AMMAN — Spending a few hours at an orphanage, painting a classroom or chatting with the elderly: Not the usual activities vacationers in Jordan would find on their itinerary. That is, until now.

With volunteerism gaining popularity around the world, Jordan recently began looking at the concept of gearing travellers towards a more hands-on cultural experience of the country.

The Jordan Tourism Board North America (JTBNA) branch promoted the concept of “voluntourism,” as a whole new dimension to the travel experience in Jordan at its third annual Smithsonian - JTB luncheon at the US Tour Operators Association this month.

JTBNA Director Malia Asfour, who is spearheading efforts for its introduction, told The Jordan Times that the venture presents a new edge for tourism in Jordan.

“It is a concept that we’re working on promoting as a means of enriching the travel experience in Jordan, as visitors go beyond the adventures of sightseeing to more meaningful experiences of engaging with the communities themselves,” said Asfour.

“Whether it is spending time with orphans, helping to paint an old house or visiting a nursing home, it generates a feel-good experience within people and brings communities and visitors together in a special way,” she added.

The concept, which is gaining ground in other countries, is derived from the original idea of what is usually a three- to six-week volunteer vacation to shorter breaks incorporated within tourist itineraries, according to Asfour.

These programmes could include visits to orphanages, nursing homes or impoverished communities that need help, depending on the interests of the tour group.

These visits, which can be half a day or custom made, give tourists a real experience of the communities in the areas they are spending their holiday.

More than 600 tour operators from Europe and the US as well as Jordan attended the JTBNA meeting. A video presentation of how such trips can add value for tourists was screened with a special segment featuring the faces and drawings of children from the Al Hussein Society for the Habilitation/Rehabilitation of the Physically Challenged.


Volunteerism


What makes a venture like this feasible for Jordan is the demand for such activities from a growing number of communities around the world.

Volunteering for good causes is becoming something of a buzz. Organisations at home and abroad are always on the lookout for volunteers and people themselves are looking for projects in which they help out. Some may volunteer strictly for personal interest in a specific subject or area and others for the joy of adventure and cultural experience.

Volunteerism is particularly becoming popular in the United States where thousands of young and old are lining up to assist communities beyond their own borders. From the poverty-ridded slums of India to tsunami-stricken areas in Asia, they go there to clean up the environment, build houses, teach children and dig wells.

The volunteer movement is especially strong among young people. The US Bureau of Labour Statistics showed that nearly 30 per cent of those 16 years and older participated in service projects around the world last year. Among nearly 264,000 incoming college students last fall, 83 per cent said they had given their time during the previous 12 months, the highest rate in the nearly 40-year history of the Cooperative Institutional Research Project’s Freshman Survey. Two-thirds said they would likely volunteer more.

According to the Travel Industry Association of America, more than 55 million Americans have travelled to other countries on vacations that included volunteering.

“Voluntourism,” which is slightly different, is also attracting growing interest. A recent survey conducted by the Travel Industry Association showed that 24 per cent of travellers were interested in taking such a vacation.

Asfour said the growing interest and demand for volunteerism provided a platform to expand the concept of voluntourism in the Kingdom.

Some have already made headway such as International Traders, Movenpick and Karma House Travel and Tourism, who attended the JTBNA event and touched base with several tour operators there.

Karma House owner and managing director Ghada Najjar, who had done research on the concept before heading to the meeting, said the idea captured the interest of several tour operators.

“We prepared our own voluntourism programme, which caught the interest of several tour operators during the event,” said Najjar.

“It is definitely a great idea with huge potential, especially out of the US, but more awareness is needed to push the concept forward here,” she added.

Najjar, whose agency specialises in bringing tourists to Jordan from all over the world, told The Jordan Times that voluntourism is something that Jordanians themselves can also participate in. She said a spirit of volunteerism already existed in the Kingdom — through societies and charities. At the same time, there are individuals who have not yet explored the country’s archaeological sites and treasures. Voluntourism can build on such programmes, incorporating students, domestic tourists and charity organisations, so they can learn about the country while giving something back to the local communities.

“Students can be taken on sightseeing trips, for example to Jerash; then after lunch they can visit a school in the vicinity and help out there or even in a hospital,” said Najjar.

“Tourists visiting Petra could go to an orphanage in neighbouring Wadi Musa, Um Saihoun, or Shobak,” she added.

Karma House has already posted a voluntourism segment on its website.

It offers travellers a tour that begins with sites in Amman, accompanied by suggested voluntary activities, such as visiting an orphanage or adopting a child for a day by taking them out to lunch or the cinema, visiting the SOS Children’s Village or the school for the deaf in Salt. Voluntourism activities can be arranged in most of the country’s villages and towns, where tourists can help local farmers pick olives or clean and refurbish old school buildings.

Asfour told The Jordan Times that aside from adding special value to any tourist’s trip, the concept of voluntourism also has positive ramifications. She said engaging communities up close provides a key foundation for building positive images and can help change perceptions and people, one encounter at a time.

“It helps create goodwill with the people of the country and a better understanding of the culture and can also break down common misconceptions,” said Asfour.

Aside from the human touch, the idea benefits tourism businesses, Asfour said, as tourists’ positive experiences could generate repeat bookings and encourage others who hear about them.

Back to December 20, 2006