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MattGrayson
MattGrayson
voluntourism product
Jul 7 2008, 9:49 PM EDT | Post edited: Jul 7 2008, 9:49 PM EDT
Greetings...this is Matt Grayson with the National Tour Association. We've been working with the National Park Service to develop a voluntourism pilot program, whereby tour operators could select NPS sites with which to develop voluntourism projects for groups. We've been surprised that the uptake by tour operators wasn't nearly what we thought it would be...more parks are interested in the program than tour operators. Have any of the other organizations found tour operator reluctant to embrace voluntourism? 3  out of 3 found this valuable. Do you?    
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@lisbon
@lisbon
1. RE: voluntourism product
Jul 12 2008, 9:14 AM EDT | Post edited: Jul 12 2008, 9:14 AM EDT
Hi Matt and all! I can understand what you are saying: representing a company for responsible tourism in Portugal can be also quite challenging. Here is our last experience: we planned an event for our community with the main objective of puting the 4 generations (traditionalists, babyboomers, X and Y) in contact and talking to each other. A non-profit event.
We had the people for the event wanting it to happen. We found a venue for free - beautiful 18th century palace. No operator wanted to take it. So we are going to do it ourselves. From beginning to end. Wish me luck...
Maria 1  out of 1 found this valuable. Do you?    
optimistworld
optimistworld
2. RE: voluntourism product
Jul 12 2008, 4:53 PM EDT | Post edited: Jul 12 2008, 4:53 PM EDT
I am curious - why wouldn't tour operators be interested? Is it because associations, NGOs and charities are already doing it? 1  out of 1 found this valuable. Do you?    
@lisbon
@lisbon
3. RE: voluntourism product
Jul 15 2008, 5:25 PM EDT | Post edited: Jul 15 2008, 5:25 PM EDT
"I am curious - why wouldn't tour operators be interested? Is it because associations, NGOs and charities are already doing it?"
In my view, these are difficult times and the fact that making money is not the main objective of these events makes things worse. The ROI is intangible. More difficult to implement. So my question to you - do you think that the future will bring yet harder times to poor people, harder than it was supposed to be (economy, etc), if these events can't go through?
Maria Do you find this valuable?    
MattGrayson
MattGrayson
4. RE: voluntourism product
Jul 21 2008, 1:32 PM EDT | Post edited: Jul 21 2008, 1:32 PM EDT
Thanks for the feedback! Most of our tour operators package for seniors and near-seniors, so it just may be that our operators are finding it difficult to market this new opportunity to their base clientele. Do you find this valuable?