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Study and Research

VOLUNTEER TOURISM FACILITATORS: LEARNINGS FROM FIELD OBSERVATIONS IN NIYAKINAMA, RWANDA

Carla Barbieri, PhD
Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management
North Carolina State University, USA
Carla_Barbieri@ncsu.edu

Carla Almeida Santos, PhD
Department of Recreation, Sport and Tourism
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, USA
csantos@illinois.edu

Yasuharu Katsube, MS
Ohda, Shimane, Japan
yasuharu_katsube@hotmail.co.jp

For this issue of the research forum section of The VolunTourist Newsletter, we are pleased to share highlights from a recent article published by the authors in Tourism Management, 33 (2012), 509-516. This study reports on-the-ground observations of the role of project facilitators offering volunteer tourism opportunities in Nyakinama, Rwanda. Findings suggest that facilitators play an important role in providing a gratifying experience, especially as it relates to self-development, bonding with local people, and experiencing local lifestyle. At the same time, findings suggest that certain managerial actions and transparency measures must be introduced so as to maximize the social role of volunteer tourism.

Introduction

This study In response to the growth of volunteer tourism, countless NGO’s, charitable bodies, and commercial tour operators are available to facilitate volunteer tourism experiences. In spite of the proliferation of these organizations, missing is an examination of the relationship between facilitation of volunteer tourism and the volunteer tourists’ on-the-ground experiences (Gray & Campbell, 2007). Therefore, our study interrogates the facilitator -volunteer tourist relationship and the lived volunteer tourism experience. We used auto-ethnography and participant observation methods to capture personal volunteer tourism experiences, thoughts, and stories as they relate to the relationship between facilitation and implementation of volunteer tourism experiences and the volunteer tourists’ on-the-ground experiences. To do so, one of the authors --from here on referred to as the observer-- travelled as a volunteer tourist to Nyakinama, Rwanda. This report summarizes data collected through his observations and field notes including free-flowing conversations with other volunteers.

Nyakinama is a community of about 30,000 people mostly engaged in agriculture. This area, severely affected by the 1994 genocide and the 1996-1998 war against infiltrators, has a beautiful and fairly unspoiled landscape; it is also a gateway to the Muhabura volcano and the Sabyinyo Mountain, which are popular areas for gorilla trekking. Amahoro Tours, a company providing volunteer opportunities in Rwanda through community-based tourism and ecotourism, was chosen as the facilitator largely due to its philosophy and volunteer goals, as well as for being acknowledged as the leading facilitator of volunteer tourism in the region.

Study Observations and Discussions

A Mix of Work and Tourism

An element flowing from various definitions of volunteer tourism is the mix of volunteer service and tourism activities (Lepp, 2009; McGehee & Andereck, 2009). Overall, volunteer tourists were satisfied with the proportion of the time dedicated to their volunteer and tourism activities. However, some distressful feelings were evident regarding their working contributions as these were not seen as being maximized, confirming the sense of obligation reported in the extant literature (Lepp, 2009). Another cause of frustration arose when several volunteers reported not being assigned any task, which may be interpreted as the “reciprocal” nature of this activity in which volunteers benefit from intrinsic rewards, enjoyable visits, and non-demanding flexible work tasks in exchange for their fees and labor activity (Palacios, 2010; Tomazos & Butler, 2010).

A Desire to Assist Others

The observer’s experience and observations suggest that although volunteer tourists were assisting local institutions and projects in different ways (e.g., construction, education, medical services) they were all motivated by the spirit of service as previously reported (McGehee & Santos, 2005; Wearing, 2001). Those working at the local orphanage often expressed their interest in teaching activities as inspired by the potentially transformative and liberating role that education can play in helping Rwandans emancipate from poverty. Field observations further affirm that such spirit of service sustains the manifestation of current “life politics” among volunteer tourists by which young adults search for their own identity through helping others (Butcher & Smith, 2010).

Intrinsic Benefits for Volunteer Tourists

Field observations revealed a fulfillment of personal aspirations among volunteer tourists, summarized in the literature as a greater sense of self, personal growth, and a cathartic experience, likely derived from the close interaction with local people (McIntosh & Zahra, 2007; Raymond & Hall, 2008; Wearing 2001). Volunteer tourists perceived that their strong bond with locals started from their very first volunteer day and was nurtured throughout their whole experience mainly due to the openness of the local community. For example, although local builders possessed only a rudimentary grasp of English, their efforts to teach traditional construction techniques to the observer and his peer-volunteers was remarkable.

Tangible Benefits for the Host Community

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Volunteer tourism produces certain tangible benefits in Nyakinama. However, although building houses for local people and supporting the interim care are two evident benefits derived from the volunteer experience, greater effort and resources are needed to provide continuity in pursuing some of these benefits. For example, an unsteady supply of teaching volunteers at the interim care center often disrupts the continuity of class sessions, impacting students’ learning. Although, as other studies have pointed out (Gray & Campbell, 2007), the economic impact may be insignificant, housing projects do benefit the local economy by increasing sales for local brick makers and job opportunities for local builders. Building a house requires investing RWF 7,000 to 12,000 (US $12-21) in locally crafted bricks and about three months of labor involving three to four local master builders and fifteen assistants. It is important to note that the economic benefits of volunteer tourism in Nyakinama could be maximized beyond direct employment. For instance, the observer was the only volunteer tourist in the group who was being hosted by a local family, paying a daily rate of about $30 covering room and board. This money went directly to the local hosting family. Thus, greater effort encouraging volunteer tourists to stay with locals could increase and spread revenues directly to local families rather than diffuse them through longer distribution channels associated with formal hospitality facilities such as hotels and restaurants.

