An Overview

Balance - this one word is worth far more than a thousand pictures! If VolunTourism is something that you are seriously considering as a new product/service for your outfit, then you will want to put this word on your bathroom mirror. To be successful, a tour operator must create a VolunTourism itinerary that maintains the balance between voluntary service and the traditional, and non-traditional for that matter, tourism elements of an itinerary.

Tour operators have a number of VolunTourism Models from which to choose. Which one will best serve your company, your clients, and your stakeholders? By being absolutely crystal clear in relation to your motives, goals, and objectives, and most important, your expectations, you will be able to select a suitable model from those that are currently in operation around the world.

You may adopt the approach taken by Tauck World Discovery in Yellowstone National Park. (Note Day #5 of this itinerary.) You may decide that Alexander Souri has an exceptional model in Relief Riders International. You may like what Shane Beary, Nick Ascot, Charles Motley, or Nikki Bond are doing through their respective operations in Thailand, Peru and elsewhere. Or, you may prefer the work of Beth Kelly's team headquartered in Saint John, New Brunswick. Each has a uniqe style, a varied blend of voluntary service and travel.

How you incorporate VolunTourism into your business will likewise have a unique and varied blend. BUT... It must work for you, your team, and all of your constituents. Be prepared to evaluate and modify your model accordingly as you receive feedback from all of your stakeholders.

You may also wish to review a recent article published on the Cornell University School of Hotel Administration web site. Christina Heyniger, Founder of Xola Consulting, and Kristin Lamoureux, Director of The George Washington University's International Institute of Tourism Studies, are the authors of a study on Adventure Travel and Volunteering.

For additional resources, look to archives of The VolunTourist and other sections of this website. Should you have in-depth questions about how to approach VolunTourism as a Tour Operator, feel free to contact us.

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THE VOLUNTOURIST - Past Webcast for Tour Operators

Brent Dalrymple, Manager, Sunrise Tours Tour Operators & VolunTourism - February 26 , 2008 Synopsis What are tour operators doing to incorporate VolunTourism into their product & service offerings? Why are tour operators designing VolunTourism product & service offerings? What are the perceived benefits vs actual benefits for tour operators that include VolunTourism in their product & service offerings? Guests address these topics and discuss others during this episode of The VolunTourist. [Listen To The Webcast] (Click Here To Download) Guests Allison Clark, Senior Product Manager - Africa, Collette Vacations; Brent Dalrymple, Manager, Sunrise Tours.   Suggested Readings From The VolunTourist Newsletter The Partnership VolunTourism Model - In this article tour operators are encouraged to seek partnerships with other operators and/or nonprofit organizations to enhance their VolunTourism programs and to mitigate risk. Outbound VolunTourism: National Tour Association (NTA) Panel Session Recap - This is a recap of the 2005 NTA Panel Sesion on VolunTourism with comments from Carlye Cook (Tauck World Discovery) and Gail Bremner (Aquila Tours). Outbound VolunTourism: Tauck World Discovery & Yellowstone National Park - This article discusses the unique VolunTourism program designed by Tauck World Discovery in partnership with Yellowstone National Park.