Volunteer tourism has become a popular phenomenon worldwide and questions have been
raised about the work that international volunteers do in Third World countries. Scholars
have debated the possibility of a cross-cultural ‘misunderstanding’ developing between
international volunteers and local community members. This research is based on the idea
that there can be a possibility for cross-cultural understanding to take place. This thesis aims
to gain better insight into the role that volunteer tourism organisations (VTOs) play in
fostering cross-cultural understanding between the volunteers and the local community
members that they work with.
A framework suggested by tourism expert Eliza Raymond (2007) was used to assess how
exactly organisations play a part in encouraging this type of understanding. The research
focuses on two VTOs, Projects Abroad and Coaching for Hope as case studies. Both these
organisations are involved in the facilitation of development programmes in disadvantaged
communities in Cape Town.