Brokering aid through tourism: The contradictory roles of volunteer coordinators in Cusco, Peru

Volunteer tourism coordinators in Cusco, Peru, play a pivotal role in mediating between international sending agencies, volunteer tourists, and aid recipients. This study highlights their unique position as gatekeepers, revealing the complex tensions they navigate—balancing commercial interests with philanthropic goals. Through qualitative analysis of five coordinators' practices and narratives, the research underscores their struggles to reconcile moral dilemmas such as 'making a difference,' profit, representation, and personal purpose. These findings illuminate broader contradictions within the volunteer tourism sector, offering insights into the ethical and practical challenges faced by this understudied group.

Sinervo, A. (2014). Brokering aid through tourism: The contradictory roles of volunteer coordinators in Cusco, Peru. Tourist Studies, 15(2), 156–174. https://doi.org/10.1177/1468797614563434