A group of Habitat volunteer travelers to Vietnam believed they uncovered perhaps the next hotspot in the making during their break from volunteer duties. Though not quite the hotspot like Phuket in Thailand yet, Phu Quoc Island in Vietnam has all the ingredients of a hotspot — pristine beaches, untouched natural environment, easy going and relaxed atmosphere, good food, friendly locals — and the Vietnamese government is intent on making it a destination!
Earlier this year, a group of Americans and New Zealanders volunteering with Habitat for Humanity International to …

Poverty is in the spotlight, and helping the poor, dare we say, is in vogue. With rapid technology, images of the poor and messages of needs are quickly and frequently transmitted by media outlets, internet, and social media. The number of charity organizations is growing rapidly. Heart-strings are tugged, curiosity aroused, and people want to get involved. This interest in the poor has extended to travel.
Touring impoverished areas of the world is fast becoming a global travel trend. Inevitably questions arise.
Well-to-do Westerners are putting down serious …

Peru is a land that is full of nature’s beauty. While most people come to Peru to see the “Lost City of the Incas,” there’s much more to see beyond Machu Picchu. The country is also known for its culture, food, vast rainforest, temples, and a variety of wild life that roams the land. There are many mountains and deserts that provide a gorgeous backdrop. For natural wonders, Colca Canyon and Cotahuasi Canyon are the two deepest canyons in the world. The Cordillera Blanca mountain …

Unfortunately, they’re not often thought to be related. Travel is typically a form of consumption. You’re purchasing an experience, and most people when they travel aren’t really thinking about helping others along the way. That’s just what travel is traditionally.
Then there is volunteer travel abroad. Traditionally, this involves volunteering in a foreign country the entire time you are there. Some volunteers will travel around the country after their volunteer assignments, but many volunteers return home immediately after their stints. Their exposure to the host country is limited to interactions …

New York Times Op-Ed Columnist, Nicholas Kristof wrote an interesting column this past weekend, “Cum Laude in Evading Bandits” (May 31, 2009), encouraging students to travel. In some ways, it’s also a pronouncement of the education system.
The kind of travel he talks about doesn’t include enjoying luxury hotel services, sipping latte or cappuccino or visiting popular tourist venues. He’s talking about traveling to impoverished areas of the world where lessons on tolerance, diversity, human struggle, and compassion are better taught than in the classrooms. In fact, he advocates schools to …

Yesterday’s New York Times article confirmed what we have been saying, voluntourism or volunteer travel is resilient during this recession because people will find creative ways to source and pay for their travels if they feel their travels have value and meaning. Certainly, there will be adjustments and compromises as cost becomes a bigger factor in the decision-making process. But as the article noted, teens, in this case, will continue to go on service trips because these experiences are far too important for them to forgo. Schools are requiring …

A volunteer vacation to an impoverished community makes a lasting impression on a North Carolina college student

A veteran of several volunteer vacations, North Carolina college student, Melissa Hite, recounted her experience traveling to Belize. She first visited Belize back as a high school senior on a cruise and remembered walking down one strip of Belize City and concluded that the city had nothing to offer and went snorkeling. Then as a college senior, she was given the opportunity to go down to Belize on a two-week service trip and …