Global voluntourism heating up

For the past two years, my family has traveled down to New Orleans in an act of voluntourism that is more than admirable in my eyes. As it turns out, there are many, many travelers interested in lending a helping hand while scoping out the sights and sounds of hot global destinations. Which spots rank top?

In a recent poll of over 1,400 U.S. adults, the following were most desired as voluntourism destinations:

1. Africa (17%)
   
2. East Asia (12%)
   
3. South America (9%)
   
4. Mexico (8%)


5. Western Europe (8%)


6. Eastern Europe (7%)


7. Central America (6%)


8. Pacific Islands (5%)


9. Australia (4%)


10. Middle East (3%)

What do you think? My vote is currently with Central America since I'd love some one-on-one time with those sloths and parrots.

An interesting finding worth noting is the fact that age is a major determining factor in time available for volunteering. Twenty-nine percent of Gen Xers opted for one week trips, while a lesser 23 percent of Baby Boomers voted for a one-week stay. Retirees, and Generation Y, however, opted for many weeks or an entire summer trip.

It's easy to understand... many Generation Yers are in college with time to spare, while retirees also have less work commitments than working Boomers or Gen X. As corporate advocacy catches on allowing paid leaves for international voluntourism (as some companies already promote), perhaps we'll see these statistics change.