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Volunteer Tourism

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Executive Summary:
This paper briefly examines the new trend of Volunteer Tourism, also called Voluntourism.
Based on our study of marketing strategies which incorporate Market Segmentation, Target
Market and Positioning, we have formulated a plan to introduce Voluntourism in Australia.
The plan focuses on our primary target market: Young backpackers from South Korea and
UK, and how with the help of local communities and social media, we create a successful
Voluntourism for Australia.
This report is based on prior research done by eminent scholars in the field. No primary
research was conducted.
Keywords:
 Voluntourism
 Segmentation
 Targeting
 Positioning.

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Contents
Executive Summary:.................................................................................................................................................................2
Introduction:..............................................................................................................................................................................4
Background of Voluntourism:............................................................................................................................................4
Purpose of the Research: ....................................................................................................................................................5
Literature Review:....................................................................................................................................................................5
Plan for Voluntourism in Australia:......................................................................................................................................7
Market Segment:...................................................................................................................................................................7
Market Segment in Australia:........................................................................................................................................8
Target Market:......................................................................................................................................................................9
Our Target Market:......................................................................................................................................................10
Positioning:........................................................................................................................................................................10
Positioning Strategies:.................................................................................................................................................11
The Plan:.............................................................................................................................................................................12
Conclusions:...........................................................................................................................................................................14
References:..............................................................................................................................................................................16

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Introduction:
Volunteer Tourism, or as it is popularly known Voluntarism is on the rise. More and more
people around the world are signing up for Voluntarism. (Abrahams, 2013) It is also referred
to as “Vacations in Service.” (Abrahams, 2013)Moreover, it is mutually beneficial to both the
host country as well as the visitors who volunteer for the vacations in those country. A case
can be sighted of the “CENTRAL KALIMANTAN ORANGUTAN REINTRODUCTION
PROGRAM” in Indonesia. (Bos Foundation, 2012) Established in 1999, with a specific
purpose of rehabilitating Orangutans in the region, it caters to tourists all around the globe.
The tourists are locally involved in providing rehabilitation to the Orangutans. (Bos
Foundation, 2012) The benefit for the host country, in this case Indonesia is that it gets help
in providing care to the Orangutans. The tourist benefits likewise by getting close up with the
natural environment of Indonesia and interacting with the local community.
Background of Voluntourism:
The thought of joining voluntary work with travel is not a new concept. Indeed, it can be
followed back for some thousands of years in different societies and religious requests all
through the world. (VolunTourism, 2011)
Voluntourism in its momentum emphasis got a huge support from the establishing of
Volunteer Service Overseas in 1958 by Alec and Mora Dickson and that of the U.s. Peace
Corps, created in 1961 amid the John F. Kennedy organization. (VolunTourism, 2011) Then
again, some would contend, and with great reason, that the association in the middle of travel
and volunteering in the Modern Era can be followed back to the work of Herb Feith in
Indonesia in 1951. (VolunTourism, 2011) Feith's commitment, the Volunteer Graduate
Scheme, today known as Australian Volunteers International, might extremely well have

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made ready for the association in the middle of travel and volunteering that has developed in
the 60 years since. (VolunTourism, 2011) Missionaries, healers and/or therapeutic experts,
mariners, pilgrims, and incalculable others have rendered administration in conjunction with
their ventures. (VolunTourism, 2011)
Purpose of the Research:
The purpose of this research is to formulate a viable and sustainable plan to introduce
Volunteer Tourism in Australia, on the basis of Market Segmentation, Targeting and
Positioning.
For this purpose, we will first need to review the literature available, and then apply the
available literature to formulating the plan.
The main focus of the plan will revolve around the identification of the segments in
Australian Tourism; these will be our potential target market. Then, we shall need to identify
which segment we need to target on, and finally plan and implement a positioning strategy
that appeals to our targeted segment.
Literature Review:
Volunteer abroad projects, regularly into the Global South, are a developing sensation,
especially among youth in the countries in North America as well as the European Union.
Different terms allude to volunteerism abroad, including voluntourism, altourism, (Epprecht,
2004) volunteer get-away, mission work or experiential learning. (Gilbert, 2005) Not these
projects are confined to youth, yet it is frequently youth who are focused on and partake. The
term voluntourism alludes to volunteer work and tourism, without assuming earlier learning

