Tour Guide and Leading Skills Training for Rangers and Private Sector Guides in Con Dao

Group leading in the forest

As part of the UNDP Con Dao Sustainable Use Project, WWF asked me to develop curriculum and deliver an ecotourism and guiding training programme for staff of Con Dao National Park and tour guides from the main hotels and resorts on the island.

The course was a week long vocational training programme, backed up with theory in a classroom situation followed by practical sessions in the National Park.  Key knowledge and skills included:

Classroom discussion

Basics of tourism
Introduction to Ecotourism
Objectives of Guiding - Who, where, when and why
Cultural awareness
Interpretation skills
Risk assessment planning
Emergency scenario planning
Guiding skills
Delivering a good talk

Team building excercise

Environmental education skills
Specialist groups
Leading school groups
Follow up training

The course was well received by participants, especially tour guides from the commercial sector.  Click here for pictures.