Ecotourism Tour Guide Course

Organise and conduct Tours and Activities

• Start your own Tour Guide Service

• Find employment with a Tour Business

• Conduct guided tours, overnight walks and treks

• Develop self guided interpretive walks

Ecotourism is an industry that has developed hugely in recent years. It reflects both of the aims of modern conservation: management of resources and protection of the environment. Modern ecotourism strives to be sustainable, so that the activities that are taking place can continue to do so. This course will introduce you to aspects of ecotourism such as guiding environmental awareness, planning tours,displays and interpretive aids, plant and animal interpretation.

Comment from one of our Ecotourism students: "I am learning so much" J. Alderton

There are 10 lessons in this course:

1. Ecotourism Basics
   • Definition of ecotourism
   • Negative ecotourism
   • Ecotourist profile
   • Administrative concerns
   • Safety
2. Interpretive Services in Ecotourism
   • Interpretation as a key element of ecotourism
   • Interpretation techniques
   • Sign design
3. Ecology and Conservation
   • Definition of ecology
   • Ecosystem function
   • The web of life
   • Habitat and niche
   • Humans in the environment
4. Plant and Animal Classification and Identification
   • Classification of organisms
   • Basic taxonomy
   • Using keys for identification
   • Other methods of identification
5. Geology/Geomorphology
   • Types of rocks
   • Types of minerals
   • Soils
   • Soil formation
   • Soil classification
6. Interpreting Aquatic Environments
   • Marine environments
   • Freshwater environments
   • Fish
   • Shells
   • Crustaceans
7. Interpreting Land Environments
   • Introduction to interpreting land environments
   • Relevance of interpreting land environments
8. Planning an Ecotour
   • Destination
   • Transportation
   • Accommodation
9. Ecotour Displays
   • Design concepts
   • Zoo design techniques
10. Leading an Ecotour
    • Advertising
    • Group preparation
    • Planning the tour
    • Group surveys for feedback

Each lesson culminates in an assignment which is submitted to the school, marked by the school's tutors and returned to you with any relevant suggestions, comments, and if necessary, extra reading.

Aims:

• An ability to analyse the structure of interpretive ecotourism in your country.
• To recognise factors of the environment and their significance to ecotourism.
• To plan an ecotour.
• Create/develop interpretation aids for a selected ecotourism activity.
• Develop a display with an ecotourism theme.
• Determine the specific name of a range of natural features in a selected wilderness area including:
  • Birds
  • Fish
  • Shells
  • Other animals
  • Plants
• Lead an interpretive tour with an ecotourism theme.
• Develop innovative concepts in interpretation for a selected aquatic ecotourism activity.
• Identify geological and geomorphological factors of interest to ecotourists.

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