voluntourism

noun

vol·​un·​tour·​ism ˌvä-lən-ˈtu̇r-ˌi-zəm 

: the act or practice of doing volunteer work as needed in the community where one is vacationing

voluntourist

ˌvä-lən-ˈtu̇r-ist 

noun

Examples of voluntourism in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

This is the perfect voluntourism opportunity for hikers and travelers who want to visit Torres del Paine National Park in Chile. — Wendy Altschuler, Forbes.com, 17 Feb. 2026

Conservation Africa runs wildlife conservation voluntourism programs throughout the continent. — Terry Ward, AFAR Media, 12 Jan. 2026

Expect sunrise chants, makahiki ceremonies, and voluntourism opportunities such as reef and beach clean-ups. — Siobhan Reid, Vogue, 21 Nov. 2025

The luxury of a vacation on these islands makes pitching in with a little voluntourism feel like no biggie. — Betsy Andrews, Condé Nast Traveler, 28 Oct. 2025

Word History

Etymology

blend of volunteer entry 3 and tourism

First Known Use

1991, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for voluntourism

• activism
• albinism
• altruism
• aneurism
• animism
• aphorism
• atomism
• barbarism
• bolshevism
• botulism
• brahmanism
• calvinism