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of the intentions or activities of volunteers abroad. (Brown, 2005) Furthermore, the
demonstration of tourism can be seen as a voyeuristic method for encountering destitution
and diverse lifestyles. (Simpson, 2004) In this paper, voluntourism will allude to cooperation
in short-term (3 months or less), youth-centered, volunteer abroad projects. Writing in
backing of voluntourism, Judith Timson, reporter for The Globe and Mail, contends the most
imperative change is inside the volunteers. (Timson, 2008) Louise Brown, editorialist for the
Toronto Star, additionally imparts the point of view that voluntourism is about the volunteer's
self-awareness and turning into a worldwide subject, and she expresses that, for some
adolescent, voluntourism is likewise about building a decent résumé. (Brown, 2005)
However, neither particularly address the member's part in the host nation, and enigmatically
contend that it would be of some advantage yet don't recognize the likelihood that the
negative parts of voluntourism could exceed the positive. Timson reasons that, "At the
minimum, voluntourism can't harm. And who knows? It may well help change the world, one
advantaged child at once" . (Timson, 2008) Tan's general decisions are comparable and she
contends that voluntourism "constructs better residents" . So, both Timson and Brown accept
the preferences of voluntourism exceed the few, unidentified, results. From a scholarly yet
tourism-focused viewpoint, Sally Brown (2005) likewise underpins voluntourism in her
article, "Going with a Purpose: Understanding the Motives and Benefits of Volunteer
Vacationers." (Brown, 2005) Brown contends, "The continuing advantageous impacts base
on the advancements of both self as well as other people, and in addition social relationship
upgrade". (Brown, 2005) These social relationship upgrades are focused around the
conviction that interfacing with nearby group parts advances shared understanding,
connection with travel associates cultivates companionship and working with relatives
advances holding (Brown, 2005). As opposed to the three past writers, Benjamin Sichel
(2006) is disparaging of voluntourism in his article "'I've Come to Help': Can Tourism and

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Altruism Mix?" (Sichel, 2006)Sichel contends that the "implicit suspicion incorporated with
numerous volunteer-abroad projects. (Sichel, 2006) is that it is proper and helpful for
voyagers from the North to go to the South and do physical and/or humble work just in light
of the fact that they are affluent and taught" . He is questionable that the potential advantage
for the host nation could be generous and contends that voluntourism strengthens
generalizations in the view of both the volunteers and local people Sichel contends that most
volunteers want to have any kind of effect on the planet however may acknowledge amid
their experience that their endeavors abroad are presumably not the best approach to do so. In
the event that voluntourism undertakings do happen, (Sichel, 2006) Sichel contends for a
grounded learning in "political, social, and social setting of the nation [volunteers] are going
to, particularly as it identifies with whatever part their nation of origin has played" (Sichel,
2006)Jane Gilbert (2005) shares this perspective, expressing in her article "Learning toward
oneself is the Prerequisite of Humanity" that help specialists must get to be mindful to
distinguish their predispositions. (Gilbert, 2005) These two creators contend that authentic
and discriminating information of the host nation is basic to benefitting as much as possible
from voluntourism for both members and host.
Plan for Voluntourism in Australia:
Market Segment:
To recognize a target market, the marketer distinguishes the particular needs of gatherings of
individuals (or fragments), chooses one or a greater amount of these portions as a target, and
creates marketing projects guided to each. (Belch and Belch, 2004)This methodology has
discovered expanded materialness in marketing for various reasons, including changes in the
market (buyers are getting to be a great deal more differing in their needs, state of mind, and
ways of life); expanded utilization of segmentation by contenders; and the way that more

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administrators are prepared in segmentation and understand the points of interest connected
with this technique. (Belch and Belch, 2004) Maybe the best clarification, on the other hand,
comes once more to the essential preface that you must understand however much as could
be expected about purchasers to plan marketing projects that meet their needs generally
adequately. (Belch and Belch, 2004) Moreover, as marketers make a shared view with
customers, the more successful they will be in tending to these prerequisites in their
correspondences projects and educating and/or inducing potential purchasers that the item or
administration offering will address their needs. (Belch and Belch, 2004)Marketers
contending in about all item classifications are continually hunting down approaches to
portion their markets trying to better fulfill clients' necessities Marketers may utilize one of
the segmentation variables or a mix of methodologies. Consider the market segmentation
method that may be utilized to market snow skis. The customer's way of life dynamic,
carefree, appreciates outside games is surely imperative. Be that as it may so are different
elements, for example, age, salary, and conjugal status. (Belch and Belch, 2004)
Market Segment in Australia:
Inbound tourism is a critical fare industry for Australia that creates more than a quarter of a
million employments. Indeed it is Australia's fourth biggest earner of remote trade dollars and
speaks to 11.2% of aggregate fare profit from the 5 million worldwide guests in the June
2001 budgetary year. (Australian Government, 2011-2015) Each billion dollars in tourism
send out profit makes 11,367 employments and fare income is relied upon to develop to 30.8
billion in 2008-9. (Australian Government, 2011-2015) In the most recent year, the
Australian High Commission has issued quite recently under 40,000 working occasion visas
to the UK market (the hiker market speaks to more than 100,000 guests). (Australian

