[Travelandtourism] What Is Travel Philanthropy?

[STEPHANIELSCOTT at aol.com]

What Is Travel Philanthropy? 
Posted: 04/13/2012 7:00 am  
(http://www.huffingtonpost.com/elevate-destinations/what-is-travel-philanthro_b_1405994.html?view=print&comm_ref=false) 



 


 
 
 
 
 





 

In an age of increasing awareness of world issues and global needs, there 
has  been a recent surge in travel philanthropy or, more simply put, using 
travel as  a means to give back. The problem many people face when it comes to 
this,  however, is that it can seem overwhelming. Well-intentioned people 
who truly  want to make a difference simply don't know where to begin, or 
whether or not  their efforts will really have an impact. 
The crux of travel philanthropy can be summed up in four C's: Caring,  
Confusion, Connection and Challenges.  
Caring
What was once reserved only for the ultra-wealthy,  missionaries or members 
of the Peace Corps has now become a social norm. More  and more consumers 
want to get involved and do something -- anything -- that  will help causes 
that matter most to them. Rather than simply donating cash,  people are 
beginning to feel compelled to help in a more hands-on way. What  better way to 
do so than by traveling to areas in need? 
Confusion
Unfortunately, caring isn't enough to effect  change. Just because you 
care, doesn't mean you know how to take that next step.  People want to help, 
but find themselves confused on exactly how, where, how  much, what it will 
demand of them and what kind of commitment they want to make.  
To offer some clarity, philanthropic travel can be divided into three  
different categories:
    *   Donor Travel: This is for committed philanthropists  that want to 
witness their investments at work in real-life situations. Donor  travel is 
deeply moving, can upset idealism but ultimately brings people  closer to the 
issues and communities that they care about. It also deepens  sustainable 
investment and strengthens the connection between travelers and  community 
organizations.
    *   Private Travel: This is for travelers that want to dig a little  
deeper during a vacation in terms of cultural and community exchange. Private  
travel often involves families that want to pass on values of caring or  
service to the next generation. It can be particularly challenging because  
each traveler or group of travelers is different and may have different goals  
for their trip.
    *   Urgent Service Travel: This category offers travelers  intense 
volunteer opportunities in second-response disaster zones, such as in  Haiti and 
Japan. Urgent service travel is particularly attractive to many  people 
because it is less expensive than many other offerings and can be a  good fit 
for citizen-travelers from all walks of life. Anyone from police  chiefs and 
merchant marine officers to teachers, health professionals and  students can 
get involved. In addition to the trip cost, travelers are  typically 
required to raise a minimum amount for the project. 
Connection
Philanthropic travel is becoming more popular  because people are becoming 
more eager to reconnect with humanity. One of the  most effective ways to do 
this is by connecting with and serving others. In a  world that has become 
increasingly competitive, commercial and electronically  driven, many people 
are finding the need to rediscover their own sense of  meaning. Vacations 
are no longer just recreational. Service and other forms of  philanthropic 
vacations offer a remembrance and restoration of a humanity many  of us are no 
longer practicing in our everyday lives. 
Challenges 
Of course, as with any volunteer-based  program, travel philanthropy is not 
without its challenges. The main challenges  that must be overcome include: 
    *   Vetting: With so many volunteer opportunities and  organizations 
and no ranking system or review site like those that exist for  hotels, tour 
operators or other stakeholders in the travel sector, it can be  extremely 
difficult to locate reputable programs to connect and partner  with. 
    *   Follow up: Unfortunately, most systems are not yet well developed  
at most international project sites to enable visitors and volunteers to  
follow up once they return home.  
    *   Complexity: For travelers desiring to make a  difference, it can be 
challenging to become educated about and penetrate the  complexity of the 
issues at hand. It's important to consider every aspect of  the work being 
done, and the long-term impact it will have. For instance,  hiring local 
Maasai men and sending them to school may seem like a great  initiative, however 
one must also consider the secondary effect of these  guides potentially 
growing wealthy enough to marry more wives. The result of  this may be an 
increase in terrified young brides who were not given equal  opportunity.
Given the state of the world today and the unfortunate potential for  
continued future decline, travel philanthropy will likely only continue to  
increase in popularity. The most important thing to remember is that in order  
for it to be impactful, both for the communities being helped and the  
volunteers, we must understand and successfully overcome the challenges at hand  
and develop more effective programs that will serve humanity in the most  
positive way possible.  
To learn about responsible travel and travel philanthropy visit _Elevate  
Destinations_ (http://www.elevatedestinations.com/) . 



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