The program is not designed to train guides, but to assess guides' skills, knowledge, attitude and actions. Operators gain a simple method of recognising quality guides, a benchmark to use for training purposes and greater product appeal through employing and promoting the use of bona fide nature and ecotour guides. Both guides and operators gain an opportunity to promote guiding services as genuine nature tourism or ecotourism, providing a competitive edge for these niche markets. Visitors gain a guarantee of guides who are committed to providing quality nature tourism and ecotourism experiences in a safe, culturally sensitive and environmentally sustainable manner. Environmental benefits flow from improved guiding practices that lead to fewer negative environmental and cultural impacts.
Training providers gain a benchmark of best practice nature and ecotour guiding.
A potential advantage for protected area managers is the ability to identify operators who employ staff with appropriate training and qualifications when reviewing permit applications in sensitive areas. On entry to the program, guides declare their intent to provide high quality nature or ecotourism experiences in a safe, culturally sensitive and environmentally sustainable manner through signing a professional code of ethics. Qualified assessors then work with the guides to help them collect and produce evidence demonstrating they have the skills and knowledge as well as attitudes and actions necessary to their job as a nature or ecotour guide. At least some of your evidence must be collected through some form of workplace assessment. Workplace assessment Workplace assessment is used to observe the key guiding skills of communication and interpretation.