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Government, 2011-2015) The working occasion plan plans to give chances to youngsters (18-
30) to occasion in Australia for up to a year while supplementing their trusts through work.
(Australian Government, 2011-2015) Australia is an attractive nation to both live and work
(no dialect issues for the UK voyager) and a working visa gives a flawless chance to
consolidate going with working. (Australian Government, 2011-2015)Key exchange
accomplices have presented visa preparing administrations alongside employment contacts
and counseling administrations to urge explorers to make utilization of the opportunity.
Australia has numerous attractions and is one of the world's best hiking occasion ends of the
line. The global vacationer industry nonetheless, is very aggressive and Europeans wishing to
travel have numerous short, medium and long term ends from which to pick. The expanding
number of option, reasonable occasion opportunities on offer speaks to an impressive,
continuous test for the Australian Tourist Commission (ATC).
Target Market:
In the wake of segmenting the market focused around the distinctive gatherings and classes,
you will need to pick your targets. Nobody method will suit all purchaser aggregates, so
having the capacity to create particular methodologies for your target markets is essential.
(Toolkit, n.d)
There are three general methods for selecting your target markets:
Undifferentiated Targeting: This methodology sees the market as one gathering with no
individual sections, subsequently utilizing a solitary marketing system. This procedure may
be helpful for a business or item with little rivalry where you should not have to tailor
strategies for distinctive inclination. (Toolkit, n.d)
Concentrated Targeting: This methodology concentrates on selecting a specific market
specialty on which marketing endeavors are focused on. Your firm is concentrating on a

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solitary section so you can focus on understanding the needs and needs of that specific
market personally. Little firms frequently profit from this procedure as concentrating on one
section empowers them to contend successfully against bigger firms. (Toolkit, n.d)
Multi-Segment Targeting: This methodology is utilized in the event that you have to spotlight
on two or all the more decently characterized market sections and need to create diverse
systems for them. Multi portion focusing on offers numerous profits however can be
expensive as it includes more prominent data from administration, expanded market inquire
about and expanded special techniques. (Toolkit, n.d)
Our Target Market:
Based on the available segments in the tourism sector for Australia, we have identified the
back-packing tourists from UK as well as South Korea to be our primary target market. These
tourists are generally young and have a liking for adventure and interaction with new people.
Moreover, they like to be involved with the local culture, and try local cuisines and traditions.
Positioning:
Positioning is creating an item and brand picture in the personalities of customers. It can
likewise incorporate enhancing a client's recognition about the experience they will have on
the off chance that they decide to buy your item or administration. (Toolkit, n.d)The business
can decidedly impact the impression of its picked client base through vital limited time
exercises and via precisely characterizing your business' marketing blend.
Compelling positioning includes a decent understanding of contending items and the profits
that are looked for by your target market. It likewise obliges you to recognize a differential

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focal point with which it will convey the obliged profits to the market adequately against the
opposition. (Toolkit, n.d)Business ought to expect to characterize themselves according to
their clients with respect to their rival.
Positioning Strategies:
When it comes to tourism, probably the most important tool in modern times for marketers is
Social Media websites such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and even travel websites such as
Expedia. It has been proved that social media plays an aggressive part in determining choices
for destination for a person looking to travel.
There are a few many informal communities and their number continues developing by the
day. The most prominent ones are Facebook, Google, Linkedin, Skype, Yelp, Bing, Twitter
and Tripadvisor, yet there are scores of others. There are such a large number of diverse
online networking locales out there tending to from audits to interchanges that for a lodging
manager or supervisor knowing where to start can be an overwhelming prospect [4].
Overseeing lodging surveys, both positive and negative is unquestionably a need for chiefs.
Destinations like Tripadvisor and Yelp.com are continually in the radar of directors to
evaluate client experience. A dialog on the positive and negative viewpoints is basic to
understand the degree of the effect of social networking. The investigating destinations can
have generally more effect than the upgraded interchanges locales, for example, the Facebook
or Twittter locales.Our main positioning strategy shall center around Social Media, and
promotions shall likewise take place on such sites.
There some key points to be adhered while we form our strategy, they are:
 Voluntourists have accentuated the imperativeness of group - included and
contributed - to the point of owning a voluntourism program in a given objective. It

