Jeff Blumenfeld è il fondatore di Blumenfeld and Associates, Inc., una società specializzata in relazioni pubbliche ed eventi speciali nel settore della ricreazione all'aperto. Il suo lavoro lo ha portato in alcune delle regioni più remote del mondo, dove ha orchestrato e promosso iniziative di marketing avventuroso. Blumenfeld è anche il fondatore ed editore di Expedition News. La sua vasta esperienza di viaggi e affari gli fornisce una prospettiva unica sul mondo delle attività all'aperto e dell'avventura, che informa i suoi scritti.
Travel is now more open to a greater number of people than ever, and travelers are often looking for new adventures and experiences. And yet with crises developing constantly around the planet, many travelers want to explore the world and do good at the same time. This book shows them how.
People often wonder how they can explore the world and help the less fortunate even if they don't possess specialized skills. These are people who make lousy vacationers. They're bored sitting on a beach or touring umpteen churches on a cruise ship excursion. They want a meaningful role when they travel. That's where voluntourism comes in -- a mix of both travel and volunteering. Is it hard work building wells and schoolhouses or excavating dinosaur bones? Yes, it is. But voluntourism doesn't take a particular outdoor skill, just plenty of sweat and the desire to see the world and leave it a better place.
The narrative explores Christopher Columbus's quest for sponsorship for his ambitious voyage, highlighting his unsuccessful pitch to the king of Portugal and the eventual success with the queen of Spain. It emphasizes Columbus's role in history, not as the first discoverer of America but as a figure who effectively marketed his mission. The story illustrates the significance of perception and promotion in shaping historical events.