Tourism and ‘dirt’: A case study of WWOOF farms in New Zealand

Abstract

Tourism research on host-guest relations in non-profit exchange programmes remains scant. Using a case study of WWOOF farms in New Zealand, this paper examines the experiences of farmers and volunteers ('WWOOFers') in the Worldwide Opportunities on Organic Farms (WWOOF) programme. Using qualitative methods that privileged participants' voices, the research aimed to uncover the nature of the host-guest relationship in non-for-profit tourism. The key theme of 'dirt' is explored in this paper to illustrate both the physical nature of the voluntary farm work and the perceived exploitation of volunteers that are reported to characterise this experience. Overall, the findings challenge the idealistic aims of this type of volunteer tourism exchange programme that is usually reported in tourism literature. Specifically, the findings indicate the tensions of economic and ethical accountability within the WWOOF network and its community. The paper contributes to tourism studies research by providing further understanding of the experiences shaping the relations and tensions between hosts and guests in this non-profit exchange programme.

Decay, dirt and backwardness: interpretations of the socialist heritage in Hungary by first and later generation Australian-Hungarians

“…While dirt has been a popular topic in cultural history (Stroud, 2003;Montgomery, 2012), in public health studies (Curtis, 2007), geography (Campkin and Cox, 2007;Cameron, 2010;Plummer and Tonts, 2013) and urban studies (Watt, 2007), however, in research on tourism the focus on dirt is scarce (see exception Wengel et al, 2018). In this paper, I argue that various perceptions of dirt have theoretical power not only beyond being simply their own unique stories.…”

Co-creating knowledge in tourism research using the Ketso method

“…In this section, we would like to provide a critical overview on the combination of thematic analysis with the Ketso method to co-create the research findings of our tourism research (Wengel, McIntosh, & Cockburn-Wootten, 2018). Thematic analysis is a flexible approach which can be applied across a range of epistemologies and research questions (Braun & Clarke, 2006).…”

Discourses of Volunteer Farm Tourism in Nepal: A Methodological Approach to World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms

“…Deville (2011) suggested that WWOOF represents a 'new model of travel' allowing long-term budget travellers the opportunity to extend the period of travel and to interact with locals in non-commercial setting. Other studies focused on host-guest interactions in the WWOOF movement (Cronauer, 2012;Deville, 2011;Wengel et al, 2018). In their latest study, Wengel et al (2018) focus on in-depth host-guests relationships and challenge the positively framed aims of this type of volunteer tourism exchange programme that is usually reported in tourism literature.…”

“…Other studies focused on host-guest interactions in the WWOOF movement (Cronauer, 2012;Deville, 2011;Wengel et al, 2018). In their latest study, Wengel et al (2018) focus on in-depth host-guests relationships and challenge the positively framed aims of this type of volunteer tourism exchange programme that is usually reported in tourism literature. In particular, their fi ndings highlight the tensions of economic and ethical accountability within the WWOOF programme.…”

“…However, previous studies do not go deep enough to uncover the deeper understanding of social dimensions of host-guest experiences in WWOOFing (Cronauer, 2012;Deville, 2011). In their recent study, Wengel, McIntosh, and Cockburn-Wootten (2018) challenge the idealistic picture of WWOOF movement and report fi nding that highlight tensions of economic and ethical accountability within WWOOFing.…”