Gap Year Volunteer Tourism Stories: Sharing More Than Memories

Abstract

Volunteer tourism has received increased attention from academics in recent years, mirroring the growth in providers and participation. Volunteer tourism is often considered to be a more sustainable and authentic experience for the visitor, as well as providing benefits for the host community. This paper builds on more recent critical research that considers the historical and cultural context that saw volunteer tourism reach the level of popularity it has today. The gap year, as a sub-set of volunteer tourism, is analysed specifically given its unique context and participant demographic. Interviews with returned gap year volunteer tourists from the UK are analysed, with stories shared demonstrating acceptance, adaptation and rejection of broader societal narratives regarding international development, colonialism and personal growth. Implications for marketers revolve around the encouragement of reflection for participants on the phenomenon and their own personal experience to enhance understanding and satisfaction.

A sense of place: place, culture and tourism

“…Further, storytelling of different types of tourists' experiences fuels desires to travel in different forms (Seaton, 2002). For example, explorer and missionary narratives have shaped much volunteer tourism and influenced visitation to and behaviours in certain destinations (Griffin, 2013), but are not essentially tied to those destinations. These insights can contribute to better managed, sustainable tourism development and operations in a destination.…”

Urban Volunteer Tourism: Orphanages in Johannesburg

“…Several studies spotlight the perpetuation of inequitable power relationships between rich and poor which poses a continued threat to host communities of the activity of volunteer tourism (Guttentag 2009;Griffin 2013;Shucart 2013). This has precipitated demands for better ways to manage volunteer tourism and for good practices to expand its positive benefits whilst at the same time mitigating its negative impacts (Wright 2013;Hartman et al 2014).…”

Exploring virtual reality experiences of slum tourism

“…modern) and them (i.e. primitive) (Caton & Santos, 2009;Griffin, 2013;Maoz, 2006;Said, 1978). Distinctions are often drawn according to racial, gendered, economic, and geographical constructions of difference (Aitchison, 2001;Buzinde, Santos, & Smith, 2006;Caton & Santos, 2009;Pritchard & Morgan, 2000).…”

“…The positioning of an Other community as a product that will offer consumers benefits is a critique of capitalist processes of much tourism activity, and reflects the public discourse surrounding issues of development, and the identity of certain types of travelers such as volunteer tourists (e.g. Griffin, 2013). Without much direct experience and understanding, participants must rely upon societal tropes of what it means to be a good tourist, and how those in greater need than ourselves can be aided through our own consumption (Lewis & Potter, 2011).…”