Last year you vacationed at a resort in Roatán, off the coast of Honduras. You enjoyed the incredible meals and five-star service… until you learned that in mainland Honduras, 63% of people live in poverty.

You decided your travel habits were going to change. Instead of just vacationing, you would try voluntourism.

What is voluntourism? It’s a little different from volunteering abroad or going on a mission trip. Voluntourism means adding volunteer work to your vacation. You’re still having fun and seeing sights, but you’re also doing some good. Here’s what to know when you’re planning your trip.

Step 1: Consider the pros and cons of voluntourism.

Volunteering during a vacation sounds like a win-win, but not everyone agrees that voluntourism is a good thing.

The problems with voluntourism:

• Volunteers may take jobs away from local people. It’s wonderful that you’re helping a farmer fence his fields… but now the town fence-builder has lost a week’s work.
• Volunteers are often unskilled. Would you want a team of people with zero construction experience building a school for your kids to attend?
• Volunteer projects aren’t always what the community needs. Maybe your group has come to teach children about recycling, but the town would benefit a lot more if you worked to clear trash from the local river.

The benefits of voluntourism:

• You’re contributing to the economy with the money you pay for meals, lodging, and activities.
• It provides a chance for genuine, meaningful interactions with local people.
• You can make a difference by contributing to an ongoing project, even if you only have a week or two to give.

Step 2: Think about what you want to give and what you want to gain while volunteering abroad.

When you’re planning your voluntourism trip, ask yourself these three questions:

1. What would you enjoy? Do you want to teach children? Participate in a community cause? Help animals? Make new friends? Interact with people in a different part of the world? There are thousands of different voluntourism opportunities available, and it's important to find the one that best suits your interests.
2. What skills do you have to offer? Maybe you speak a second language. Maybe you’re a woodworker. Maybe you’re SCUBA-certified. Your special expertise might be a perfect match for a specific volunteer travel program.
3. What’s needed? The best voluntourism experiences do real good work, not feel-good work. Learn a little about the challenges people face at your chosen destination, how they’re being addressed, and how volunteers can help.

Step 3: Set a travel budget.

Many people are surprised to find out that volunteer trips aren’t free. If you’re helping out, why do you have to pay?

It’s important to remember that a voluntourism experience is mainly benefiting you, not the organization. Plus, someone has to cover the cost of your travel, food, lodging, training, and supervision. Most nonprofits are stretched thin; they need to spend their funds on programs and salaries, not hosting tourists. If you want a low-cost or free volunteer travel experience, look at the listings on a site like Workaway. There, you can find opportunities to work for farms or businesses around the world in exchange for food and a place to stay.

The good news is that voluntourism can be pretty affordable. Expect meals and accommodations to be basic. You may stay with a host family, which gives you the opportunity to learn the language, enjoy home-cooked meals, hear stories from elders, and fully participate in the community. If you prefer a more familiar environment, some organizations will put volunteers up in hostel-type lodging and provide American-style food.

Step 4: Look at voluntourism company offerings.

Voluntourism scams do exist, so make sure you choose a reputable travel provider. These are just a few that are generally well regarded.

• International Volunteer HQ is a long-standing voluntourism agency with an excellent rating on TrustPilot (just like Allianz Global Assistance!) Hundreds of programs are available in more than 50 countries.
• GIVE mainly organizes volunteer trips for teens, young adults, and educators. Founded in 2011, GIVE promises a safe and sustainable voluntourism experience— and 30% of past volunteers sign up for more trips.
• GoEco offers affordably priced and ethical volunteer projects around the world. Most involve working with animals, either at sanctuaries or in the wild.

Step 5: Pick your ideal voluntourism destination and experience.

This is the fun part! You could…

• Volunteer at a children’s clinic in Cusco, Peru and visit Machu Picchu.
• Teach English and learn to surf in the fishing village of Jiquilillo, Nicaragua.
• Meditate with monks and work on an organic farm in Laos.
• Care for lions in a South African sanctuary and then go on safari in Kruger National Park.
• Prepare food for rescued sloths in Costa Rica and explore the cloud forest.
• Restore coral reefs and get your SCUBA certification in Maldives.
• Rescue sea turtles in Sri Lanka and relax on the beach.

Voluntourism opportunities are incredibly varied. If you don’t find what you’re looking for, you could reach out to a local organization and offer your help to them directly.

Step 6: Buy travel insurance.

Travel insurance is non-negotiable for a voluntourism experience. In fact, many volunteer travel operators require it. Look for a plan that includes:

• Emergency medical and dental benefits to cover medical costs if you get sick or injured. Our Assistance team can connect you with high-quality care, monitor your condition, and communicate updates to your family back home.

• Emergency transportation benefits to cover the cost of a medically necessary evacuation for a covered illness or injury plus your repatriation home (up to the limits in your plan). This is especially important for remote and rural destinations.

• Trip cancellation/trip interruption benefits to reimburse your nonrefundable, prepaid trip costs if you must cancel or interrupt your volunteer trip for a covered reason. You can also upgrade to Cancel Anytime and get 80% of your prepaid costs reimbursed when you cancel for almost any reason not listed in your plan.

• 24-hour assistance to help with anything that goes wrong on your volunteer trip, such as a lost passport, a travel delay, a prescription refill, etc.

Our most popular plan for international travel is OneTrip Prime. This plan includes generous coverage for emergency medical expenses overseas (up to $50,000) and emergency medical transportation benefits up to $500,000, plus other benefits. On a budget? Consider OneTrip Basic, with up to $10,000 in emergency medical and $50,000 for emergency transportation.

The best time to buy travel insurance is immediately after booking your trip. See your plan options and get a quote now.

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