Heaven help me, yet another nasty new noun, the unholy
marriage of "volunteer" and "tourism".
Voluntourism, an act carried out by "voluntourists", is when hoardes of - generally - the great unwashed
backpacker brigade descend on a place to do have a jolly nice holiday - usually at precious little cost to themselves - and do the occasional bit of good work.
Looks good on one's CV as a gap year activity.
Voluntourist 1: Shall we go to Khao Lak to engage in a spot of voluntourism?
Voluntourist 2: No,
tsunami voluntourism is old hat
now. All the bars are closed and hardly anyone is living in the houses built, anyway.
Voluntourist 1: Good
point. (pauses) Sierra Leone?
Vouluntourist 2: Are you insane?