VOLUNTOURISM:

Lending a hand while on vacation

VOLUNTOURISM

DOING GOOD WHILE having fun is becoming more prevalent among travelers. The trend of voluntourism took off over a decade ago, but volunteering on vacation is one of the fastest growing travel trends in 2019, according to a recent survey from Travelocity.com, with 27% of U.S. travelers reporting they plan to volunteer on a trip this year and more than two-thirds citing that they’ve volunteered on a previous vacation.

“As consumers become more socially conscious of the impact travel has on communities, we’re seeing an increase in people searching for ways to do good in their favorite destinations,” said Bruce Horner, marketing director at Travelocity.com. “In fact, nearly half of travelers, 47%, say that volunteer opportunities would influence where they vacation this year.”

Tourists of all ages have increasingly turned to alternative forms of travel that deliver rewarding experiences and promise sustainable development of destinations. According to the United Nations World Tourism

Organization, sustainable tourism models can include impacting environmental, socio-cultural, or economic situations in the destination where a traveler is going.

While winter visitors have long been a staple for volunteering in Yuma, data from a 2018 United Nations report shows that youth travel has become one of the fastest growing segments of tourism, representing more than 23% of the one billion tourists traveling internationally each year.

The desire to improve the lives of others on their “time off” shows up prominently in Generation Y travelers’ decisions about where to travel and what to do on time off. Gen Y travelers between the ages of 25-39 years have shown a strong interest in looking for more cultural and social experiences, more outdoor and sports activities, music-related events, and environmental projects, rather than looking for personal indulgence, shopping or resort recreation.

For those who are hale and hearty, there are many opportunities to use those muscles in the fresh outdoors of Arizona. The Arizona Peace Trail is cared for by Arizona Trails Association. See their website calendar, https:// aztrail.org/, to find out where they are working to keep up the trails. Volunteers can take part in multi-day events clearing trails, mending fences, and keeping up trailheads, with time for camping, hiking, and exploring interspersed between the work stints.

With two state parks within Yuma and more nearby, there is usually a project which could benefit from volunteers. The Arizona State Parks website is a good place to start to find out about what’s needed to keep up our parks. Assignments can range from longer-term campground hosting and museum interpretive services, such as at the Colorado River State Historic Park, to shorter projects on trail rehabilitation or lakeside or trailhead cleanups.

The Sanguinetti House can provide a mix of indoor and outdoor volunteering. Tasks can range from gardening assistance to helping with outdoor weddings and events, to getting involved as a tour guide or customer service assistant in the shop or in the museum. The Arizona Historical Society is also a good starting point for other historicalrelated volunteer needs.

Exploring cultural landscapes can include volunteering at the Yuma Art Center, with City of Yuma festivals and events, or by calling Littlewood Co-op. Lia Littlewood’s Endless Avenues mural project just kicked off and will be ongoing for several years, and many other volunteer opportunities exist through the Co-op as well, including gift shop and special event assistance.

Helping those in need is as easy as checking with Crossroads Mission, the Yuma Community Food Bank, or Hospice of Yuma.

“United Way can always use help with our main project, vision screening for youth,” said Executive Director Karina Jones. United Way visits eight schools where the entire school population is screened within one school day, so volunteers are needed and appreciated. Call United Way of Yuma County for more information.

Along the lines of planning ahead, mark your calendars now for National Volunteer Month in April. Visit Yuma will be serving as a clearinghouse for Yuma nonprofits and organizations who state they would like volunteers, and Visit Yuma will be reaching out to visitors with the message that they are welcome to come to Yuma to lend a hand. Visit Yuma will facilitate connecting visitors with local groups each weekend in April, to make an impact in our community. Visit Yuma’s marketing and communications will get the news out to cities within our drive market through digital marketing, as well as promoting National Volunteer Month on VisitYuma.com. Contact Communications@VisitYuma.com to take part, or for more information.