Ritz-Carlton President and COO Simon Cooper (middle) volunteers at a Ritz-Carlton Washington, D.C.-hosted Give Back event at a local Boys Town.

On a smaller scale, other hotel industry operators are offering similar experiences. Loews Hotels, for example, offers a Volunteer Vacation package at its Loews Coronado Bay Resort in partnership with California State Parks and Silver Strand State Beach.

Why the sudden interest from hotel brands in making such opportunities available? The answer is simple: customer demand. Online travel agent Travelocity found in its 2008 forecast poll that 38% of respondents were interested in taking a vacation where they could give back and make a difference during their stay.

Like the Loews package, most of Ritz-Carlton’s voluntourism offerings are relevant and indigenous to a property’s local community. Some projects are seasonal, while others allow for participation several times each week.

In many cases, guest volunteer opportunities are offshoots of activities in which hotel staffers already were engaged. “Give Back Getaways is not a standalone program. It is really an evolution, another component of Community Footprints,” says Sue Stephenson, vice president of Ritz-Carlton’s Community Footprints initiative.

With Community Footprints, Ritz-Carlton challenged employees at each property to identify worthy local charities or community causes based around the general themes of poverty, disadvantaged children and conservation. The hotels then partnered with the groups to coordinate volunteer events throughout the year.

Ritz-Carlton is understandably cautious about framing Give Back Getaways in a marketing context, given the risk of backlash if the program is viewed as exploitative. The program appeals to travelers with an interest in authenticity and sustainability, Stephenson says, but she stresses that Give Back Getaways is not an attempt to grow the brand.

“The impetus for the program was not to attract a new customer segment—it was meant as an offering for our guests,” Stephenson says. “Certainly, in the luxury tier, data would show our guests are very philanthropic. Through the whole spectrum of guests, there is a growing interest in voluntourism.”

The company took pains to ensure all the volunteer opportunities truly aid the partner organizations. Stephenson spent nine months reviewing proposals for integrity of purpose. “We put so much effort into making sure this is rolling your sleeves up, getting very dirty—that it is a true volunteer activity,” she says.

Each Give Back Getaway includes guidance and instruction from professionals connected to a specific volunteer initiative. The hotels charge a nominal fee (between US$40 and US$80) to participate, which covers supplies and transportation, and leftover funds are donated to the partner organization. Guests can plan their voluntourism in advance of their stays by visiting givebackgetaways.com.

Also worth noting is that two Ritz-Carlton properties had been involving guests in volunteer work even before Give Back Getaways launched. The Ritz-Carlton, Cancun, where guests helped protect nesting sea turtles, and The Ritz-Carlton, New Orleans, which enlisted guests to help build homes for hurricane-displaced families, served as model properties for the company’s other voluntourism offerings, Stephenson says.

In its early stages, Give Back Getaways has been well received by employees and guests alike. Adriaan Radder, general manager of The Ritz-Carlton Washington, D.C., says his property’s volunteer activity—cleaning and landscaping monuments—has been drawing about five to 10 guests per outing. “Our guests are excited about it,” Radder says. “But these are not meant to be big events. It is intended for our employees, and for guests to be involved if they choose.”

Direct comments to: adam.kirby@reedbusiness.com