Ecotourism SpecialistTourism with a conscience? Ecotourism is just that: responsible travel to natural areasÑtravel that conserves the environment and preserves local cultures. Ecotourism is travel with a social motive.

One of the big advantages of ecotourism is that it benefits local economies directly. The monies generated go, not to big tour companies and out- fitters, but instead to locally owned lodges and homegrown tour guides and artisans. Tourist dollars also help fund the management of the natural areas that are visited. Equally important to supporting local economies is the way ecotourists see the areas they are visiting. Small groups stay at "eco-lodges" and "green hotels" (environmentally friendly lodging), travel with educational guides, and most important, stay on the trails, where, ecotourism manager Eileen Gutierrez says, "they take only pictures and leave no footprints."

Although ecotourism is still a relatively new industry, the term was coined in the early 1980s, when a handful of conservation biologists asserted that local economies could benefit from tourist dollars while maintaining local cultures and environments. Bringing tourists to visit an area responsibly has become a popular way to conserve natural areas and to allow travelers a chance to see destinations that they might otherwise never have a chance to see. In 2002, a United Nations summit in Quebec named that year "The International Year of Ecotourism," signaling the official worldwide acceptance of the trade and adding significantly to ecotourism's legitimacy as a beneficial and responsible way to see the world.

Eileen Gutierrez works for Conservation International, based in Washington, D.C. As an ecotourism manager whose regional specialty is mainland Asia, her job is to promote economic development and conservation in those areas by creating ecotourism initiatives. "We work in conservation. Our foundation deals with diverse areas worldwide that we call Ôhot spots'Ñhighly biodiverse but threatened," explains Gutierrez. "We work with communities in and around protected areas whose threats are socioeconomic in nature. We help provide alternatives to their livelihood that can benefit conservation."

As an ecotourism expert, Gutierrez works on a policymaking level, designing and developing fundraising for ecotourism efforts. These tourism and development guidelines are carefully initiated because although they are designed to benefit communities, they could also easily threaten them. "Ecotourism plans for parks and protected areas and provides guidelines on development and how to zone for ecotourism. We design facilities (eco-lodges and hotels) to be more harmonious with the environment. We also analyze how community involvement and participation might take place and be encouraged," says Gutierrez.

Training for ecotourism is diverse. More schools are offering specialized degrees in environmental sustainability and even in ecotourism itself. According to Gutierrez, the variety of backgrounds among people working to further ecotourism's cause is almost endless. "Ecotourism employs biologists, social anthropologists, and people with business administration degrees working within the field," says Gutierrez. "The four key pillars for success in ecotourism are knowledge of international development issues, a solid foundation in business and economics, an understanding of community development issues, and an understanding of biodiversity and conservation."

These broad requirements mean that anyone interested in ecotourism must be prepared to get a broad education. Working in ecotourism might mean managing endangered areas, as Gutierrez does, or it might involve such varied jobs as managing an eco-lodge or conducting tours and educational programs. For Gutierrez, this kind of variety in her day-today job is exactly what motivates her. "Although ecotourism is not an extremely well defined field right now, there's a lot of groundwork that's being done, and the creativity involved in that is great. I've had the chance to develop methodologies for ecotourism assessments, and it has been exciting to be a part of that."

Duties and ResponsibilitiesIn this context the project plans a consultancy for a Protected Area Planning and Ecotourism Specialist with the following Terms of Reference. The consultant under supervision of the National Project Coordinator (NPC) and in close collaboration with the national project team will:

Elaborate participatory Management and Ecotourism Plans for the intervention sites of the project in cooperation with local communities, private land owners, tourism operators and real estate developers (Sal: Costa Fragata and Serra Negra, Ponta do Sinó; Boavista: Parque Marinho do Leste; Sao Vicente: Monte Verde; Santo Antao: Cova/Ribeira de Paul/Ribeir da Torre, Morroços).

Propose a methodological approach for the integration of a PA zoning plan into the above framework in order to extend and consolidate future developments of protected areas at national level.

Formulate a monitoring process that includes climate change data and carbon sequestration potentials for inclusion in the National PA strategy.

Develop management plans with specific ecotourism guidelines for 4 terrestrial protected areas. Be responsible for a practicable methodology and a functional approach to integrate ecotourism into protected

area management that will be presented to the Protected Areas Autonomous Authority (PAAA), including conflict resolution options.