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simply isn't a genuine voluntourism program unless it has a place with the
neighborhood group.
 The desires of Voluntourists not meeting the truth of the experience. This has ended
up so pervasive that it skirts on being a voluntourism pandemic.
 Cash - where it goes, the amount of stays in the nearby group, the amount of
voluntourism encounters cost, and so on - has turned into a state of colossal conflict
far and wide.
The Plan:
We have identified our target market as young back packing tourists from UK and South
Korea, as they represent the lion’s share of visitors in the country for the past few years. The
plan can be assimilated as follows:
1. Segment:
 With a variety of visitors coming into Australia each year for vacations, the
market segment is huge and similarly diverse.
2. Target Market:
 Based on the segmentation, we have identified backpackers from South Korea
and UK to be our core market.
3. Positioning:
 The PLAN will be served as the essential main thrust behind the creation,
improvement, and execution of the Plan. The PLAN attempts to tell potential
voluntourists about the voluntourism program and to liaise between these
guests, , neighborhood entrepreneurs - lodging, restaurants, and so on - nearby
inhabitants.The PLAN does not leave these things to risk, as is frequently the
case in numerous ends over the world. The PLAN appears to understand the

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extravagance of the specific experience to which it can present voluntourists
and how these voluntourists can turn into the best manifestation of "verbal
publicizing" for Bayfield that could ever be produced.
 How often do we hear basic editorial on the desires of voluntourists not
meeting the truth of the experience? This will be ended up so pervasive that it
skirts on being a voluntourism pandemic. With the Plan, then again, taking
part voluntourists would be hard pressed to settle on an uneducated choice
about selecting in for this attempt. The dialect around the system is clear.
There are testimonials from past members. Voluntourists realize what the
climate will be similar to.
 Voluntourists will be working with creatures; voluntourists will be outside;
voluntourists will be working nearby neighborhood volunteers and going to
voluntourists; voluntourists will be having the local cuisine. As it were, as a
potential voluntourists know precisely what's in store. In the event that the
system does not fit voluntourists once voluntourists arrive, it is in all
probability clarified as a disappointment on voluntouristsr part to settle on
cognizant choices in the matter of whether these things resound with
voluntourists actually.
 Likewise, when an end of the line advertising association like the PLAN is
included in the development and advancement of a voluntourism program,
voluntourists ought to be really energized. Participantss are not by and large
paid for making and creating these projects. They depend on an alternate
salary stream and distinctive measurements out and out - their prosperity is
predicated on two things: financial profits to the nearby group (and, along
these lines, the achievement of the organizations and Ngos which they speak

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to in their individual objectives), and a positive perspective of tourism and the
goal visitor trade.
 At long last, Participantss are unrealistic to get a commission, "kick-back," or
any kind of immediate installment as an aftereffect of a "deal" of a specific
system to a voluntourist. Rather, they are centered around juggling the
connections between nearby governments, neighborhood groups,
neighborhood organizations & Ngos, and guests. As voluntourism keeps on
developping and expand around the planet, we will most likely see all the
more such "unbiased" institutional contribution in the creation, advancement,
and guided execution of voluntourism

Conclusions:
The accessible information on voluntourism frequently mixes together administration based
voluntourism information with that of the enterprise travel and eco-tourism business sector
portions, which, as I would like to think, weakens the legitimacy of the information. The
theory I might want to see tried is whether there is a substantial standard explorer portion that
would be propelled to buy a voluntourism-enhanced family get-away if value, solace level
and saw security were proportional to that of a common shoreline or voyage excursion. My
reasoning is that in these post-recessionary times numerous families are as yet delaying
"prize" and "silly" spending, whether a consequence of reduced obtaining power or basically
on good grounds. A family voluntourism excursion could battle these deterrents to travel. On

