Volunteer Travel on the Rise
march 28, 2007. Meaningful travel is a growing trend in the United States. As reported by The Voice of the Traveler survey conducted by the Travel Industry Association and Synovate**:
Volunteer Vacations
One-quarter (24%) of travelers said they were currently interested in taking a volunteer or service-based vacation. Interest was strongest among baby boomers, with the largest share (47%) of those interested in taking a volunteer vacation falling into the 35 - 54 year old age range. More than one in ten travelers (11%) said they were MORE interested now compared to five years ago in taking a volunteer or service-based vacation.
Enrichment Travel
More than half (56%) of travelers said they were currently interested in taking an educational trip where they and/or their family can learn something. Nearly 22% of travelers said they were MORE interested now compared to five years ago in taking such a trip.
i-to-i, a meaningful travel provider, sends volunteers to work on community development, conservation, teaching, and building projects globally. These can involve caring for those affected by the AIDS pandemic in South Africa, working with sea turtles in Costa Rica, and teaching English to children in China.
"With such a wide variety of volunteer projects, i-to-i offers a world of one-of-a-kind travel opportunities for individuals, groups, and families interested in truly making a difference in the lives of others on a self-enriching vacation," said Alexia Nestora of i-to-i North America.
Who goes on i-to-i adventures? Cool couples, happy families, solo travelers, retirees, and college students who want to round out their resumes with exceptional international experience.
The hardest part is choosing where to go. To get involved, visit www.meaningfultravel.com or call 1-800-985-5882.
Since 1994, i-to-i, with offices in the US, as well as the UK, Ireland and Australia, has been the award-winning leader in volunteer adventures and TEFL (teaching English as a foreign language) training. Each year, i-to-i sends approximately 5,000 volunteers to 500 projects in 23 countries and helps 15,000 people gain the certification necessary to teach English overseas. i-to-i volunteers contributed approximately one million hours of service last year.
** The Voice of the Traveler survey by the Travel Industry Association and Synovate was conducted in May among a representative sample of 1,500 U.S. adults.
For more information, please contact Amy Kaplan, i-to-i Public Relations Manager at (303) 991-5414 or amy.kaplan@i-to-i.com.
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