Voluntourism, the red-hot travel niche, has attracted its share of industry self-regulation in hopes that its good intentions do not get exploited.
Planeterra, the non-profit arm of GAP Adventures dedicated to the development and support of small communities around the globe, recently released a checklist that voluntourist or tour operator may want to consider before putting together a trip or a voluntourism program.
Self-Evaluation
• When is my need to “do good” potentially a selfish act on my part?
• Am I helping or hindering by taking time …

Today ecotourism is a very trendy and politically correct way to travel. There is a strong movement to put green in travel. Tourism companies are rushing to put the green label on their products — after all, it’s lucrative. Travel and tourism is the largest business sector in the world economy and is responsible for over 230 million jobs and over 10% of the worldwide GDP. According to the World Tourism Organization, international tourist arrivals were up 2% to 924 million in 2008 and generated about $856 billion …

Responsible tourism is a hot topic that sparks passionate discussions on why we should do it and those in the tourism industry have long debated on how best to do it.
Recently, Shane K Beary, CEO of Track of the Tiger T.R.D. (Tourism Resources Development) in Thailand, sent us an article on the opportunity for responsible tourism during this current economic crisis and his proposal of an alternative structure to implement responsible tourism.
What do you think of his views? Do you agree with them?
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The Global Financial Crisis, Responsible Tourism Development & …

Photo by joka2000
The Partnership for Global Sustainable Tourism Criteria (GSTC Partnership), a coalition of 32 organizations is working together to create an increased understanding of sustainable tourism practices and pushing for the adoption of universal sustainable tourism principles.
Recently, Erika Harms, the Executive Director of UN Foundation and a key figure behind the global movement for sustainable tourism criteria and certification, spoke at a conference in Berlin about the importance of sustainable tourism.
According to Harms, sustainable tourism is not a luxury; rather, it is a necessity, just like health and quality …

We came across this article on development tourism, which includes voluntourism and travel philanthropy, as one way to address the pressing issues of the developing world –
The 2009 Sustainable Tourism Report predicts a dramatic rise in development tourism, particularly in Africa, as tourism operators are gaining momentum in using tourism to achieve the Millennium Development Goals — Poverty Eradication, Universal Primary Education, Environmental Sustainability, Gender Equality, and Child Mortality Reduction.
The report says “Numbers of disadvantaged countries can, at least be assisted with development tourism, which, properly instituted, can help to …

Whether voluntourism makes a difference is an on-going, often heated debate. The debate centers on whether voluntourism is altruistic or selfish and whether it is helpful or harmful to the local community. Both critics and supporters of voluntourism believe passionately their respective viewpoints are correct.

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We hear two recurring criticisms from some traditional service groups of voluntourism:
1. That it’s a feel good trip. It’s true, not every volunteer is motivated by altruism, but almost everyone enjoys the satisfaction that comes from giving. We think it’s dangerous …

Many companies that run volunteer travel programs or vacations charge fees, sometimes high fees, for the experience to volunteer. Some travelers are puzzled by why they have to pay to provide free services. The short answer – generally because the local organizations and projects that you volunteer abroad with have limited resources. They are seldom able to subsidize your trip or cover the costs of hosting you. These costs include housing, feeding and transporting.

Photo by dan4th
Besides, often when someone questions this cost, it reveals their underlying bias toward volunteer travel …