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the off chance that, amid a week of excursion, a family could impart the experience of
helping other people, they would in all probability not consider the experience to act naturally
liberal or pointless. Despite what might be expected, such a get-away can be both a holding
knowledge for the family and a showing background for young children and girls that can
serve to re-adjust their mental self portrait and way of life desires, with respect to others in
less blessed groups and circumstances.
It creates the impression that at the extravagance end of the travel market, there is a climbing
tide of Voluntourism choices. Travelanthropist.com reports that significant travel associations
including Conde Nast Traveler magazine, Ritz Carlton, and Abercrombie & Kent have all
settled projects, for example, the "Give Back Getaways" (a logbook of more or less 50
occasions every year in Ritz Carlton ends of the line far and wide) that make it simpler for
extravagance explorers to get to volunteer open doors while voyaging both locally and
abroad. Hands Up Holidays, which bills itself as "Extravagance Volunteer Travel" offers a
mixed bag of travels that consolidate touring and voluntourism, with schedules positioned by
movement level and solace level. For more cost cognizant explorers, associations like
Globeaware - Adventures in Service, offer one-week voluntourism treks to numerous outside
areas at more humble costs. Facilities can be in host family homes or "unobtrusive motels".
Travelocity has a program that concedes go grants to candidates who partake in the
voluntourism offerings of Globeaware and a few different suppliers. Notwithstanding, such
lodging may be off-putting to upscale or less dauntless voyagers.
While opportunities may be expanding at the extravagance and plan finishes of the business
sector, there seem, by all accounts, to be few decisions for the huge center business sector of
families who plan $1000 to $1500 every individual every week for a family excursion and
expect an upscale cluster of items and administrations.

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The capacity of tourism to help vital social points was perceived at the conception of the
cutting edge tourism sensation. Thomas Cook could be depicted as the father of advanced,
mass tourism. He used the then new track engineering to compose cheap trips for the new
common laborers made in the industrialisation procedure of the United Kingdom. In spite of
the fact that it took until 1850 for Thomas Cook's stunning authoritative aptitudes and
prescience to pay off in benefits, Cook was propelled as much by magnanimous points as
business objectives While it is decently recorded how Cook's short prepare travels in
England expanded in degree and in mechanical association to create broad visits to the Great
Exhibition in Paris in 1855 and then to ends far and wide, for example, India, Egypt and the
Holy Lands
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Abrahams, Z. (2013) A brief introduction to Voluntourism, 17 October, [Online], Available:
http://www.easytravel.co.za/a-brief-introduction-to-voluntourism [20 January 2015].
Australian Government (2011-2015) Visitor Programme statistics,[Online], Available:
http://www.immi.gov.au/pub-res/Pages/statistics/visitor-programme-statistics.aspx [20 January 2015].
Belch and Belch (2004) Advertising and promotion: an integrated marketing communications perspective, 6th
edition, Pennsylvania State University: McGraw-Hill, 2004.

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Bos Foundation (2012) Central Kalimantan Orangutan Reintroduction Program, [Online], Available:
http://orangutan.or.id/central-kalimantan-orangutan-reintroduction-program-at-nyaru-menteng/ [20 January
2015].
Brown, L. (2005) 'Students at home in the world', Toronto Star, 22 January.
Brown, S. (2005) 'Travelling with a purpose:Understanding the motives and benefits of volunteervacations.',
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Epprecht, M. (2004) 'Work-study abroad courses in international development studies:Some ethical and
pedagogical issues.',Canadian Journal of Development Studies, vol. 25, pp. 687-706.
Gilbert, J. (2005) 'Self-knowledge is the prerequisite of humanity’: Personal development and selfawareness for
aid workers.', Development in Practice, pp. 64-69.
Sichel, B. (2006) ' ‘I’ve come to help’: Can tourism and altruism mix?', Briarpatch Magazine, Novemeber.
Simpson, K. (2004) '‘Doing development’: The gap year, volunteer-tourists and a popular practice of
development.', Journal of International Development, vol. 16, pp. 681-692.
Timson, J. (2008) ' Change the world – on dad’s dime.', Globe & Mail., 29 July.
Toolkit (n.d) Market Analysis, [Online], Available: http://toolkit.smallbiz.nsw.gov.au/part/3/10/49 [20 January
2015].
VolunTourism (2011) History Of VolunTourism , [Online], Available: http://www.voluntourism.org/inside-
history.html [20 January 2015].