volunteer tourism essay
1. Introduction
At present these days, the prevalence of volunteer tourism has drawn the public’s attention. According to a survey, it is estimated that 1.6 million people take part in volunteer tourism projects each year (Tourism Research and Marketing, 2008 cited in Guttentag, 2009, p.538). Volunteer tourism is defined that volunteer tourism serves as an organized way to be engaged in holidays that might relate to provide assistance for some poor areas or alleviate their material poverty.(Wearing cited in Callan and Thomas, 2005). There are various types of volunteer tourism. Such as ecotourism, alternative tourism, respective tourism and sustainable tourism, etc (Sin, 2010). The first time volunteer tourism appeared was in the 19th century due to the driving force of class division (Callanan and Thomas, 2005). Since then, some goodwill activities and media have played an important role in accelerating the development of volunteer tourism (Callanan and Thomas, 2005). in this essay, i will argue the negative impacts, such as ignore local desires, labour demand decrease, or dependency increase and unequal relationship, outweigh the positive impacts of quality of living, advanced knowledge and cross-culture understanding. This essay is divided into six paragraphs. The first one, second one and third one will deal with the positive impact, such as quality of living, advanced knowledge and cross-culture understanding. Following paragraphs, it will move to three negative aspects, including ignore local desires, labour demand decrease and dependency increase and unequal relationship.
2.1. Positive impact
2.1.1 Quality of living
One of the main positive impacts is that volunteer tourism alleviates local poverty and facilitates local economic development by providing some development programs for host community. Some development programs introduced micro-finance and marketing and distribution of products (Zahra and Mcgehee, 2013). For instance, Local residents can
At present these days, the prevalence of volunteer tourism has drawn the public’s attention. According to a survey, it is estimated that 1.6 million people take part in volunteer tourism projects each year (Tourism Research and Marketing, 2008 cited in Guttentag, 2009, p.538). Volunteer tourism is defined that volunteer tourism serves as an organized way to be engaged in holidays that might relate to provide assistance for some poor areas or alleviate their material poverty.(Wearing cited in Callan and Thomas, 2005). There are various types of volunteer tourism. Such as ecotourism, alternative tourism, respective tourism and sustainable tourism, etc (Sin, 2010). The first time volunteer tourism appeared was in the 19th century due to the driving force of class division (Callanan and Thomas, 2005). Since then, some goodwill activities and media have played an important role in accelerating the development of volunteer tourism (Callanan and Thomas, 2005). in this essay, i will argue the negative impacts, such as ignore local desires, labour demand decrease, or dependency increase and unequal relationship, outweigh the positive impacts of quality of living, advanced knowledge and cross-culture understanding. This essay is divided into six paragraphs. The first one, second one and third one will deal with the positive impact, such as quality of living, advanced knowledge and cross-culture understanding. Following paragraphs, it will move to three negative aspects, including ignore local desires, labour demand decrease and dependency increase and unequal relationship.
2.1. Positive impact
2.1.1 Quality of living
One of the main positive impacts is that volunteer tourism alleviates local poverty and facilitates local economic development by providing some development programs for host community. Some development programs introduced micro-finance and marketing and distribution of products (Zahra and Mcgehee, 2013). For instance, Local residents can