New figures suggest ”voluntourism'' is becoming the destination of choice for gap year travellers and young Aussies are right up there.
Last year alone, over 300 Australian volunteers undertook the equivalent of 25 years of volunteer work on i-to-i community, environment and teaching projects around the world.
Already, this year, young Australians have signed up for the equivalent of 20 years volunteering.
General manager Mat Lewis of i-to-i, a leading volunteer tourism operator which has been in Australia since 2006, notes a quite dramatic rise in enthusiasm for the concept.
Generations ago, Aussie 20-somethings would sling the backpack, and hit the proverbial beer and festival trail. Environmentally and socially more aware, today's gap year movers clamour for a taste of another culture and “make a difference''. Europe, or anywhere else, through a tour coach window, is on the outer, Lewis believes.
“The opportunity to travel the world and immerse yourself in a community or wildlife conservation project is particularly appealing to young women,'' he says. “Almost half our Australian clients are female aged 25-29.''
Australian volunteers tend to be older than their British counterparts who are mostly in the 18-24 bracket.
Most popular destinations for Australian volunteers are South Africa and Vietnam, closely followed by Kenya, then Thailand and Cambodia, with community development projects most favoured involvement.
Lewis' company offers over 500 ventures ranging from community development and conservation to teaching, tourism and sports coaching in 28 countries.
The company arranges placements for travellers and provides infrastructure, training and security support. Involvement can be long or short-term.
He has already had volunteers in activities ranging from helping with giant Panda conservation in China to building homes in Honduras or teaching underprivileged kids in India.
Costs vary but usually include accommodation, meals, airport pickup, orientation, TEFL training where necessary and in-country support.
For further information, visit www.i-to-i.com or phone 1300 656 351. A flying start
Queenstown, New Zealand's destination for all seasons, is arguably at its best come snow time.
This season, Queenstown Winter Festival, the Kiwis' premier winter event, will get off to a flying start with an Air New Zealand themed flight from Sydney to Queenstown on June 27.
Passengers will enjoy all the music, madness and mischief of the festival inflight including live sets from New Zealand rock band Goodnight Nurse, live comedy, giveaways and a “survival'' kit bag for a week at the big event.
Tickets for the AirNZ Festival in the Sky flight cost from $399pp one way, including taxes, available at www.airnewzealand.com.au
When you buy a ticket you qualify for a 20 per cent discount on a one or three-day lift pass at Coronet Peak or The Remarkables ski fields, a 10-kilo excess baggage waiver for ski gear and a free ticket to the American Express Winter Festival After Party.
The special will depart Sydney for Queenstown at 9am on June 27, arriving at 2pm in time for the opening night of the festival.
The flight is the curtain raiser for Air NZ's five direct flights a week from Sydney to Queenstown during the New Zealand ski season.
Australians are traditionally big supporters of the festival. You'll find more information at www.winterfestival.co.nz Cruising out of Hong Kong
There’s about to be a new player on the regional cruise scene with Hong Kong set to build an international cruise terminal to claim new status as a cruise hub.
All will be revealed at the International Travel Expo in Hong Kong in June, but you can bet the former colony's cruise plans will be a far cry from what once was the norm up there.
Before the Ocean Terminal was build adjacent to the iconic cross-harbour Star Ferry, larger cruise liners tied up well out in the busy harbour and chugging walla-walla boats brought passengers ashore to lighten their wallets.
Even the Ocean Terminal was a limited facility but at least it enabled visitors the convenience of being alongside the world's most exciting city.
The cruise market potential of southern China, which includes Hong Kong, Macau and the Guangdong province, has a combined population of around 100 million people.
Hong Kong people were not traditional cruise enthusiasts but this is changing fast as economic good times continue.
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