A new study coming out of Europe revealed a shift in consumer consciousness that is changing travel! People want their travel to be meaningful, feel good and have some impact in the world — not just for escapism or indulgences. So it’s no surprise that travel philanthropy and voluntourism are booming.

The explosive growth of social media in the past year has changed the way many of us do things like shop, get our news, get deals or simply engage with an expanding circle of people like never before.

A recent travelhorizons survey of 2,200 U.S. adults conducted by Ypartnership and the U.S. Travel Association revealed the following:

The internet has completely revolutionized the way we live. Typewriters, hand-written letters, and paper research are quickly becoming a part of a by-gone era. Methods we once used to obtain information, or stay in contact with loved ones are being replaced by emails, the internet, and of late, social media.  There are emerging signs now that social media is even taking over some of the functions of how people connected through more recent techno-advances like emails or instant messaging. Social media is injecting new life into philanthropy and new possibilities …