| Volunteer travel continues to be important to many travelers in all age groups. John Ricci, founder and chief adventurer at Wandrian Adventures, explains why, "Eco and Volunteer Tourism remains high as people want to alleviate the stress on the environment and help others based on what's happening in the world now." Dozens of programs exist, where adventurous travelers can do anything from teaching English in Vietnam or China, to scuba diving and helping repair endangered reefs, or working with animals at shelters in Africa.
A growing number of tour operators include a small volunteer component within a trip, such as spending a morning at a local orphanage, or the choice of a volunteer experience add-on to the main trip. An increasing number of families, and multi-generational groups, choose trips with a volunteer component, or request a volunteer experience, so the children can get a sense of the benefits of giving of themselves.
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