Verify that the management plans are coherent with national land development procedures, particularly for the development of zones for tourism and infrastructure development (ZDTI).

Formulate and submit a consultancy report in Praia for approval by the National Project Coordinator (NPC).

Formulate recommendations for the national project team to improve their knowledge and links with research and development institutions in their respective intervention domains.

Competencies Communication skills for complex information and techniques targeted towards subject matter specialists as well

as wider general audiences.

Good competency in pedagogical approaches in order to transmit skills at various levels. Ability to communicate effectively orally as well as an excellent level of written skills in order to be able to

present, negotiate and summarize work sessions. Good skills for efficient facilitation during meetings between various stakeholders (government, NGOs, CBOs,

international community and communal levels). Ability to work both independently as well as in coordination with the local project team in an interdisciplinary

manner. A good knowledge of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) software (ArcGIS 9.2 or 9.3) as well as its

applications. Strong skills in monitoring and evaluation, and experience in implementing environmental projects at various

administrative levels. Ability to produce high quality reports, publications and project proposals. Previous experience with GEF projects is an added plus.

Excellent writing skills in French and Portuguese, and a good working knowledge of English is an added plus.https://jobs.undp.org/cj_view_job.cfm?cur_job_id=24298

Ecotourism Specialist

Tourism, while providing great pleasure for individuals, often does considerable damage to environments and cultures around the world. Ecotourism, or sustainable tourism, seeks to provide people with ways of seeing the world while doing minimal harm to the environment and respecting the cultures in the lands they visit. Ecotourism professionals, in fact, want their business dealings to benefit the areas where they work.

Ideally, ecotourism is centered in natural areas and educates travelers about those environments. It provides financial benefits directly to local people in areas visited. Rather than imposing any cultural values on local people, it respects their ways of life. And it avoids supporting oppressive regimes and instead supports human rights and democratic values, as much as possible, without engaging in political struggles.

Not all businesses that claim to be ecotourism companies are genuinely interested in sustainable tourism. Some companies simply use the label while continuing unsustainable business practices. As ecotourism is a rapidly growing industry, consumers and would-be professionals must beware of these misrepresentations.

An ecotourism specialist can have an exciting and rewarding career, especially if he or she can help to define genuine ecotourism as the industry matures. One must be devoted to sustaining nature and can share that passion every day with co-workers and consumers. Ecotourism specialists spend time planning and coordinating tours, budgeting, and reporting. Of course, they spend a lot of time traveling with clients in outdoor locations, guiding them, teaching them, and ensuring their safety. This sort of work takes them to remote locations all over the world.

Many ecotourism guides specialize in geographical areas or in their knowledge of wildlife, climate and weather, ecosystems and biomes. They who enjoy writing about their work often get their writing published in books, magazines, websites, and marketing materials.

Some ecotourism specialists do not work directly with tourists. For example, they might manage conservation projects in host areas financed in part by ecotourism companies. Or they might conduct research on the impacts of ecotourism, long before the ecotourists arrive. This involves working with local people and governments, and advising them on how to create a sustainable tourism economy.

There is a need in this growing industry for sales and marketing professionals who are proficient on the web. These people must be familiar with destinations and their ecosystems and local cultures, no less than the guides who actually take people there.

The most obvious employment opportunities are with ecotourism travel agencies, but government park services also employ ecotourism specialists. International environmental groups such as Conservation International and Rainforest Alliance also have ecotourism programs.

Becoming an ecotourism specialist usually requires a bachelors or masters degree in some related field like forestry, wildlife biology, or resource conservation. Coursework in hospitality, tourism, and international studies can be useful. Some universities offer ecotourism programs. Courses in business and marketing and experience with fundraising are helpful. Having one or more foreign languages is highly valuable. Volunteer work experience with an organization working to preserve ecosystems or human cultures can also be a strong plus.

