September 8, 2008

Voluntourism catching on among travellers who want to give back

By Emma Reilly, THE CANADIAN PRESS

Annette Bering stands with local people in a Masai village in Ngorongoro Conservation area, Tanzania. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO - Worldwide Quest - Lewie Gonsalves

TORONTO - When Toronto resident Annette Bering went on safari in Tanzania in 2006, one of the most meaningful moments of her trip had nothing to do with witnessing the splendours of African wildlife.

Before returning home, Bering's tour group made an impromptu stop at a public school outside Arusha to drop off school supplies brought from Canada.

When the group learned the school was raising money to build a dormitory for its female students - who couldn't walk to school for fear of being assaulted en route - Bering and her 15 fellow tourists spontaneously passed a hat, leaving enough money to fund the dormitory in their wake.

"There was so much poverty. They had so little, yet they were happy," Bering said. "I came home feeling very humble from the trip, but very enthused to try and do more."

Whether it's a spontaneous gift or a planned gesture of help, a growing number of tourists are giving back to the countries they visit, said Lewie Gonsalves, president of Toronto-based exotic tour operator Worldwide Adventures.

"People want to be more than just camera-carrying tourists who take pictures and go home," Gonsalves said.

"There's a spontaneous feeling of 'how can I make life better' or 'how can I help in a tangible sort of way,' which is different from being back in Canada and sending money to a large organization, where there isn't that immediate sense of having interacted and made a connection with somebody."

This trend - known as "voluntourism" - is gaining popularity amongst travellers seeking experiences that go beyond the regular holiday feeling.

In April, Ritz-Carlton, the American hotel chain, implemented a program offering half-day volunteering sessions at local charities. The "Give Back Getaways" cost the volunteer anywhere from $70 to $160 US, a portion of which is donated to a local charity.

The programs can be assisting at a music therapy session for disabled children in Istanbul or feeding endangered iguanas in the Cayman Islands.

"We had a number of instances where properties had developed local programs that guests had expressed an interest in participating in," said Sue Stephenson, vice-president of Ritz-Carleton's community footprint program.

"This was an opportunity to introduce the guests to the programs we're already involved in with our local communities."

Since the program began, about 300 people have participated, Stephenson said.

Critics of voluntourism say it's a short-term feel-good experience for tourists who then return to the comfort of luxury hotels. They say there are more meaningful ways to help the needy in impoverished countries.

But Gonsalves argues that although many voluntourists do indeed enjoy luxurious vacations, their gifts are nonetheless meaningful.

He says the reaction of those people his clients choose to help says it all.

"You can tell by the reception you get, where the people are so excited - their eyes are sparkling," Gonsalves said. "That interaction is very genuine and very apparent."

Bering says her experience in Tanzania made a big impact on her - so much so that she and her teenage daughter sent care packages to the school she visited after returning to Canada.

"It's incredible the difference that one person can make in a country like that if they just took a moment to do it," Bering said.

Bering, who plans to travel to Africa or Southeast Asia with her daughter in 2009, says she plans to donate as much as she can while she's overseas.

"I have to. I feel in my heart I have to do that. Because I feel I have so much."