The Island Difference
Add more than just a little surf and sun to your meeting on Hilton Head Island. With a special commitment to one of DMAI’s initiatives of the Futures Study — social responsibility — the Hilton Head Island Difference gives planners and visitors the ability to add service to their island experience. A dozen sample itineraries with voluntourism projects built in are available on the Hilton Head Island–Bluffton Visitor and Convention Bureau’s micro-site dedicated to the program.
“We felt like it would be a great thing, a win-win for those that would be bringing their corporate meeting, their association group or even their social group to participate in a structured voluntourism program,” says Susan Thomas, the bureau’s vice president.
Projects, which last from two hours up to a full day, are set up through the local United Way and include getting your hands dirty with Habitat for Humanity or spending time at the local Boys and Girls Club. Itineraries can be customized to include transportation, a T-shirt with the HHI Difference, United Way and organization logos on it, and a boxed lunch.
“We wanted to make it easy for both the meeting planner and the participant,” Thomas says. “Another thing is that it’s a great team-building experience. They build camaraderie with each other and they can bring something home that is an experience that made a difference in people’s lives.” For itineraries and additional information, visit hiltonheadisland.org.
Other voluntourism opportunities around the country:
