Training Plan for Eco-tour Guides
The Training Plan for Eco-tour Guides aims to train up interested young people to become on-site guides for the ecotourism program that we are implementing in Taidong. These to-be guides will go through a series of intensive training including itinerary planning, tour observation and will be under frequent reviews. Through the development of qualified eco-tour guides, we wish to achieve our ultimate goal of promoting the unique cultural and natural beauty of Taidong.
Alliance is an organization which focuses on sustainable development of Hualien and Taidong areas. In the past few years, we have endeavored to promote the local tourism by bringing new sources of tourists, enhancing the quality and standard of local tour operators, and improving the travel-related infrastructures. We have brought the economic benefits to local people by developing nature-friendly tourism strategies that not only create jobs and are community driven and conservation focused. We believe that the nature-friendly tourism is the key to sustainable development of Hualien and Taidong which prides themselves on world-class natural resources and beauty.
To have this area’s unique natural beauty and aboriginal culture be better appreciated, we have organized or received over 200 experiential tours since 2010. Through these in-depth travel experiences, visitors are able to fully appreciate the best of what Taidong has to offer and, hopefully, start to connect themselves to this nurturing land. Visitors have been guided by experienced volunteers such as Jin-Yu Lu, Kuo-Chang Luan, Shu-Mu Shih who are usually retirees with ample experience in various professional backgrounds. Their informative and in-depth explanation of visited places and cultures has been very well received by our visitors. To get more of the younger generation involved in this meaningful venture, Alliance has started a joint effort with Dollar Travel Agency by setting up an eco-tour division within Dollar Travel Agency. As an integral part of the division, this eco-tour guide training program targets at the local youths and aims to become the breeding ground for professional eco-tour planners and guides who are passionate about local cultures and well-versed in local knowledge.
This training program is a one year-long program, targeting at the graduates of Taidong high schools/vocational schools or local youths who are interested in tourism. The trainees will be learning the ins-and-outs of tour services through hands-on experiences in every aspect of tour operations. The training will cover the following four areas:
1. In-class lessons help the trainees to better understand a) the essence of good services, b) operations and business of various travel-related parties such as travel agencies, B&Bs (bed and breakfast), c) roles and responsibilities of tour captains and tour guides, and d) various local tourism resources.
2. Hands-on learning involves the trainees in the real operations of a travel agency. The trainees will be involved in various aspects of agency operations including itinerary planning, ticketing, client reception, hotel/seats reservation, budgeting and account closing.
3. Tour Observer: The trainees will be learning all the nitty-gritty details of a tour by first-hand observing and helping out the tour captain and tour guides in action.
4. Live-in training: The trainees will be staying with some of our destination partners such as Ruanshan tribe, Bixili tribe, Hunter School and Chishang area for some period of time. Through such a live-in training, the trainees will be able to develop a better understanding of the unique characteristics of different tribes/areas and thereby further enhance their local knowledge and story-telling skills.
The training will end with a three-day tour independently planned and guided by each trainee. The tour will be reviewed and graded by both Alliance and the participating visitors. Those who are positively reviewed by visitors will be awarded a certificate and be recommended by Alliance to travel agencies that are of interest. Once the business model of eco-tourism is proved to be successful in the local environment, the trainees will have a chance to own some shares of the eco-tour operation that they help to establish. Our ultimate goal is to help the trainees to achieve financial independence through this process.
In 2012, we held 9 experiential tours that AAEON Foundation organized for the foundation’s employees. We also received support for this training program from the welfare committees of various Taiwanese high tech companies. One of the companies has decided to sponsor thousands of its employees to undertake eco-tours in Hualien and Taidong. These are just some of the examples of our client base who supports our business as a result of the shared visions and values. Through this training program, we hope to make more qualified eco-tour guides available who in turn will help more people better appreciate and conserve the natural and cultural heritages of Hualien and Taidong, and keep intact the eternal beauty of this land and values of people there.
To have this area’s unique natural beauty and aboriginal culture be better appreciated, we have organized or received over 200 experiential tours since 2010. Through these in-depth travel experiences, visitors are able to fully appreciate the best of what Taidong has to offer and, hopefully, start to connect themselves to this nurturing land. Visitors have been guided by experienced volunteers such as Jin-Yu Lu, Kuo-Chang Luan, Shu-Mu Shih who are usually retirees with ample experience in various professional backgrounds. Their informative and in-depth explanation of visited places and cultures has been very well received by our visitors. To get more of the younger generation involved in this meaningful venture, Alliance has started a joint effort with Dollar Travel Agency by setting up an eco-tour division within Dollar Travel Agency. As an integral part of the division, this eco-tour guide training program targets at the local youths and aims to become the breeding ground for professional eco-tour planners and guides who are passionate about local cultures and well-versed in local knowledge.
This training program is a one year-long program, targeting at the graduates of Taidong high schools/vocational schools or local youths who are interested in tourism. The trainees will be learning the ins-and-outs of tour services through hands-on experiences in every aspect of tour operations. The training will cover the following four areas:
1. In-class lessons help the trainees to better understand a) the essence of good services, b) operations and business of various travel-related parties such as travel agencies, B&Bs (bed and breakfast), c) roles and responsibilities of tour captains and tour guides, and d) various local tourism resources.
2. Hands-on learning involves the trainees in the real operations of a travel agency. The trainees will be involved in various aspects of agency operations including itinerary planning, ticketing, client reception, hotel/seats reservation, budgeting and account closing.
3. Tour Observer: The trainees will be learning all the nitty-gritty details of a tour by first-hand observing and helping out the tour captain and tour guides in action.
4. Live-in training: The trainees will be staying with some of our destination partners such as Ruanshan tribe, Bixili tribe, Hunter School and Chishang area for some period of time. Through such a live-in training, the trainees will be able to develop a better understanding of the unique characteristics of different tribes/areas and thereby further enhance their local knowledge and story-telling skills.
The training will end with a three-day tour independently planned and guided by each trainee. The tour will be reviewed and graded by both Alliance and the participating visitors. Those who are positively reviewed by visitors will be awarded a certificate and be recommended by Alliance to travel agencies that are of interest. Once the business model of eco-tourism is proved to be successful in the local environment, the trainees will have a chance to own some shares of the eco-tour operation that they help to establish. Our ultimate goal is to help the trainees to achieve financial independence through this process.
In 2012, we held 9 experiential tours that AAEON Foundation organized for the foundation’s employees. We also received support for this training program from the welfare committees of various Taiwanese high tech companies. One of the companies has decided to sponsor thousands of its employees to undertake eco-tours in Hualien and Taidong. These are just some of the examples of our client base who supports our business as a result of the shared visions and values. Through this training program, we hope to make more qualified eco-tour guides available who in turn will help more people better appreciate and conserve the natural and cultural heritages of Hualien and Taidong, and keep intact the eternal beauty of this land and values of people there.
