A buzz word in the tourism industry, voluntourism has captured the interest of many travelers. It is the benefit of traveling which includes volunteering for a charitable cause. In recent years, volunteer vacations have grown in popularity.
As many students, professionals and companies come and visit communities for social work, they also visit tourist destinations, as encouraged and promoted by the Department of Tourism.
Sta. Cruz’s badjao community at the Apo beach recently benefitted from this program when Korean school Directors from Sunmoon University, Sooncheonhyang Univeristy and Ansan University came to visit the area. With partnership with I-way Global Partner Mr. Richard Lee, their main objective is to conduct community service by building school structures for Badjao children.
The Badjao kids expressed difficulty in interacting with Visayan students and requested to have their own classroom. With the help of the Korean group, the gradeschoolers now have a classroom on stilts.
The community of 600 residents received food packs and towels from the Korean group handed by Korean singer Actress Soy.
Mr. Richard Lee, organizer of the CSR activity, said that more student volunteers will visit Davao. These voluntourists visited Samal after their Sta. Cruz community work.
Just recently, ten Korean Bloggers came to tour Davao and Samal, visiting Samal’s key sites like Pearl Farm, Tridacna Clams and Monfort Bat Cave. Davao City’s landmark Philippine Eagle, Eden Nature Park and Malagos Garden City were part of the tour.
As DOT endeavor to bring in the Korean tourists, Dir. Art Boncato met with the airlines to fly directly to Davao, to which Air Busan, Jin Air, Jeju Air and Asiana Airlines expressed interest to do so. More meetings will be held in Korea in the coming Korea World Travel Fair, where Davao will be the featured destination.
Photos courtesy of DOT XI
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