Domestic VolunTourism To Benefit From Serve America Act
President Barack Obama signed the Service America Act into law on 21 April 2009. Although I have focused my attention to this point on how the law could create a global imbalance within the voluntourism industry, I will take this opportunity to discuss how the law may be supportive of voluntourism in the U.S.
Strengthening Product Offerings At The Destination Level
As monies begin to be doled out to nonprofit organizations throughout the U.S. to support the advancement of Americans volunteering domestically, there will likely be some funds directed toward capacity development. This may simply come in the form of additional volunteers being designated to assist nonprofits in such things as business development strategies, social ventures, and movement towards sustainability. These funds could also be directed to expand volunteer management support – always a big concern when trying to add inbound voluntourists to the mix.
At the destination level, this can mean that destination marketing organizations (DMOs) may have access to additional service opportunities, giving them a chance to expand their representation to tour operators and suppliers seeking options for inclusion with leisure itineraries or corporate meetings & incentives. Such an increase of product offerings could give some destinations a strategic advantage – especially those destinations where the DMO is actively engaged in collaborating with local nonprofits.
Questions:
- Will DMOs who have been actively pursuing voluntourism – Philadelphia, Idaho, Colorado, Tucson, Sacramento, as examples – be tracking where the monies are flowing to see how this can further their efforts?
- Will other DMOs be inspired to educate themselves on how to develop voluntourism?
- Will DMOs with an active nonprofit community build a non-traditional membership base as a result of more nonprofits having the capacity to fulfill the needs of inbound voluntourists?
I have a good number of questions. I don’t sense that U.S. DMOs are yet fully aware of the potential of the Serve America Act to further their voluntourism efforts, or, to simply jump-start their efforts if they have not initiated relationships with nonprofits. We’ll see.
Social Ventures For Nonprofits
With capacity comes the potential to generate revenues. For nonprofits that have yet to follow the course exemplified by One Brick, which has partnered with the Good Hotel to develop voluntourism experiences in San Francisco, or the Mural Arts Program and its relationship with the Philadelphia Convention & Visitors Bureau, funds from the Service America Act could be exactly what is needed to launch a voluntourism program or social venture.
All indications are that a nonprofit organization could earmark funds to have a retired meeting professional or incentive travel executive come in, via a stipend no less, and assist the nonprofit in developing its capacity to serve inbound business voluntourists. Likewise, any retired tour operators, group travel planners, or travel agents could easily be tapped to build out the group leisure option. Even some recently dismissed personnel, who may be interested in garnering some “on-the-job” training, could research whether funds from the Service America Act could possibly support them in developing a voluntourism social venture for a nonprofit with which they have an affinity. A visit to a local community foundation with a two-page executive summary might very well be an awaiting meal ticket.
Questions:
- Are nonprofits ready for a social venture like voluntourism?
- Assuming proper qualifications, are there a sufficient number of interested former travel & tourism industry professionals who would be willing to volunteer their time to assist nonprofits in developing a voluntourism social venture?
- Do nonprofits view the benefits of a voluntourism social venture as outweighing the perceived obstacles?
- Are nonprofits sufficiently educated and trained on the potential in order to take full advantage of it?
Still An Odd Mix
DMOs working with nonprofits is not unusual. In fact, many destinations, particularly those with art & cultural attractions, zoos, etc, are accustomed to working with nonprofits. But this is not in the realm of having inbound visitors volunteering. These relationships are built on the basis of supporting the overall marketing of the destination. Because the emphasis on volunteering domestically is being demonstrated through both messaging and funding, there may arise some atypical collaborations to the traditional mix of nonprofits and DMOs. But are both parties, which may have had nothing to do with one another to this point, ready to venture down a collaborative path?
It will certainly be something worth watching. I’m betting that the DMOs who are actively engaged in voluntourism will use this opportunity to the fullest. They will talk with their Nonprofit partners and discuss how they can collaborate on grant funding opportunities, getting more volunteer support to make voluntourism possible, etc. Will other DMOs and nonprofits be satisfied by remaining spectators, or could we see a real growth spurt in domestic voluntourism over the next 18 – 24 months?
I know what I’ll be rooting for – Stay Tuned!
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Comments
I am a Professor of Economics. After my retirement from university teaching I have started a junior college together with my former students to encourage Nepali youths to take management education with specialization in hotel management.
Nepal is an an attractive dsestination because of its mountain scenes amd cultural diversity. But this is a poor country with a low per capita income of less than 300 us US Dollar per annum. I believe that volunTourism would be great help to reduce the poverty of the people of Nepal.Visitors with skills in teaching management, science, english language can work for some time in a collge and visit different places of the country with the hosts. At least the cost of stay can be shared by the host. Another most important benefit to the visitor would be the hospitality of the host.
What would be your suggestions for us to initiate this type of program here in Nepal. We have good tour organizers and hotellers but most of them are directed towards commercial ventures. How can we initiate social tourism in this context? We do have plenty of energetic youths whom we can mobilize. Can US and Nepal cooperation be developed in this field at people to people level
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