Volunteering vacations involve helping local communities during vacations. The work varies from agricultural and environmental assistance to humanitarian work. Organizations offer discounted rates and bonding opportunities for families and friends. The trend gained popularity after natural disasters, and many travel organizations now offer volunteer travel packages.
Volunteering, or volunteer vacations, are a relatively new form of travel where participants spend their vacation helping local community efforts. The trend gained popularity after the 2004 tsunami that devastated large parts of Southeast Asia and has now spread around the world as an interesting variation on typical travel. Volunteering can be a wonderful way to see the world while doing charity and an opportunity to gain in-depth knowledge of local cultures that regular tourists will never get to see.
The work done on volunteer trips varies from place to place, determined by what is needed in the community. Some volunteers provide agricultural or environmental assistance throughout their stay, working to replant forests and grasslands or helping to survey wildlife populations. Others are involved in humanitarian work, building homes and renovating orphanages and hospitals, or partnering with medical clinics to provide much-needed supplies and treatment. For those with medical training, construction experience, or previous humanitarian work, special volunteer opportunities may exist to make the most of their skills. The work can be intense and difficult, but care is often taken to ensure volunteers have rest and free time to enjoy their surroundings as well.
Even if you aren’t paid for your work, organizations that charter volunteer travel vacations often offer heavily discounted rates at local accommodations and restaurants. Some tour packages offer special day trips or the chance to attend local events as part of your schedule. While volunteer travel is mostly done to help out, many people are also excited about the chance to travel for less money and enjoy some downtime as well.
In addition to the reduced price for volunteer travellers, many other factors make volunteering an attractive opportunity. It can be an incredible bonding opportunity for families or groups of friends, as many tours encourage bringing several people along with you on your trip. This method of travel will also give you the chance to interact with local residents and learn about the culture and life of the residents outside the typical touristic environments of upscale hotels and restaurants. For many, the greatest attraction is the opportunity to donate their time and skills to a worthy cause.
Volunteering has experienced a surge in popularity since the 2004 Asian tsunami and Hurricane Katrina in 2005. The devastating effects of these disasters in popular tourist areas have given travelers a new perspective on vacations, leaving many eager to help restore these areas and to visit them as tourists. Since then, this form of travel has flourished around the world, enticing millions of travelers to enjoy their vacations in a whole new way. Many leading travel organizations are now offering a wide selection of volunteer travel packages, allowing intrepid adventurers the chance to see the world, learn new things and leave their vacation spot a little better off for their visit.
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