastern Asia is one of the world’s poorest countries. Its social and political conditions deny children basic education and healthcare. In the face of the latest trend of voluntourism, The Skyway Guesthouse in Cambodia adopts a ‘voluntouristic’ stance by providing opportunities to their guests. They can volunteer to teach English or computer skills to school children or assist in an orphanage.

Following the devastating destruction caused by hurricane Katrina, thousands of Americans rushed to the affected regions to help rebuild lives and properties. At Biloxi, Mississippi, the scene is no different. The Beau Rivage Resort and Casino has been frequented by voluntourists who, at the end of a laborious day, long for some respite. The Resort has 11 restaurants and a zestful casino, bar and shopping centre. Volunteers, who toil in the zone of reality outside, stay at the resort and enjoy the attractions offered. Voluntourism proved to be a god-send to the economy of Mississippi which had seen worst times.

Genuine voluntourism operators feel deeply about the cause they support and share a personal bond with the communities in which they offer services. Vacation operators are working hard to make certain that tourism has a minimal impact on the environment and maximum influence on the local communities.

A helping hand on holiday

Many critics perceive voluntourism as an unethical and spurious practice. Voluntourism services are essentially philanthropic and benign in nature. However, as is the case with most trends, money-making trailblazers have grabbed hold of the reins of voluntourism.

“Travel expands the mind; voluntary service expands the heart”. The mechanical world we live in has lost meaning. Voluntourism instills a sense of purpose and offers you different perspectives, all the while providing you with refreshing insights.

If ‘voluntour’ is what you really wish for, then go ahead and plan your whole vacation around a cause or commit two days for it. Voluntours cut across all boundaries of age, gender and background. You could share this exhilarating experience with your family or choose to encounter it single-handedly.

Chillibreeze's disclaimer: This is a contributed article and was published on Chillibreeze in January, 2010. The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author(s) and do not reflect the views of Chillibreeze as a company. Chillibreeze has a strict anti-plagiarism policy. Please contact us to report any copyright issues related to this article. The relevance of the facts and figures cited (if any) could change after a period of time.

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—About our writer:

Sneha says, "A Mumbai-based freelance writer and editor, I have completed my post graduation in Sociology from Mumbai University. Owing to my passion and enthusiasm for languages, I found myself in language editing and content writing in the past two years. My professional experience has been mainly in creative content writing. Currently, I am a Research Intern with the Tata Institute of Social Sciences. My other areas of interest include art, music, French, yoga, cooking, film, travel and photography. My dream job is to work with Discovery Travel & Living!"

Holiday With a Twist: Volunteering to Travel, Traveling to Volunteer

chillibreeze writer — Sneha Bhat

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