New research has found that volunteer tourism, which involves travelling to help those in need, can help communities recover from natural disaster.
Researchers from the University of Technology Sydney (UTS) have found that when volunteer tourism – not to be confused with ‘disaster tourism’ – is done in an ethical manner that considers local conditions and the community, it can aid recovery and resilience. It can also offer a unique and rewarding experience for volunteers, if done correctly.
“When disaster hits a tourist destination – whether fire, flood, cyclone or earthquake – tourists naturally stay away, leaving communities to deal with loss of income on top of costs of repair and recovery,” Dr David Beirman, study…
