When Possible, Donate Money

Each article on volunteer tourism appears to reach the conclusion that participating in such activity is ethical when the volunteers carefully consider the culture they are entering, remain flexible to the needs of the community, act in relevant and realistic ways that appear to be a part of a larger plan for the helping the community, and ensuring that volunteers do what they can to ensure that local workers and the local economy do not get hurt. Most importantly, the authors suggest that the potential tourist must spend a significant amount of time considering what causes are the most efficient and have the best potential to serve the host community. While I acknowledge that under these circumstances volunteer tourism can be a positive for suffering communities, I do believe “voluntourism” is unethical when donating money is an available option.

In all cases of volunteerism I believe the only focus should be on the communities in need of aid. If tourists truly are most concerned about bettering a community and donating money has been shown to be an effective way to foster within the community solutions, I believe it is unethical for tourists to “serve” a community. I do not buy the “getting my hands on” the community feeling. Such arguments are selfish and dangerous. It is not about you feeling good about laying a hand in serving the community if your hand is perpetuating the narrative that “we” must save “them.” Despite the desire to give time and effort, when giving money is an efficient option, it is better for potential tourists to stay home and help foreign communities help themselves as much as possible. Volunteers should be concerned with empowering communities with the belief that they can help themselves, with a little outside assistance. While the money might be necessary, the hard work required to better communities is best when it comes from within the community.