In three short months, 4 February 2011 to be exact, voluntourists will have a chance to “Meet the Mushers,” “Dine With The Mushers,” and ‘assist the mushers’ as part of their voluntourism itinerary at the Apostle Islands Sled Dog Race in Bayfield, Wisconsin. VolunTourists can choose from such duties as:

• helping mushers to hook up their teams
• bringing sled teams to the starting line
• assisting at race check points, and
• serving as timekeepers and filling out time logs for teams

So what is it about this event that is so significant for anyone considering VolunTourism?

I’m glad you asked.

Building The Case For VolunTourism

This past Friday, Northern Wisconsin’s branch of WDIO.com offered an update on the Apostle Islands Sled Dog Race via a request for volunteers and voluntourists: “Volunteers Needed for Apostle Islands Sled Dog Race.” Here is a short excerpt from the post:

Bayfield’s annual Apostle Islands Sled Dog Race is finding great success with this emerging desire of tourists to “do good” while having fun. Last year, the chamber had 36 “voluntourists” sign up to participate in this unique program. This year’s voluntourism package includes two or three nights lodging, 4 meals, and ample time helping out at the races. Participants have the option to choose from different styles of lodging facilities and decide which volunteer positions are right for them. While many want to work hands on with the sled dogs, voluntourists can also opt to be a check-point volunteer, a chute handler, or assist with timing. For many, helping Bayfield and the surrounding communities with one of the largest sled dog races in the country is the experience of a lifetime.”

Now, you will note that I highlighted the “36 ‘voluntourists’” in the post above. Why?

Some of you will remember when I first interviewed a team member (Kristen Sandstrom, former Marketing and Events Manager) of the Bayfield Chamber of Commerce & Visitor Bureau back in 2008. The interview was entitled “Small Destinations and VolunTourism.” Here is an excerpt from one of Ms. Sandstrom’s comments:

We get people all the time that say, ‘Gosh this is… what a friendly people you have here and man it would be so great to do something more than just take a boat tour.’ I think, you find that little event and just get it out there and say, ‘Come Help Us!’ And for our first time doing this, we have thirteen participants. And knowing that we have about a hundred volunteers, thirteen of which are paying to be here, to help us, I think that’s an amazing success. We’re looking at doing it for other things.

Bayfield is an ‘eco-municipality’ – we try to live as sustainable a lifestyle as possible here. To get people involved in helping cleaning up some of our hiking trails, or things like that – turn it into an event; turn it into a festival per se, or what have you – and publicize it, and I think it makes it a much bigger success.”

The first time voluntourists, 13 of them, participated in this event was February 2008, as Ms. Sandstrom noted. A mere two years later, February 2010, the number of voluntourists grew to 36, nearly three times as many voluntourists!

Ladies and Gentlemen, this is VolunTourism at work, the real power of an emerging travel genre which we are only now beginning to apprehend. And, Bayfield, a small destination in the northern part of Wisconsin, has demonstrated just how successful a destination marketing organization (DMO) can be. When a DMO puts its mind to utilizing VolunTourism as both a marketing & promotional effort as well as a means of fulfilling a very practical need in a community – - 100-plus volunteers needed to make this event happen – - and 36 of those in 2010 were visitors, the results are nothing short of Remarkable!

Success Points To Consider

Economic Impact

The average per head price for an Apostle Islands Sled Dog Race voluntourism package is approximately $200. In 2008, 13 participants would have generated about $2600. In 2010, 36 participants would have generated somewhere in the neighborhood of $7,200. I will not try to estimate additional per head spending as each destination has an average daily spend estimate for visitors and I do not know what this is for Bayfield. Tourism professionals will understand the potential here, and this is the message I am trying to get across.

Social Impact

36 volunteers in 2010. This represents roughly 1/3 of the total (100) number of volunteers needed to make this event possible. Volunteers play a vital role in almost every important event in a destination. And to think that voluntourists can contribute to assisting a community in bringing an event like this to fruition is essential to understanding the potential of voluntourism.

A Unique, Structured, Time-Specific Event

The Apostle Islands Sled Dog Race is a structured event. It is an event that is recognized for its importance to the community (businesses), the participants (both mushers and dogs), and the people of Bayfield. The volunteer activities are structured and require little skill, if any. Local volunteers are participating. The event has a specific duration. The event is unique. These elements make for a very attractive opportunity for potential voluntourists.

Final Thoughts…

If VolunTourism is to ever by truly successful, we need to identify some more “Apostle Island Sled Dog Races” around the world. I know these events are out there. I know the structure exists. I know that economic and social impact, as well as other outcomes, can be measured. I know that every destination in the world can identify one such event and can turn it into a unique voluntourism itinerary. And if this can be done with one event, it can slowly but surely be expanded upon.

Through such events, voluntourists can learn new things. They can meet and interact with residents. They can experience different cultures. And most of all, they can realize that their good intentions to make a difference are, indeed, enough.