An emerging travel trend that combines spiritual, green, experiential travel and voluntourism, “meaningful travel” is an evolving niche in which the traveler is in a position to help the people of the destination through donating money, adopting a cause, volunteering or getting involved.

Think you can’t spare the time for volunteering abroad? Think again.

It would be lovely to be able to take off around the world for years, traveling from needy cause to needy cause and helping people all year round, but for most of us this just isn’t affordable, in terms of time or money…

Looking to impact women in an indigenous culture that your tourism dollars may not reach?

Travelers go to Tanzania to climb Mount Kilimanjaro or safari in the Serengeti, yet your tourism dollars may not benefit the country’s Maasai nomads, particularly the women.

While tourism has begun to bring this tribal culture to the limelight, Maasai women remain economically oppressed with very limited economic or job opportunities from tourism.

A recent New York Times article on volunteerism raised the question whether voluntourism – travel and do good abroad – is “simply an act of of affluent tourism masquerading as community service?”

This skepticism is not new. Variations have been circulated by critics and cynics of voluntourism who say that if you truly have the desire to help, why not just volunteer at home, in your local communities.

From ChaCha, a service that answers questions, comes a great interactive infographic that gives you the scoop on voluntourism all in one page!

This simple chart provides history and perspective on the voluntourism market by answering the following questions:

Guest post from Christopher Hill of Hands Up Holidays on volunteer travelers’ expectations and challenges faced by travel operators.

Volunteer travelers’ expectations for their volunteer trips largely depend on who is volunteering. While there are ‘general’ expectations that are applicable to most, if not all volunteers, such as a sense of purpose and fulfillment…

Looking for an unforgettable family volunteer trip this summer that takes you to an exotic locale far from your familiar ways of life?

Volunteering on Safari with Eco-Resorts. Explore the stunning beauty of the Mara region of Kenya while being fully immersed in one of the most culturally rich lands, gain insights to the local tribes, experience the natural beauty of marine and wild life and help some of the most impoverished people in the country.