Analyze an evaluate the impact of volunteer tourism on host Essay

Analyze an evaluate the impact of volunteer tourism on host communities - Essay Example Introduction Volunteer tourism refers to the travel to destinations not only for leisure but also to participate in charitable projects, in which the traveler is interested, on a voluntary basis. This is therefore a form of tourism that poses both the tourist and the host to vast social interaction, leading to cultural exchanges and understanding of each others’ ways of living. These interactions are bound to result to modifications in the host environment (destination) depending on the types of projects participated in and their levels of intensity (Guttentag, 2009). Besides social interaction, this type of tourism has a range of impacts both beneficial and detrimental to the local community. Positive impacts include cultural identity, cross cultural awareness and appreciation, economic development of the local community (depending on the kind of activities participated in), global interactions, job creation which finally eliminates the problems of unemployment and poverty in the destination area (Guttentag, 2009). ... so exposed to higher levels of environmental pollution owing to the tourists way of life that encourages plenty of garbage disposal from packed and carry-away foods, the containers of which if not well disposed leads to increased pollution. This paper seeks to analyze the possible positive and negative impacts of volunteer tourism to the host community in a wider detail while at the same time evaluating them in a sustainable approach that will provide an attainable balance of tourism and its activities/projects. Background of Volunteer Tourism In the 19th century, voluntary activities had their emergence from the altruistic and missionary movements so as to curb the very specific and clear class divisions that existed in the society. Many institutions created to curb these divisions relied on volunteer workers. In the second half of the 20th century, volunteer sector and international tourism growth as a social phenomenon changed. Mass tourism growth exposed tourist to international cultures in an uncontrolled and exploitative manner. With the emergence of concepts like eco-tourism, responsible tourism and sustainable tourism as the alternatives to mass tourism, the media played a key role in exposing the exploitation of resources and communities on a global scale and the very clear divisions between the poor and the rich. The success of international initiatives to provide promotional outlets for the voluntary and charity contributions saw the growing attention to goodwill activities. (Michelle Callanan, 2009) In the recent past charities have teamed up with tour operators to create combined fundraising and adventure holidays with an aim to promote an image of ethical and social responsibility. The motive for tourists to engage in voluntary tourism originates from