Volunteer Tourism: Looking Forward

Abstract

‘Volunteer Tourism: As Good as it Seems?’ provides an important critique of the often assumed benefits of volunteer tourism (VT). The author approaches these benefits as potential but not inevitable and thus provides a muchneeded deconstruction of the frequently cited advantages of VT. By bringing together research from a variety of projects and countries, the author is able to address the perception that VT is inherently ‘good’ and highlight the importance of VT receiving the same level of critical analysis as other forms of sustainable tourism. I congratulate the author for also addressing some of the unintended consequences of VT. If VT is to be perceived as a model of ‘best practice’ in tourism (Wearing 2004), then I believe it is essential that such consequences are further unravelled. The author argues that ‘if the work (of volunteers) is somehow detrimental to a host community, then the volunteers’ personal transformations become benefits earned at the expense of the host community’. In my opinion this statement is central to the future of VT because if VT exploits locals for tourists’ own personal gain, then it can no longer be seen as an ‘alternative’ and mutually beneficial form of tourism.