Vacation guilt. For most of us indulging in that extra slice of cheesecake on our Caribbean cruise or neglecting to slather enough sunscreen on our children would be examples of vacation guilt. But for others, spending a week of vacation sipping tropical libations while lying on powder soft sand on an island in the Pacific instead of building homes for those less fortunate is what truly constitutes as vacation guilt.
If you fall into the aforementioned altruistic category you may be thrilled to hear that you are in good company. In fact, you are in the company of so many other do-gooders that those in the travel industry have a name for programs designed especially for you– voluntourism packages.
According to the folks at the Travel Industry Association of America, the volunteer tourism trend is booming. In fact, a new study shows the percentage of travelers planning to volunteer during vacations in 2007 nearly doubled from last year, jumping from 6% to 11%. Of course, just because there are a myriad of programs available it doesn’t mean that all are noble and altruistic. Travel experts recommend that you check out the credentials of the organizations you are looking to volunteer your time with. (Bottom line: do your homework about your voluntourism operator before you commit to spending a week of your vacation working for them.)
One of the most well respected voluntourism organizations out there is called PEPY (Protect Earth, Protect Yourself). The group organizes bike trips through Cambodia to raise money for a variety of education, environment and health organizations. If you are unfamiliar with an agency it’s best to ask for a list of past participants. Tour operators say any reputable organization should be able to provide such a list.
If you are still on the fence about participating in voluntourism programs consider this: a recent study by the Corporation for National and Community Service found that volunteering is actually good for your health. “The Health Benefits of Volunteering” concluded that volunteers have greater longevity than their self-absorbed counterparts. In addition, those who volunteer were shown to have lower rates of depression and less incidence of heart disease.
So go ahead and book that volunteer vacation. In the end it will prove beneficial to you and the people and places you are lending a hand to.
In my next blog I will provide a list of some the more reputable voluntourism programs available.
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