Accountability in the wild

Abstract

Volunteer tourism, also dubbed voluntourism, is a relatively new form of tourism with

growing popularity. Volunteer work at a wildlife organization in Southern Africa is especially

sought after. Although the impact of these volunteer programs is debated, it is generally

considered a good alternative to usual tourism to positively link tourism and nature

conservation.

Every kind of organization needs to be held accountable for their policies. Asserting

accountability is part of good governance, and happens more frequently through online

measures. Assumptions have an impact on an organization's policies and accountability

efforts. Important components of accountability are impact measurement and communication.

The former is about measuring organizational and financial performance, the latter about

answerability and transparency.

The wildlife organizations assume that the volunteer programs aid in financial matters,

provide necessary manpower and raise awareness. In regards to impact measurements,

organizations get basic data and feedback on the program but an organized system is lacking.

The majority of organizations use online tools to communicate and engage with their

stakeholders. However, improvements can be made in regards to disclosure of official

documents and financial transparency.

In conclusion it is found that these wildlife organizations in Southern Africa assert fairly

extensive accountability efforts on their volunteer programs, but there is room for

improvement.