Use of Discretionary Time and Money

McGehee and Santos (2005) incorporated the use of discretionary time and income as a defining element of volunteer tourism. While both are equally needed to engage in volunteerism, timing shaped by individuals’ circumstances is suggested to be a paramount enabler of volunteer tourism (Tomazos & Butler, 2010).  With this in mind, Amahoro Tours accommodates short-term volunteers so as to reduce time and money constraints. Indeed, during the time the observer spent as a volunteer tourist, several tourists visited and volunteered for short period of times. Although the extent of the monetary investment can range widely depending on the characteristics of the experience sought (e.g., location, length of the experience), this was not an emerging topic among volunteer tourists in Nyakinama. Instead, the intrinsic rewards volunteer tourists were experiencing were at the forefront, highlighting once more the reciprocal nature of volunteer tourism (Palacios, 2010; Tomazos & Butler, 2010).

Final Remarks

Field observations suggest that although volunteer tourism is overall a satisfying and rewarding experience, project facilitators can change or adopt certain practices to support on-the-ground experiences that both broaden intrinsic rewards for volunteer tourists and create tangible benefits for the host community. On-the-ground volunteer tourist experiences in Rwanda reveal five elements that could be improved. 

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First, it is recommended that facilitators of volunteer tourism experiences structure and provide a clear work plan with specific tasks for volunteer tourists as part of the package they promote and offer. While doing so, facilitators need to recognize that enjoyment of volunteerism seems to be associated with flexibility and non-coercive tasks (Lepp, 2009).

Second, recognize the role of language barriers as potentially diminishing the bond and mutual cultural understanding between participants and local community members.  It is suggested that when possible, facilitators consider including and rotating members with predominant foreign language skills (e.g., English) among different volunteer task groups so as to foster a quicker integration of the volunteers with the local community. This practice can serve to diminish on-the-work-site confusion and miscommunication and increase intercultural communication opportunities; it can also contribute to more effective volunteer-local relations, as well as increased productivity. 

A third critical issue affecting the impact of volunteer tourism, and this project in particular, was related to the lack of continuity in the supply of volunteers. Although we recognize the nature and size of this organization as well as their undersized resources as compared to other volunteer organizations with a greater international scope, expanding networks and building partnerships with other organizations could increase the impact of social programs (Wearing et al., 2005).

Fourth, facilitators should increase transparency of the programs, activities, and organizational procedures for the distribution of benefits. Such measures can help to promote programs and operations among potential volunteer tourists, make intrinsic rewards of volunteers more tangible, and increase social legitimacy among locals. For example, volunteer tourists were unaware of the relatively large number of local builders hired as well as the equitable rotation of builders implemented as a way to spread benefits within the community. It is also recommended that facilitators of volunteer tourism experiences provide more detailed information of local services and options to volunteer tourists.

Finally, facilitators may also want to integrate customer service initiatives into their current programs in order to enhance volunteer tourist satisfaction. For example, developing channels to consistently monitor potential and current volunteer tourists and evaluate their experiences upon completion of their travels can help to program volunteer activities based on participant’s needs, which will subsequently improve services. Similar procedures can be targeted to local residents so as to identify community-generated priorities for the volunteer efforts. A system of formalized recognition could also be implemented as field observations suggest that both the volunteers and local workers would greatly enjoy and welcome the recognition of their hard work.

References

"Folk Dance Fourni Open Air Stone Theater - ICOT 2012" Copyright © Jan Jones, All Rights Reserved

Butcher, J. & Smith, P. (2010). ‘Making a difference’: Volunteer tourism and development, Tourism Recreation Research, 35 (1), 27-36.

Gray, N. & Campbell, L. (2007).  A decommodified experience? Exploring aesthetic, economic and ethical values for volunteer ecotourism in Costa Rica. Journal of Sustainable Tourism, 15(5): 463–482.

Lepp, A. (2009). Leisure and obligation: An investigation of volunteer tourists' experience at Kenya's Taita Discovery Center. Journal of Leisure Research 41(2), 253-260.

McGehee, N. G., & Andereck, K. (2009). Volunteer tourism and the “voluntoured”: the case of Tijuana, Mexico. Journal of Sustainable Tourism, 17(1), 39-51.

McGehee, N. G., & Santos, C. A. (2005). Social change, discourse and volunteer tourism. Annals of Tourism Research, 32(3), 760-779.

McIntosh, A. J., & Zahra, A. (2007). A cultural encounter through volunteer tourism: Towards the ideals of sustainable tourism? Journal of Sustainable Tourism, 15(5), 541-556.

Palacios, C. M. (2010).Volunteer tourism, development and education in a postcolonial world: Conceiving global connections beyond aid. Journal of Sustainable Tourism 18(7), 861-878.

Raymond, E. M., & Hall, C. M. (2008). The development of cross-cultural (mis)understanding through volunteer tourism. Journal of Sustainable Tourism 16(5), 530-543.

Tomazos, K. & Butler, R. (2010). The volunteer tourist as 'hero'.  Current Issues in Tourism, 13(4): 363-380.

Wearing, S. (2001). Volunteer tourism: experiences that make a difference. Oxon: CABI publishing.

Wearing, S., McDonald, M., & Ponting, J. (2005). Building a decommodified research paradigm in tourism: The contribution of NGOs. Journal of Sustainable Tourism, 13(5), 424-439.

Nancy McGehee, PhD., Virginia Tech University

 We hope you enjoyed this edition’s Research Forum!  If you have any questions or comments, please submit your questions to The Voluntourist Newsletter or e-mail Carla Barbieri at Carla_Barbieri@ncsu.edu

See you next issue!

Nancy McGehee , Ph.D.
Hospitality and Tourism Management, Virginia Tech
Blacksburg VA
nmcgehee@vt.edu

For more Study & Research Articles visit Dr. McGehee's VolunTourism Research Forum>>>

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