Introduction to VolunTourism
The "modern-day version" of VolunTourism started back in the 1960's with the PeaceCorps. From its inception, the PeaceCorps' philosophy was that volunteers can and should serve their country by living and working in developing countries, providing aid and assisting in the peace process by interacting with local cultures.

Since then, VolunTourism has evolved into volunteer travel and volunteer vacations for the leisure travel market. (For the meetings, incentive, convention, and event (MICE) industry, it has become a mechanism for expanding social responsibility, delivering purpose-filled teambuilding activities for attendees, and providing spouses with a much needed alternative to destination shopping sprees.) Now more than ever people are craving a sense of purpose in their leisure activities. Sitting on a beach still appeals to some, but for many people a more meaningful vacation is desired. This growing trend is addressed by VolunTourism

Technically, VolunTourism is defined as: a seamlessly integrated combination of voluntary service to a destination, and the best, traditional elements of travel - arts, culture, geography, history and recreation - in that destination.

More simply put, VolunTourism is traveling to another place to directly interact with the destination and its residents with the objective of improving their well-being through socio-cultural development or environmental conservation by providing volunteer assistance and/or goods.

For more information about VolunTourism, please visit our friends at VolunTourism.org or contact David Clemmons.

Why Volunteer Travel?
The VolunTourism movement is gaining momentum for a variety of reasons. Volunteers receive a greater sense of social responsibility while helping to improve the well-being of local people. Other reasons why volunteer travel is so important include:

	It provides volunteers with an opportunity to interact with a different culture and gain a new perspective of the world, deepening their understanding of humanity.
	It meets the growing need of individuals to feel a sense of purpose in connection with their leisure activities.
	People with far more personal wealth than is necessary to live a comfortable life are looking at new methods of philanthropy and distributing their wealth.
	The hands-on experience is becoming more prevalent as we pass from the age of checkbook philanthropy into the age of participatory philanthropy.
	Appropriate form of resource allocation from development assistance donors linked to either personal or corporate responsibility initiatives.

But what is most valuable about this type of experiential travel is that when the journey is complete VolunTourists realize that they have received far more than what they've offered to the destination and its residents. It is this realization that raises a question in the mind of the VolunTourist: who is, in reality, the one being served?

Get Your Program featured on our Web site
We are always on the lookout for VolunTourism programs that support sustainable tourism development. If your company has set up a program or charity that meets a majority of the following criteria, we would like to promote your initiative through our marketing outlets:

	Program development is undertaken and objectives are set in conjunction with local community leaders (or NGOs), taking into account their wisdom and local customs.
	Program offers opportunities for the local community to interact with foreign volunteers which is vital for the cross-cultural understanding many volunteers seek.
	Program provides environmental education for the local community and the foreign volunteers as well as opportunities for volunteers to explore the country they are visiting.
	Program provides local people with autonomy - the knowledge, skills, and the resources they need to sustain their community long after the project is complete.

For more information, please contact us.

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SUSTAINABLE TRAVEL INTERNATIONAL

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