The term Voluntourism refers to the practice of people, generally Americans, traveling with the intention of engaging in community service abroad. This style of travel has gained popularity in recent years, as it provides individuals with the opportunity to travel as a tourist while contributing to the local communities. In theory, this seems like a wonderful combination. The service aspect of the trips may justify high price tags for travelers or incentivize students to participate. However, studies have shown that this type of community service may in fact be causing more harm than good.

According to a study published in Trove Journal, Voluntourism is “one of the fastest growing trends in Travel today.” According to their reporting, over 1.6 million tourists spend approximately 2 billion dollars each year to participate in volunteer trips. The New York Times found that women and young adults aged 20 to 25 make up the largest demographic of voluntourists. Additionally, they noted that the trend is spreading to high school aged students as well.

The majority of volunteer tourism takes place in developing countries. Common destinations include countries in Central America, South America, and Africa. Many travel websites and magazines, including U.S. News, The Guardian, and Travel + Leisure have articles on the top destinations for volunteer trips and recommend different companies that facilitate these experiences. While these trips have received some positive attention from the media, there is mounting academic evidence that suggests that these experiences result in negative outcomes for the communities they aim to help.

Retrieved from: Wikimedia Commons User Mvaydar

The commercialization of community service is a primary concern within the Voluntourism sphere. A study in the Tourism Recreation Journal explained that, “Well-meaning volunteer tourism organizations, involving international volunteers in local community and environmental development projects, have been increasingly criticized for increasingly commercialized business models.” Many for-profit companies offer volunteer experiences. These groups have been criticized for employing controversial marketing strategies aimed at attracting consumers and for hoarding profits as opposed to financially serving local communities.[1]

A study published by Telegraph Magazine found, “it was those who said the least about being responsible that cost the most, on a price-per-day basis.” Though circumstances vary for different projects, it is important to note that not all volunteer companies are financially ethical. Furthermore, some critics have argued that the money spent on travel costs benefits airlines and travel agents far more than it serves the target communities.​Many travelers who embark on these trips are there to provide free labor, build houses, work in schools, or help in animal sanctuaries. Most of these tasks might otherwise provide job opportunities for those living in the community. However, the free labor from tourists abroad fulfills this need and eliminates the opportunity to derive any income from these projects. ​

Photo by: Flickr User Thomas Wanhoff

Other studies have found that voluntourism may create problematic cross-cultural relationships. Social media has contributed to these concerns, as privileged travelers post images of their experiences. The Wilson Quarterly published an article examining these dynamics, “The commercialization of charity gets more problematic when considering the demographics of volunteers and their hosts. Though sub-Saharan Africa is the primary destination for voluntourists, the visitors themselves . . . are primarily white students from Europe, North America, Australia, and New Zealand. The gaps in culture, background, and privilege are apparent on social media, where some participants post preening ‘selfies’ with indigenous children and use hashtags like #InstagrammingAfrica to share a filtered version of their glamorous lives.”

Paternalism is a serious concern within this realm. Many studies have examined the way in which communities depend on traveling tourists and ultimately fail to develop from within. One study examined the ways in which “students are invited to participate in such cultural practices while recruiters give little or no information about the lived realities of people in poor nations.” This paper argues that this lack of background contributed to the growing problem “that voluntourism reinforces the dominant paradigm that the poor of developing countries require the help of affluent westerners to induce development.” Another study focusing on volunteer tourism in Honduras found that, “while ostensibly ‘helpful’, volunteer tourism in Honduras is often harmful, entrenching paternalism and inequitable relationships; and that many voluntourists are ignorant of the underlying power and privilege issues inherent in voluntourism.”

Retrieved from: Wikimedia Commons User Antonix Wayfarer

Though there are many concerns regarding voluntourism as an industry, traveling abroad and interacting with different cultures is not an inherently negative enterprise. As this industry grows and more attention is brought to these concerns, consumers will have more resources to make responsible and informed decisions. Moving forward, travelers will need to harness their good intentions, educate themselves on how to help, and listen to communities as they organize future projects.

Citations:

1. Wilkinson, Ben, Judith McCool, and Genevieve Bois. Voluntourism: An Analysis of the Online Marketing of a Fast-growing Industry. The International Journal of Communication and Health, 12 Apr. 2017.