There's a growing travel trend known as voluntourism. Instead of a week lounging on the beach, folks spend their vacations helping to build a school in Africa or bringing medicine to children in Nicaragua. Sounds fulfilling. But critics say they might do much more good by staying home and sending the money they would have spent on the trip. A closer look at voluntourism, who does it, and who benefits.

Guests:

Carrie Kahn, NPR Reporter

Rev. Mark Simone, youth pastor of Federated United Church of Christ in Chagrin Falls

Jan Jones, Undergraduate Coordinator & Travel and Tourism Management Advisor at Southern Connecticut State University

Megan Schmidt-Sane, Member of the Sexual Health and Rights Team at the American Jewish World Service