Tour Types
Responsible tourism and voluntourism.
In producing this website we have found that voluntourism, volunteer travel, responsible tourism and other ethically motivated/inspired holidays interlink in so many ways that we have decided to offer the whole range of different tours and experiences under the heading of responsible tourism, in itself a term for doing the right thing.
We have been travelling for many years since living and working in the highlands of Papua New Guinea in the seventies; our travels have shown us both the positive and negative side of travel.
We want this website to encourage all travellers young and old that responsible tourism and travel are a force for good in the world and that we can change the world a step at a time if we have the will to do so.
Voluntourism is a new term which we discovered when following the Tsunami in 2004 we realised, like many in the travel industry, that tourism had stopped totally in the affected areas and that many people were consequently without a livelihood. We wanted to help, but in a practical and direct way rather than solely with a donation. So we went out to Sri Lanka, one of the worst affected areas, to see if it was possible for us to make a positive difference, no matter how small.
It soon became clear to us that there were a great many people who wanted to help. Many were frustrated that they could not get more "hands on" but could only spend one or two weeks in the area and could not spare more time to join the usual volunteer programs. It was apparent that there was a great need for organised tours whereby volunteers could spend part of their holiday, however short, helping in bona fide and worthwhile projects - not just in Sri Lanka, but throughout the world.
Upon our return we researched the availability of such holidays and discovered voluntourism - which broadly described programs offered by some tour operators that combined holidays with the opportunity to join ongoing volunteer programs.
We decided to create a website that brings all these responsible holidays together; making it easy for you to find the right tour or programme you want to participate in and this website is the result.
Each supplier must meet our criteria and provide a responsible tourism policy and information on how each tour benefits the local community or the environment.
In our Voluntourism, Volunteer programs and Responsible Tourism sections we only feature tour companies and accommodation providers that are economically, socially and environmentally responsible.
We hope you enjoy the site and find an exciting and rewarding responsible travel experience.
Lynda and Len Hough
April 2008
Click on the links below for information on the criteria providers must meet and more information on voluntourism.
Voluntourism and responsible tourism.