6 years
I think that, while volunteers perform social tasks, there is no harm. But, yes, I, personally, am strictly against using voluntary labor (cleaning, reception, etc.). And it is also against labor laws in many countries (at least in the EU).
Does volunteering in hostels work against responsible tourism?
Hostel Trends and News
Mark Edelston from the Purple Monkey Hostel in Medellin, Colombia wrote a blog arguing that using volunteers in hostels goes against responsible tourism.
You can read the blog here:
https://www.purplemonkeyhostel.com/volunteering/
The blog describes a local woman who works as a housekeeper to earn a living and put food on their family’s table. It goes on to compare that to a situation where a volunteer is used to perform the same task for free. A volunteer is certainly the cheaper solution, but is it the right one?
The blog also describes how volunteers can make a life-changing impact through charitable organizations rather than providing labor in for-profit businesses.
Hostels… are privately owned businesses. Helping in a business isn’t contributing anything to the welfare of a country, it is in fact taking away the opportunity of paid work from the residents of the country who need that income to live.
Mark admits this topic is likely to split the hostel community, which makes it all the more interesting to hear everyone’s opinion on the subject.
What is your opinion?
- Comments
6 years
- Some hostels struggle to pay their bills and overhead expenses; and having volunteers allows a remote hostel to stay in business, offering paying guests the opportunity to affordably visit such out of the way places.
- In addition, some hostels offer the exchange of being Eco-Edu-Volun-Tourism Hostels where a voounteer has the opportunity to learn hospitality skills and more; while meeting people and experiecnng cultures otherwise not possible, and not having to pay with cash.
- Let hostels that pay their helpers go ahead and pay helpers, and let hostels that allow vounteers to continue hostel style. After all it is almost akways short term for traveling young people; so let them experience this world. Besides some work only a few short days a week; and pick up paid part time jobs to keep them seeing and experiencing our earth and possibly meeting their life partner along the way...so don't get in the way with your ways as they may not be others ways. Live and let live. I found my life long residence by being a volunteer. God bless those people who took me in...now I do the same to others...a Candle loses nothing by lightiing another Candle
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