Operationalising sustainability in volunteer tourism by power-sharing with the receiving organisation

ABSTRACT

The outcomes of volunteer tourism have rarely evaluated, and the sustainable practices, such as equality within this sector, are questionable. Extant research has indicated that miscommunication and poor volunteer placement management can lead to ineffectiveness and negative experiences for stakeholders such as host project staff and volunteers. Collaborative relations between the main stakeholders at a local level were evaluated and deconstructed to enable a better understanding of operational practices that influence sustainable outcomes for host projects. This evaluative study examined the role of the receiving organisation at the host destination in achieving sustainable outcomes utilising a case study in South Africa. An evaluative framework integrating realistic evaluation, collaboration theory and supply chain analysis offered in-depth insights into why the local contextual settings influence how collaborative relations among stakeholders can influence sustainable outcomes. The receiving organisation’s knowledge of the local socio-economic contextual settings of each host project is critical to the successful engagement between hosts and volunteers which leads to equality. The evaluative framework offers an understanding of how and why the local contextual settings and the prosocial approach by the local agent are essential in enabling sustainability performance in volunteer tourism.

KEYWORDS:

• Supply chain
• evaluation
• volunteer tourism
• local agent
• equality

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Claudia Eckardt

Claudia Eckardt, Ph.D., is a Senior Lecturer in Tourism Management at the Oman Tourism College. Her research interests focus on sustainability performance in tourism, equality, travel philanthropy, and stakeholders’ attitudes and perceptions towards sustainability.

Albert N. Kimbu

Albert N. Kimbu, Ph.D., is a Senior Lecturer in the School of Hospitality and Tourism Management, University of Surrey, UK and Senior Research Associate in the School of Tourism & Hospitality, University of Johannesburg, South Africa. He researches stakeholder networks, trust, gender and entrepreneurship in hospitality and tourism.

Xavier Font

Xavier Font, Ph.D., is Professor of Sustainability Marketing at the University of Surrey, and Head of Impact at Travindy (www.travindy.com), a web-based organisation helping the travel industry to understand the issues around tourism and sustainability. His research focuses on understanding reasons for pro-sustainability behaviour and market-based mechanisms to encourage sustainable production and consumption.