Good Will Traveling: Altourism Enhances Summer Vacation Plans
Sarah Hankel
- Published Content: 1
- Total Views: 80
- Favorited By: 0 CPs
Perhaps it was baby boomers lost opportunities (or those that they gained) with groups such as The Peace Corps, that provided the inspiration for today's booming volunteer vacation industry. On the other hand, perhaps the trend was motivated by frugal explorers eager for an adventure and willing to 
work for it. Either way, altruistic travel is becoming more popular each year, more accessible to a broader crowd and with more opportunities in destination and duty.
The condensed and catchy term, 'voluntourism' rather says it all.
A vacation in which you spend your time working on a volunteer project to benefit the community or region you are visiting. In return, the traveler's expenses are greatly reduced, often by half, with food and accommodations usually provided; and frequently, these costs are considered tax-deductible. (Tax deductions are variable and dependent on the agency that assists in the planning of your vacation.) From helping collect field data to caring for orphans with AIDS, there are myriad opportunities and a range of time commitments. Given all these various options for consideration, voluntourism is ideal for just about anybody who would prefer an adventure compared to sitting idle on a beach.
The Evolution
Certainly, the concept of volunteering has been around for quite sometime, and groups such as Doctors Without Borders, Habitat for Humanity, even the 80s-era entertainment group "Up with People!" shaped today's standard for altruistic travel.
Barb Swift of Washington, Iowa, has worked in the optical industry for nearly 15 years. In the past 4 years, she has served as a representative of her company in four different Give the Gift of Sight Missions. "I've been to Costa Rica twice, as well as Mexico and inner-city Los Angeles," Barb says. During these missions, Barb and a team of other volunteers will work all day long screening adults and children in need of glasses and corrective lenses sometimes seeing more than 25000 in a two-week trip.
The condensed and catchy term, 'voluntourism' rather says it all.
A vacation in which you spend your time working on a volunteer project to benefit the community or region you are visiting. In return, the traveler's expenses are greatly reduced, often by half, with food and accommodations usually provided; and frequently, these costs are considered tax-deductible. (Tax deductions are variable and dependent on the agency that assists in the planning of your vacation.) From helping collect field data to caring for orphans with AIDS, there are myriad opportunities and a range of time commitments. Given all these various options for consideration, voluntourism is ideal for just about anybody who would prefer an adventure compared to sitting idle on a beach.
The Evolution
Certainly, the concept of volunteering has been around for quite sometime, and groups such as Doctors Without Borders, Habitat for Humanity, even the 80s-era entertainment group "Up with People!" shaped today's standard for altruistic travel.
Barb Swift of Washington, Iowa, has worked in the optical industry for nearly 15 years. In the past 4 years, she has served as a representative of her company in four different Give the Gift of Sight Missions. "I've been to Costa Rica twice, as well as Mexico and inner-city Los Angeles," Barb says. During these missions, Barb and a team of other volunteers will work all day long screening adults and children in need of glasses and corrective lenses sometimes seeing more than 25000 in a two-week trip.
