Voluntourism and adventure activism are increasingly popular and controversial at the same time. We talk to experts who know what you should bear in mind to ensure that volunteering on your holiday is profitable and sustainable for the local population, nature and wildlife in the destination – while at the same time a great, genuine experience.

Not just traveling, but giving something back to the country you are visiting. More and more people are attracted by the idea of voluntourism, i.e. volunteering while on holiday. There is a flood of exciting-sounding but sometimes very expensive offers on the internet. Many can be booked for stays of just a few days. For example, you can spend a week restoring traditional Maori land in New Zealand, help out in a kindergarten in Morocco or watch over turtles as they lay their eggs in Costa Rica.

“In principle, it’s a very positive thing that people go to places to help in their free time. But there are some examples where voluntourism doesn’t work at all,” says Dr Jürgen Schmude, Scientific Director of the Bavarian Centre for Tourism (BZT) and former Chair of Economic Geography and Tourism Research at Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität in Munich. He believes that the trend towards volunteering while on holiday was already well underway before the covid pandemic.

“In terms of sustainability, we should always look at the length of stay first. Traveling to the destination accounts for the absolute largest part of our carbon footprint. And if a volunteer flies to New Zealand, Morocco or Costa Rica, this is already quite large. I can only relativize this by the length of stay. I am an absolute advocate of travelling, but you have to think about the relationship between distance and stay.”

And of course – travelling by train and/or bus can of course change the equation.
The length of stay is important also from another perspective. In volunteer jobs that are closely linked to the local population, close relationships are also built up. For children in particular, it is difficult to constantly familiarize themselves with new people.

“If you want to work with people, you should be on site for at least six months. In a purely environmental project, the social component may not be as important, but here too you have to include this dimension,” says Prof Dr Schmude.

Volunteer doing a beach cleanup

What will be the outcome?

Mara Biebow, Junior Communications Manager at the communications agency Green Pearls, which specializes in explicitly sustainable accommodation and destinations, notes another difficulty:

“The experience is often the main focus of voluntourism and not necessarily the outcome of the project. Many providers also work commercially and have to make a profit. In the case of short stays, the familiarization period is almost longer than the time spent effectively contributing to the project,” says Mara Biebow and adds:

“I think you should start on your doorstep. If you only have a few days, you can think about getting involved with a local NGO in your home country.”

In her opinion, those interested should also consider their own reasons for taking part in a volunteer project.

“Why do I want to travel to a certain place? Just to feel better afterwards? Prestige is not very sustainable.”

Mara Biebow recommends primarily contacting local volunteer providers or international ones that work with local organizations.

“The locals in the country know best what is needed to provide sustainable help on the ground. Reputable providers create transparency,” she says.

“You should definitely find out in advance and not just blindly go ahead and book. And you have to be aware that it takes time and research to find a good organization.”

Positive effects of voluntourism

“In our studies, however, we see almost exclusively positive effects of voluntourism. Of course, I can’t offset my own personal development against C02. I understand if someone wants to experience a completely different culture and travels to Cambodia, for example. I always say you should travel with a brain. It’s ok as long as the ratio is right. You can leave behind a lot of positive things on site,” says Prof Dr Schmude.

He does not believe that the deployment of volunteers from abroad, who often pay large sums of money for their stay, could result in jobs being lost for the local population.

“I believe that this actually creates jobs, because locals can also learn from volunteers. They can then be replaced by the local population in the long term.”

He cites the construction of solar panels by volunteers in Africa as a particularly positive example. A project in which volunteers work hand in hand with the local population and both sides can enrich one another. In this context, Prof Dr Schmude also points out how important it is how you present yourself on site.

“A good provider prepares me. That is a sign of quality. If there are familiarization and introductory seminars that teach you the culture, history and way of life of the country.”

This also helps to avoid an unequal power structure, where the impression is created that the wealthy, privileged people from the western world come to teach and save the inhabitants of poorer countries.

Volunteer tree planting

Not an economic trend but an important niche

In addition to traditional voluntourism providers, some accommodation providers also enable holidaymakers to take part in voluntary projects or involve them in the sustainable development of the destination in other ways. In some mountain hotels in Germany, Austria and Switzerland, for example, guests can regularly take part in Alpine “Clean Ups.”

Another example is the Farmhouse Resort Smiling Gecko in Cambodia, which is also a training center for local people and part of a larger project with an integrated working farm, carpentry workshop and bakery.

Mara Biebow is as well of the opinion that, if approached in the right way, voluntourism brings great benefits for the local people and nature, as well as for oneself.

“If you find a volunteer provider where the local population is involved in the decisions and cultural offerings, then you have the chance to really think outside the box, get to know the inhabitants and socialize with people who are passionate about the same things you are.”

However, Prof. Dr Schmude does not believe that volunteering while on holiday could become an economically significant travel trend in the coming years.

“I believe that voluntourism will remain an absolute niche now and in the future. But a very important one. And for everyone who does it, it is of course a really great experience.”

 

Volunteering checklist:

8 things to consider

 

  1. Is the journey to the destination in relation to the length of my stay?
  2. If I want to work closely with people, especially children: do I have enough time to create a meaningful relationship?
  3. If I only have a shorter period of time available for my stay, can I consider a volunteer programme in the environmental sector that I can reach by train or work on local projects in my home country/hometown?
  4. Is it a local volunteer provider in the destination or an international provider that works with local organizations?
  5. How transparent is the organization and does the money I pay for my stay benefit the aid project or the local population?
  6. Is there any preparation for the project that conveys me the way of life, culture and history of the country and teaches me any project-specific skills?
  7. What is the local support like? Do I have contact persons I can approach with all my questions?
  8. Will the project be discussed and evaluated afterwards and will I have the opportunity to be informed of the progress?

 

Photos: Unsplash

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Karen Hensel
melanie.haas@norragency.com
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