English

Noun

voluntourism ‎(uncountable)

1. A type of tourism which combines traditional travel and tourism with volunteer work. Travelers are given opportunities to contribute money and/or time to causes related to their destinations.
   • 2014 April 21, Rafia Zakaria, “The white tourist’s burden”, in Al Jazeera America:

     As summer looms, many Americans — college students, retirees and others who stand at the cusp of life changes — will make similar choices in search of transformational experiences. An industry exists to make these easier to make: the voluntourism business. A voluntourist is someone like Jack, who wishes to combine exotic vacation travel with volunteer work.

Related terms

• ecotourism
• responsible tourism
• vacanteerism
• voluntourist

Translations

References

• Vacation Plans Add a Volunteer Wrinkle, Chicago Tribune, March 8, 2007.