Voluntourism: Spring Break Can Be a Time to Give Josh Lew - Mother Nature Network | |
go to original March 11, 2015 |
Mexico Tourism Board - Voluntourism! (MTB-USA)
For millions of college-age kids, spring break is a time to take out the swimwear and head to the beach. Destinations along the Gulf Coast, Florida and Mexico are overrun with young travelers during March and April, and most of these young visitors spend their days sunbathing and their nights partying.
But more and more young people are passing up the revelry and choosing a different type of spring break experience. A style of travel known as voluntourism has become an exciting alternative for more young travelers - and for more travelers in general.
In fact, it’s hard to define voluntourism as a single type of travel experience. Some volunteer vacations bring travelers to national parks or protected areas to engage in conservation and clean-up efforts. Others feature work on not-for-profit farms or low-income housing projects. Some vacations take travelers further afield. They go overseas to rural communities to teach English or spend time with disabled orphans.
Volunteer vacation price tags vary. Many international volunteer trips include room and board, so they could be classified as all-inclusive. The overall cost is often similar to a standard spring break vacation.
So why is volunteer travel becoming more popular? Because the companies offering them realize that people who participate want to give, but they also want to gain.
Read the rest at Mother Nature Network
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