COURSE CONTENT
This is awarded upon completion of:
a) Three Ecotourism courses (300 hours)
- Ecotour Management (BTR101)
- Bushcraft & Wilderness Skills (BTR201)
- Ecotourism Tour Guide Course (BTR301)
b) A workplace project or work experience (approved by a tutor and equal to 200 hours)
First Module
ECOTOUR MANAGEMENT
COURSE STRUCTURE
There are 9 lessons as follows:
- Nature and Scope of Ecotourism -
- Definition of ecotourism
- Negative ecotourism
- Principles of ecotourism
- Management Issues -
- Recreation and the environment
- recreational impacts on the environment
- ethical and legal concerns
- code of practice for ecotourism operators
- incorporating ecotourism principles into activities
- interpretation
- visitor guidelines
- planning for minimal impact
- quality control
- Industry Destinations -
- The ecotourism market
- what do ecotourists want?
- trends in international tourism
- understanding the needs of the consumer
- consumer expectations
- The Tour Desk/Office -
- Office procedures
- providing information
- employment prospects in ecotourism
- bookings
- business letters
- telephone manner
- Accommodation Facilities -
- Types of accommodation facilities
- layout of facilities
- Catering Facilities -
- Introduction to catering
- accepted practice for service facilities
- storing and preserving food
- Legal Considerations -
- National Parks
- land use/planning restrictions
- code of practice
- Safety-
- The safety strategy
- hazards
- first aid
- Planning an Ecotourism Activity -
A special project where the student plans out an ecotourism activity including:
- budget
- accommodation
- licenses
- meals
- destination
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
- Describe the scope of ecotourism experiences available.
- Determine management issues related to ecotourism activities/enterprises, giving due consideration to environmental and ethical concerns.
- Develop in the learner an awareness of ecotourism destinations in existence and possibilities (in the learner's country).
- Explain the management and operation of an ecotourism office.
- Explain the management of ecotourist accommodation facilities including:
- camp sites
- cabins
- caravans
- resorts
- Identify catering options for different ecotourism activities.
- Identify legal and statutory requirements for the establishment and operation of an ecotourism enterprise.
- Identify/establish safety precautions/requirements/procedures for an ecotourism enterprise.
- Plan for an ecotourism activity.
Comment from one of our Ecotourism students:
"I am learning so much" J. Alderton
Second Module
BUSHCRAFT & WILDERNESS ACTIVITIES
COURSE STRUCTURE
There are 10 lessons as follows:
- Understanding Wilderness Areas
- Equipment
- Protection from the Elements
- Natural Resources
- Navigation
- Dealing with Emergencies
- Camping
- Passive Land Based Activities
- Water Based Adventure Activities
- Active Land Based Adventure Activites
AIMS
- To appreciate the scope and implications of ecotourism opportunities in wilderness areas.
- To be able to prepare for an excursion into a wilderness area
- To determine appropriate methods of protecting against the elements.
- To determine different uses for natural resources in the wilderness.
- To be able to navigate in a wilderness area using a variety of different techniques.
- To deal with a range of emergencies in a wilderness situation, including developing contingency plans and determining appropriate first aid.
- Explain campsite establishment and management.
- Determine appropriate procedures for managing different passive wilderness activities.
- Determine appropriate procedures for managing different water based wilderness activities.
- Determine appropriate procedures for managing different active wilderness activities.
Third Module
ECOTOURISM TOUR GUIDE
COURSE STRUCTURE
There are 10 lessons as follows:
- Ecotourism Basics –
- Definition of ecotourism
- Negative ecotourism
- Ecotourist profile
- Administrative concerns
- Safety
- Interpretive Services in Ecotourism –
- Interpretation as a key element of ecotourism
- Interpretation techniques
- Sign design
- Ecology and Conservation –
- Definition of ecology
- Ecosystem function
- The web of life
- Habitat and niche
- Humans in the environment
- Plant and Animal Classification and Identification –
- Classification of organisms
- Basic taxonomy
- Using keys for identification
- Other methods of identification
- Geology/Geomorphology –
- Types of rocks
- Types of minerals
- Soils
- Soil formation
- Soil classification
- Interpreting Aquatic Environments –
- Marine environments
- Freshwater environments
- Fish
- Shells
- Crustaceans
- Interpreting Land Environments –
- Introduction to interpreting land environments
- Relevance of interpreting land environments
- Planning an Ecotour –
- Destination
- Transportation
- Accommodation
- Ecotour Displays –
- Design concepts
- Zoo design techniques
- Leading an Ecotour –
- Advertising
- Group preparation
- Planning the tour
- Group surveys for feedback
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.
- Develop innovative concepts in interpretation for a selected ecotourism activity in a land environment.
- Determine the specific name of a range of natural features in a selected wilderness area including, where appropriate:
- Fossils
- Rocks
- Land formations
- Soil types
- Geothermal features
