'Travel for Good' site raises volunteer awareness

10:02 PM CDT on Thursday, September 21, 2006

Ever wanted to spend your vacation building homes or teaching English in Vietnam? How about helping monitor endangered leatherback sea turtles in Costa Rica?

Southlake-based online travel agency Travelocity has launched a "Travel for Good" Web page to raise awareness about volunteer trips. It includes links to travel operators such as Globe Aware.

Recent research by the Travel Industry Association showed that about 24 percent of travelers said they were interested in taking a volunteer or service-based vacation, and about 11 percent said their interest was stronger now than five years ago.

Travelocity is also giving away quarterly grants that will cover the cost of a volunteer vacation.

Go to www.travelocity.com and click on "Travel for Good."

Suzanne Marta