According to the Travel Industry Association, 24% of U.S. adults say they have some interest in a volunteer or service-based vacation. About 11% said they now were more interested in such a trip than they had been five years earlier. The so-called "baby boomers" (ages 35-54) made up the largest proportion (47%) of those expressing interest.
Combining these opportunities can be efficient and memorable, but planning is needed.
Many voluntourists start by considering need and then find places near that need that offer budget travel opportunities.
Another budget travel advantage of this kind of travel: going as a group often results in some nice discounts.
Here are some Web sites where you can begin your planning:
About Adventure Travel: VolunTourism has a nice selection of links and articles from About.com's Guide to Adventure Travel.
i-to-i.com offers 10% discounts on trips involving community development, conservation, teaching and building projects, among others. Most of the efforts are focused on Africa, Asia, Australia, and Central and South America.
NGOabroad bills itself as a "custom fit" international service. You supply your interests and qualifications, and they reply with possible places of service. Consult with Ann McLaughlin, who has 25 years experience with such counseling, career transitions and international humanitarian work. NGOabroad also claims its prices are one-tenth that of most other volunteer programs.
United Way has a tie-in with Cheaptickets.com, but also hosts a section of their Web site designed to give help individuals and families find the best fit for volunteer work.
Voluntourism.org is a large Web site with links to resources for voluntourists.
Voluntourism: Pros, cons & possibilities is a helpful article by Susan Ellis, who discusses the advantages and possible disadvantages of this kind of travel.
