What is Voluntourism and how is this travel trend shaping up?

There is a new trend out there that is taking the travel industry by storm. It’s called voluntourism! But what is it exactly?

A combination of the words volunteer and tourism, it is mainly referred to as volunteer travel or volunteer vacation. The primary purpose of this trip is to volunteer for some cause. It could be distributing food to the poor or participating in cleaning drives, etc.

Although there are pros and cons to it as well, Voluntourism offers a new perspective on the world and this travel trend is rapidly picking up! Let’s dive into this trend deeper.

Voluntourism is a new modern style of traveling that is becoming increasingly popular around the world. Voluntourism is when people volunteer abroad while traveling. It is somewhat akin to “ecotourism” because the goal of improving life is always there. But unlike ecotourism, volunteering is about helping others rather than helping the environment. This involves tourists going on vacation or rather, missions to help out on a particular project.
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This volunteering abroad not only entails the tasks that a volunteer will perform, but it also offers tourists a chance to experience new places, learn about a foreign culture, and get to know people from other countries better. Time spent becomes an exciting and fulfilling vacation as you immerse yourself in another world helping those in need.

Volunteer trips are also much more sustainable because they deviate from the typical indulgence vacation. In voluntourism, you are responsible for the growth and change of others, which is a unique experience. So worth the trip to another country. much more than just “having fun” all the time.
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One thing is clear… going abroad and giving money and gifts to strangers, even if you do it out of love and with the best of intentions, may not really help. Ultimately, volunteering abroad is a rewarding and rewarding activity. Your hard work and commitment to changing the world will impact lives, not least yours.

Your responsibilities as a volunteer!

Now there are several responsibilities and expectations that come with this style of travel. They are…

• Communicate Your Needs: If you are not feeling well, you are not comfortable, you are not having the experience you would like, or there is something you do not understand, do not hesitate to communicate.
• Follow Through Obligations: Help improve the reputation of volunteers around the world by doing what you say. Do this by either acknowledging the volunteer role and schedule you have agreed to, presenting the work-ready, advising if you are unable to complete your duties, saying no, or stopping volunteering when necessary.
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• Don’t Promise If You Can’t Do It: This is very important in the world of voluntourism because it’s easy enough to accidentally overpromise when you’re excited to make a difference or do something good.
• To Take Care Of Yourself: It is each individual’s responsibility to ensure that they do not overwhelm themselves, burn out, or cause physical, emotional harm by taking on roles that are not a good fit or for which they are not prepared.

And that’s about it! This is Voluntourism and that’s how you can live the current travel trend. Hope this article was helpful and you do your bit to make a difference as well!