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Volunteer Tourism: Powerful Programs or Predisposed Participants?

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  03 July 2012

Andrew W. Bailey  and
Keith C. Russell
Andrew W. Bailey*
Affiliation:
Calvin College, USA
Keith C. Russell
Affiliation:
Western Washington University, USA
*
Address for correspondence: Andrew W. Bailey, Assistant Professor, Recreation, Calvin College, 2347 Jefferson Dr SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49507USA. E-mail: [email protected]
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Abstract

The purpose of this study was to explore the differences in initial status and growth trajectories of college students who did and did not participate in a voluntourism experience. A key objective of the study was to explore the backgrounds of the participants, comparing them to similar nonvoluntourists, to better understand what compelled them to spend their spring break engaged in community service in a distant location. The participants were 617 students at a university in the Midwestern United States, half of whom participated in a voluntour. Voluntourists reported higher levels of yearly civic engagement, civic attitude, openness, compassion, cognitive drive and reflectivity. The developmental disparities evident before the tour continued to grow over the course of five weeks. Implications for marketing, program design and education are discussed within the context of the burgeoning voluntourism industry.

Keywords

VoluntourismTourist profilealternative travel
Type
Articles
Information
Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Management , Volume 19 , July 2012 , e12
Copyright
Copyright © The Authors 2012

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