Will the economy put a dent into your travel plans this year?
Despite continued economic instability, it is widely expected that travelers are planning trips — they are just looking and waiting for deals (see our recent post, 5 Big Value Destinations for 2010). Last year was awash with travel deals, but this year deals may be harder to come by. Many travel providers, such as airlines and resorts, have adjusted capacity or held off discounts, hoping the economy rebounds. This means travelers will have to be more creative to save …

Have you always dreamed of a volunteer trip to the Amazon for conservation work?
Fauna Forever is now offering a special, exclusive 10% discount off its conservation volunteer trips to readers of Travelanthropist.  The first five of our readers who book with them will get 10% off!
Imagine yourself waking up in the middle of a rain forest in south eastern Peru. You wake up, have a bite to eat, and first thing in the morning your off to study and collect data of some of the most unique and wondrous animals …

We’ve rounded up some interesting news and stories around the Web this week:

Social Action, Service Get An Emphasis In The Classroom (Oregon Daily Emerald)

Haiti Relief Groups Need Money, Not Volunteers (USA Today)

303% Rise In Interest In An Environmentally Friendly Holidays (Focus On Travel News)

Trendy Voluntourism: Is It Right For You? (Mercury News)

North Korea Welcoming U.S. Tourists Year-Round (Budget Travel)

Amtrak to Install Free Wi-Fi on Acela (Intelligent Travel)

Paragliding as Tourism Product in Northern Pakistan (Adventure Travel News)

Are you looking for some terrific travel values?
You’re not alone. According to a recent survey conducted among 1,000 travelers in the U.S. and Canada by Internet travel publisher, Travelzoo, 74% will vacation this year only if they found a good travel deal and 65% hope to travel internationally this year.
Travelzoo predicts five destinations to have exceptional value in 2010 based on market intelligence compiled from over 140 global deal experts employed by the company as well as current and anticipated deals. “Travelzoo’s worldwide team of deal experts research and verify …

The Red Cross has estimated that up to 3 million people may have been affected by Tuesday’s earthquake in Haiti. Many of us are looking for ways to help after hearing about the devastation. There is an immediate need for doctors and nurses. Otherwise, the consensus from most organizations is that money is needed most in relief efforts. They are not looking for clothes, food or volunteers right now.
Want to help immediately? Simply text ‘HAITI’ to ‘90999′ and a donation of $10 will be given automatically to the Red Cross …

We were interested to find out if people prefer doing their own (DIY) planning for their volunteer travel or go with a full- service travel company. We did an informal poll on our website and asked our readers. Here are the results …

Planning a voluntourism trip this year? There are no shortage of trips to satisfy even the most discriminate volunteer traveler. Pick your desire location or cause.
These five voluntourism trips are some of our favorites.
Wildlife Conservation in South Africa

Wildlife conservation in South Africa is a great opportunity for those wanting an African safari experience with a big difference. Working deep within the African bush, small teams will assist research scientists with vital conservation projects while also undertaking basic field guide training, such as tracking and wildlife identification skills. This is a …

We’ve rounded up some interesting news and stories around the Web this week:

Unique Holidays In Asia (EasierTravel.com)

RP Participation In Regional Tourism (Business Insight)

Deductions For Volunteer Work (Boston.com)

The Deadly Sin of Wanderlust: Is Long-Term Travel Selfish? (BraveNewTraveler)

Swiss Cities You Shouldn’t Miss (Chicago Tribune)