Volunteer tourism and travel volunteering

Abstract

This chapter explores the nature of volunteer tourism and travel volunteering as part of the larger section of this book on the purposive types of volunteers and volunteering. This new type of volunteering now constitutes a burgeoning segment of the alternative tourism industry that goes far beyond both the traditional notion of volunteering and traditional mass tourism. This chapter explores many key debates that underpin volunteer tourism, in particular the various issues and dimensions evident in various cultural contexts. We also provide an understanding of the reasons why some consumers use their tourism leisure time to volunteer. Our focus will be on international volunteer tourism, excluding domestic tourism volunteering.