Benefits and opportunities of international volunteer tourism – sustainable travel post pandemic

Purpose – This paper aims to introduce the theme issue question “why and how should the international volunteer tourism experience be improved?”. Design/methodology/approach – An Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) funded Festival of Social Science event entitled “Pursuing Quality in International Volunteering” was held at the University of Brighton in November 2013. This event brought together academics and practitioners in a successful debate, but it was also recognised that this was the first step on a long journey. The articles in this theme issue are drawn both from attendees at the ESRC event and from the wider international volunteer tourism network of academics and practitioners. Findings – This paper introduces the key stakeholders of international volunteer tourism and the extent to which their voices are prominent (or not) in respect of the issues of achieving quality. Further, the paper highlights a number of quality mechanisms that are offered as solutions to the challenges that currently beleaguer international volunteer tourism. Research limitations/implications – Whilst not all the key stakeholder voices are represented in this theme issue, the discussions and implications that are drawn out are of importance to all stakeholder groups. Originality/value – This is the first time a journal issue has focused on the challenges of achieving quality in respect of international volunteer tourism.

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Why and how should the international volunteer tourism experience be improved?

Worldwide Hospitality and Tourism Themes ◽

10.1108/whatt-01-2015-0002 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 7 (2) ◽

pp. 208-214 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Angela M. Benson

Keyword(s):

Design Methodology ◽

Best Practice ◽

Volunteer Tourism ◽

Theme Issue ◽

Content Type ◽

Tourism Experience ◽

Wide Scale ◽

International Volunteer ◽

Made In

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to summarise the contributions made in this theme issue and draw conclusions about the issue’s key question “Why and how should the international volunteer tourism experience be improved?”, thereby providing a theme issue conclusion. Design/methodology/approach – This paper summarises and critically reviews the seven articles that have contributed to the theme issue. Findings – International volunteer tourism is a growing phenomenon that has received much criticism in the last decade and whilst there are a number of mechanisms to improve the quality of this sector as yet, there is little evidence to support any conclusion that there is wide-scale success in achieving best practice in quality assurance within the sector. Originality/value – This theme issue explores international volunteer tourism from a range of contributors, academics, a practitioner and a travel writer, who have engaged with a range of stakeholders to offer different perspectives. The theme issue as a whole offers the reader an opportunity to engage in a unique and wide-ranging discourse on quality and international volunteer tourism.

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Will their absence make a difference? The role of local volunteer NGOs in home-stay intermediation in Ghana’s Garden City

International Journal of Tourism Cities ◽

10.1108/ijtc-08-2016-0018 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 3 (1) ◽

pp. 69-86 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Esi Akyere Mensah ◽

Elizabeth Agyeiwaah ◽

Alexandru O. Dimache

Keyword(s):

Design Methodology ◽

Economic Viability ◽

Garden City ◽

Volunteer Tourism ◽

Content Type ◽

Governmental Organizations ◽

Qualitative Approaches ◽

Non Governmental Organizations ◽

International Volunteer

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the role of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in home-stay arrangements in Ghana’s cultural city, Kumasi, and further assess NGO intermediation of home-stay from home-stay operators’ and international volunteer tourists’ perspectives. Design/methodology/approach A mixture of quantitative and qualitative approaches is used to target three main stakeholders of volunteer tourism including international volunteer tourists, home-stay operators, and local NGOs. Findings There are seven major roles played by volunteer NGOs in the home-stay arrangement. However, from operators’ perspective, NGOs may hinder the economic viability of home-stay through inadequate/low payment. Originality/value The study highlights the unexplored brokerage role of NGOs in volunteer tourism in home-stay intermediation and its implications for sustainable tourism.

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