Volunteer Tourism: Experiences that Make a Difference (Hardcover)

Volunteer tourism describes a field of tourism, in which travellers visit a destination and take part in projects in the local community. Projects are commonly nature-based, people-based or involve retoration of buildings and artefacts (e.g. restoration of a Buddhist temple in Mongolia) This book provides an overview of the phenomenon of volunteer tourism, its sources and its development as a concept. Contemporary volunteer tourism has tended to suffer from a lack of differentiation from other forms of tourism or volunteering, falling into areas such as alternative tourism, international volunteering, social work and conservation corps work. The aim of this book is to provide it with a more specific identity. The book focuses on the potential positive social and environmental benefits of volunteer tourism, and the prerequisites for a successful experience.