Volunteer Tourism: Cross-Cultural Understanding through the Volunteer Experience
| dc.contributor.advisor | Muniz-Solari, Osvaldo A. | |
| dc.contributor.author | Wilson, Rachel Leigh | |
| dc.contributor.committeeMember | Hanson, Susan | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2016-01-20T20:37:16Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2016-01-20T20:37:16Z | |
| dc.date.issued | 2015-12 | |
| dc.description.abstract | Volunteer tourism is a growing form of tourism. Although volunteer tourism is a form of traveling, it should not be considered part of the mass tourism industry. The purpose of volunteer tourism is to foster a mutually beneficial relationship between volunteers/travelers and their respective host countries. This tourism experience should allow for volunteers to develop a sense of self-awareness as well as to develop a deeper cross-cultural understanding. Through exploring their narratives, this paper will examine the development of that cross-cultural understanding in people who have participated or would like to participate in volunteer tourism programs in Costa Rica and Nicaragua. This paper expects to discover that both groups develop a greater cross-cultural understanding from their experiences within global communities. Although critics see volunteer tourism as being a selfish enforcement of colonialist stereotypes, it potentially offers volunteers an opportunity to interact with the host community in a positive manner, resulting in a respect for and understanding of the host country’s culture. | |
| dc.description.department | Geography | |
| dc.format | Text | |
| dc.format.extent | 23 pages | |
| dc.format.medium | 1 file (.pdf) | |
| dc.identifier.citation | Wilson, R. L. (2015). Volunteer tourism: Cross-cultural understanding through the volunteer experience (Unpublished thesis). Texas State University, San Marcos, Texas. | |
| dc.identifier.uri | https://hdl.handle.net/10877/5948 | |
| dc.language.iso | en | |
| dc.subject | volunteer | |
| dc.subject | volunteer tourism | |
| dc.subject | voluntourism | |
| dc.subject | cross-cultural understanding | |
| dc.subject | cultural relations | |
| dc.subject | experiential learning | |
| dc.subject | sustainable tourism | |
| dc.title | Volunteer Tourism: Cross-Cultural Understanding through the Volunteer Experience | |
| dc.type | Thesis | |
| thesis.degree.department | Honors College | |
| thesis.degree.discipline | Geography | |
| thesis.degree.grantor | Texas State University |