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Purpose -- The purpose of this paper is to summarise the contributions made in this theme issue and draw conclusions about the issue's key question "Why and how should the international volunteer tourism experience be improved?", thereby providing a theme issue conclusion. Design/methodology/approach -- This paper summarises and critically reviews the seven articles that have contributed to the theme issue. Findings -- International volunteer tourism is a growing phenomenon that has received much criticism in the last decade and whilst there are a number of mechanisms to improve the quality of this sector as yet, there is little evidence to support any conclusion that there is wide-scale success in achieving best practice in quality assurance within the sector. Originality/value -- This theme issue explores international volunteer tourism from a range of contributors, academics, a practitioner and a travel writer, who have engaged with a range of stakeholders to offer different perspectives. The theme issue as a whole offers the reader an opportunity to engage in a unique and wide-ranging discourse on quality and international volunteer tourism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose -- This paper aims to introduce the theme issue question "why and how should the international volunteer tourism experience be improved?". Design/methodology/approach -- An Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) funded Festival of Social Science event entitled "Pursuing Quality in International Volunteering" was held at the University of Brighton in November 2013. This event brought together academics and practitioners in a successful debate, but it was also recognised that this was the first step on a long journey. The articles in this theme issue are drawn both from attendees at the ESRC event and from the wider international volunteer tourism network of academics and practitioners. Findings -- This paper introduces the key stakeholders of international volunteer tourism and the extent to which their voices are prominent (or not) in respect of the issues of achieving quality. Further, the paper highlights a number of quality mechanisms that are offered as solutions to the challenges that currently beleaguer international volunteer tourism. Research limitations/implications -- Whilst not all the key stakeholder voices are represented in this theme issue, the discussions and implications that are drawn out are of importance to all stakeholder groups. Originality/value -- This is the first time a journal issue has focused on the challenges of achieving quality in respect of international volunteer tourism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to compare motivations of volunteers at two mega multi-sport events. Design/methodology/approach – The research used a quantitative research design to survey volunteers at the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games (n=2,066) and the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games (n=11,451) via an online questionnaire based upon the Special Event Volunteer Motivation Scale. Findings – The results indicate that the volunteers, most of whom had previously volunteered, were motivated by similar variables, including the uniqueness of the event, the desire to make it a success and to give back to their community. The results of the principal components analysis indicated that most items of the scale loaded onto similar components across the two research contexts. Research limitations/implications – There were methodological limitations in terms of the timing of the questionnaire administration and Likert scales used, however, these issues were controlled by gatekeepers. These limitations could have research implication for comparative studies of volunteers at mega events. Practical implications – Understanding volunteer motivations will enable event managers and volunteer managers to plan for legacy. Social implications – Volunteer motivations include wanting to give back to their community and therefore, increases the potential for volunteer legacy. Originality/value – This is the first research that: enables comparison of winter and summer Olympic and Paralympic Games volunteers; has substantial sample sizes in relation to the variables; applies higher item loadings to strengthen the analysis; and involves the use of the same instrument across events. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]