Combining travel with volunteering is becoming a popular way for young professionals to spend their holiday time according to Flight Centre.

The independent travel retailer with 72 stores throughout the UK has said that they have noticed a growing trend for people wanting to do something worthwhile whilst on holiday as well as seeing a new destination.

Shane Parlato, commercial director at Flight Centre said: �Many young professionals feel they want to give something back and perhaps seeing the devastation of the Tsunami earlier this year has spurned them on to try a volunteering holiday.

�We have certainly noticed an increase in enquiries this year for holidays where people can work on local conservation projects or help out in communities by teaching English to children, building houses or working in hospitals.

�Volunteering abroad is a great way to get involved in a community and people often find they gain a lot from the experience culturally by living and working in a place for a few works, as well as doing something very different from their daily routine�, adds Mr Parlato.

A unique project available through Flight Centre is a panda conservation project in Xi�an, China. On this placement volunteers help protect one of the most beautiful endangered animals in the world, the giant panda of which there are only around 1,000 left in the world as well as other endangered species.

Activities involve general maintenance activities in the park, cleaning animal enclosures, research and data collection on the animals in the park, plus admin roles such as keeping the website updated, designing pamphlets or leading tours of the park.

This project lasts for 4 weeks and costs �1,395 per person, including accommodation, meals, project fee and orientation and domestic travel within China. International flights are not included and can be booked through Flight Centre from �530 per person flying direct to Beijing with British Airways from London Heathrow.

For reservations contact Flight Centre on 0870 499 0042 (www.flightcentre.co.uk)

ENDS: Media enquiries to Shane Parlato on 078344 45575 or shane.parlato@flightcentre.co.uk

Issued by Karin Jones on 07990 553 839 or Karin.jones@flightcentre.co.uk