Australia is concerned about the global rise in volunteer tourism or “voluntourism”, citing 2017 UNICEF data indicating that the number of residential care institutions in Cambodia rose by 75% between 2005 and 2010. Half of the institutions are in the popular tourism destinations of Phnom Penh and Siem Reap.
The Australian Consulate-General in Bali has met with NGOs and local volunteer groups to launch the Australian Government’s #smartvolunteering campaign.
Australia is concerned about the global rise in volunteer tourism or “voluntourism”, citing 2017 UNICEF data indicating that the number of residential care institutions in Cambodia rose by 75% between 2005 and 2010. Half of the institutions are in the popular tourism destinations of Phnom Penh and Siem Reap.
Residential care refers to group living arrangements for children without primary caregivers or whose biological parents are unable to care for them.
UNICEF attributed the increase in such institutions to overseas donors. “As a result, many centres turn to orphanage tourism to attract more donors, fuelling a system that exposes children to risk,” the report said.
For these reasons, the Australian Government discourages orphanage tourism, including visits and short-term, unskilled volunteering in orphanages.
The Bali forum was called amid reports about donated goods from Australia being held at the Customs office in Denpasar.
The Australian Consulate-General has posted information on its website about the processes required for importing donated goods into Indonesia.
The consul-general said the office had received reports about people carrying donated goods being stopped at the airport on arrival, or shipments of donated goods being held up by Customs. The goods included hospital beds, wheelchairs, medical items, computers, clothing, toys or books.