The growth in popularity of volunteer vacations continues with the latest Travelocity poll finding more than one third of respondents likely to make such trips next year.
“While more and more concerned citizens are looking to enrich their travel by volunteering on vacation, many still don’t know where to begin or what types of itineraries fit their needs,” says the company.
As a result, Travelocity and IgoUgo launched a “voluntourism” community where users can share trip experiences.
“By exploring the voluntourism community site, would-be volunteer vacationers are able to see photos and read first-hand accounts of other travelers’ experiences,” the company says.
“The idea of going off to a remote destination to volunteer can be daunting to many people, and the best way to find out if a trip is right for you is hearing straight from other people who have gone,” said Jeffrey Glueck, chief marketing officer for Travelocity.
Such trips can involve anything from orphanages to addressing environmental concerns.
Report by David Wilkening
