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Certificate in Ecotourism to be delivered by industry experts
Tai Poutini Polytechnic, on the West Coast of the South Island, offers a range of programmes to support New Zealand’s tourism industry. One of these is the Certificate in Ecotourism.
Tai Poutini Polytechnic has recently reviewed the delivery of the Certificate in Ecotourism, with the aim of streamlining the programme in line with industry needs, and making it more relevant to business and more attractive to potential students.
Geoff Button the programme co-ordinator for the Certificate in Ecotourism said that “the certificate programme has been restructured to be delivered by a range of industry experts with the main aims of raising the standard of the programme and marketing it as an industry directed and delivered programme”.
Tai Poutini Polytechnic is working with tourism operators, the Department of Conservation and other relevant Government agencies and independent consultants on the West Coast to assist with delivering specialist aspects of the programme’s curriculum.
Geoff says that “the programme has been restructured to be delivered in blocks of content as this provides opportunities to get out in the field over several days with people working in the tourism sector”. The content of the programme fits into five content areas of:
1. Ecotourism Principles
2. Culture and Heritage
3. The Natural World
4. Our Environment
5. Guiding & Certification
TPP is working with DOC on the West Coast to assist with delivering on site training on topics from species management of the Blue Duck and Rowi, the concessions process and whitebait species to wetlands environments, to ecological projects and site development at Oparara.
Ecotourism operators will be utilised to deliver programme content with visits to Dolphin Encounter and Maori Tours in Kiakoura, Oparara Tours in Karama and operators in South Westland including Fox Glaicer Guides, White Heron Sanctuary Tours, and Okarito Kiwi Tours.
For more information about the Certificate in Ecotourism visit www.ecotourismnz.com, contact Geoff Button the Programme co-ordinator for the Certificate in Ecotourism on 0800 800 411 or download the
 | Certificate in Ecotourism Handbook 2010 Adobe Acrobat Document: 1.29 MB, 3.2 minutes @ 56kbps |
