The interplay of dark and light in business war volunteer tourism experiences

Business war volunteer tourism involves business leaders travelling to active war zones to use their professional acumen, networks, and resources to provide humanitarian aid, training, and other types of services and support. Drawing on preliminary interview findings with business war volunteer tourists who have travelled to Ukraine following Russia’s full-scale invasion, this study describes four emerging and interconnected themes that illuminate the interplay of dark and light within their experiences: isolation and connection, sacrifice and commitment, devastation and regeneration, and risk and safety. These themes illustrate how these tourists navigate profound vulnerability while simultaneously forging meaning and purpose. By centring on the complexity of these experiences, we invite scholars to deepen tourism research into the relational and transformative dimensions of war-affected travel.