- About postgraduate study
- Part-time study
- Courses
- Order a Prospectus
- Faculties & Departments
- UK students
- EU students
- International Students
- How to apply for your course
- Handy Hints
- Open Events
- Student Recruitment
- Money Matters
- About Us
By telephone
During office hours
(Monday-Friday 08:30-17:00)
+44 (0)1234 400 400
Outside office hours
(Campus Watch)
+44 (0)1582 74 39 89
By email
admission@beds.ac.uk (admissions)
international@beds.ac.uk (international)
sid@beds.ac.uk (student support)
help@beds.ac.uk (registration)
By post
University of Bedfordshire
Park Square
Luton
Bedfordshire
UK, LU1 3JU
To apply for a research degree, please make sure you fulfill the entry requirements and then complete the online research degree application form and upload your supporting documents.
You should have a good honours degree (2:1 or above) or masters degree or equivalent in the relevant subject area.
International applicants should be aware of our research degree English language requirements
Volunteer tourism has emerged and gained popularity as an alternative to mass tourism during the last decades. McGehee and Santos (2005, p.760) defines volunteer tourism as “utilising discretionary time and income to go out of the regular sphere of activity to assist others in need”.
It is argued to be a more sustainable form of tourism which provides mutually beneficial experiences for the tourist as well as the host community. Specifically, this research focuses on the motivations and experiences of volunteer tourists who have participated in the volunteer tourism programme at the orphanage in Tai Muang district, Phang Nga.
To gain rich and in-depth understanding on how volunteer tourists give meaning to their motivations and experiences in participating in volunteer tourism at the orphanage in Tai-Muang district, Phang Nga province, Thailand, and how local residents in Tai-Muang district perceive about volunteer tourists and volunteer tourism development in their community.
In order to achieve the main aim, this study seeks to answer the following research questions:
This study employs an interpretive inquiry utilizing qualitative research. The respondents of the study are 1) the volunteer tourists who participate in volunteer tourism at Home & Life orphanage in Tai-Muang district and 2) the local residents of Tai-Muang district. The volunteer tourists were selected using purposive sampling whereas the local residents were selected using snowball sampling.
A combination of qualitative data collection methods is used. This approach will help the researcher gain different perspectives and deeper insight into aspects of volunteer tourism in Tai-Muang district and enable her to answer the research questions and achieve the main aim of the research.