Organizations offering excellent information and possibly internships are listed below. Good sources for more details are The Eco Guide to Careers that Make a Difference from The Environmental Careers Organization, published by Island Press, and:

International Ecotourism Society (TIES) The Center on Ecotourism and Sustainable Development (CESD)

Conservation International (www.conservation.org)

The Rainforest Alliance

http://www.cengage.com/biology/discipline_content/es_careers.html#ecotourism

http://www.ecotourism.org/university-consortium-certificate

http://www.hit.no/eng/HiT/Applicants/Study-Programmes/Environmental-Studies/Ecotourism-and-Sustainability

Sample job functionsIf you are thinking about a career in ecotourism, consider the following jobs

Development and management: Tourism development specialist, sustainable tourism business development manager,

sustainable development consultancy, ecosystem management and development, ecosystem management and

development officer, tourism and human resources advisor

Operating ecotourism locations: Heritage tourism officer, sustainable tourism manager, ecotourism project manager,

rainforest station manager, ecolodge manager, cultural tourism project facilities manager, rural tourism officer, sustainable

tourism operator, ecotour leaders, green caretakers of tropical island, coastal tourism and conservation program officer,

sustainable consumption and conservation manager, conservation expedition country coordinator

Managing natural lands: Nature tourism ranger, nature tourism park manager, parks and recreation director, wildlife

visitor center advisor, reserve director, conservation program manager, conservation project manager, preserve manager,

naturalist programmer, conservation expeditions field positions, conservation program assistant

Scientific roles: Conservation scientist, nature center research technician, biodiversity specialist, wildlife research

assistant

Promoting ecotourism: Guidebook writers, protected areas communications officer, responsible tourism

communications manager, adventure travel promotion manager, responsible tourism marketing manager

http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/green-jobs-in-ecotourism.html

What You Will Do

With each assignment you will be required to prepare identification sheets, containing a preserved specimen, a photograph or a drawing; together with a description of the species/type of organism.

This collection is designed to be the embryo of a resource which you may use as an ongoing aid when designing and conducting interpretive activities.

You will research the legal and administrative background required to set up an ecotourism venture in your area. You will also look at the marketing and advertising possibilities for this venture.

Visit a number of interpretive ecotourism facilities. Prepare an interpretive activities sheet for an ecotourism group. Visit a natural area and classify organisms sighted in a set time period. Identify points of interest in a natural area for an ecotourism group. Research the lifecycles of a number of plants and animals. Design a range of ecotours for ecotourists interested in various natural phenomena. Visit an aquatic environment and make observations on the organisms there and any pollution present. Identify potential ecotourism activities for a marine area. Develop interpretive techniques for minimal environmental impact. Attend an ecotour to assess the quantity and quality of information provided. Plan an ecotour including the destination, accommodation, transport, catering. Construct an ecotour display. Plan and lead an ecotour to a group of ecotourists or acquaintances.

This is a particularly applied course and you will be learning from case studies of work carried out by our teaching staff. Field trips form an integral part of the syllabus and you will complete an independent piece of research, possibly abroad, allowing you to explore the areas that interest you the most. The experience we provide will help you decide what role you wish to play in this expanding and varied industry so you graduate with the skills and confidence to realise your potential.You'll gain a variety of both scientific and business skills including ecological field skills, contract tendering, questionnaire design and analysis, marketing, proposal and report writing. The applied nature of this course also encourages the development of generic skills that will make you more employable including communication, IT, problem solving, research and team working.You do not necessarily need to have a biological background as you will quickly become aware of the main scientific principles. You'll also gain a strong business knowledge and valuable consultancy experience which provides you with the skills for future employment.Past students have gained employment and experience in a variety of fields including:

United Nations Development Programme internship local and national government sustainable tourism projects consultancy teaching

http://www.courses.napier.ac.uk/courses.aspx?ID=%2fEcotourism_W74704.htm

Representative courses in the TREN program include:Year 1

Sustainability, Environment, and TourismYear 2

Culture, Heritage and Tourism Sustainable Business Operation in Tourism Nature-based Tourism Human-dominated Ecosystems Economics of the Environment

Year 3 Tourism Planning and Development Sustainable Integrated Waste Management Tourism and Aquatic Ecosystems Sustainable Transportation Ethics, Equity and Environmental Thought Biodiversity Conservation Ecosystem-based Planning Global Issues in Tourism and the Environment TREN Term Abroad program

Year 4 Honours Research Project or Thesis Cross-cultural Perspectives on Tourism and Environment Environmental Heritage Tourism, Sex and Health Tourism Ethics 

http://www.brocku.ca/social-sciences/undergraduate-programs/tourism-environment/program-structure