1. Sustainability

In adventure travel, five competencies are essential for adventure travel guides to follow in order to contribute to sustainability goals.

• Adventure travel guides shall respect the human rights of all participants in adventure travel activities

Adventure travel can contribute to respect for human rights in many ways. Adventure travel guides come into contact with many communities, families and individuals while carrying out their responsibilities and can set an example to participants and hosts alike by modeling respect for the rights of all humans engaged in adventure experiences.

Example: Indigenous Peoples and the Travel Industry: Global Good Practice Guidelines.

Example: Child Welfare and the Travel Industry: Global Good Practice Guidelines.

• Adventure travel guides shall minimize harmful impacts on biodiversity, ecosystems and the natural environment.

Adventure travel often occurs in sensitive urban, rural and wilderness settings. Adventure travel guides share responsibility for ensuring that adventure activities minimize harm to the landscapes, biodiversity and ecosystems where activities take place.

Pollution from unmanaged waste, over-tourism, habitat encroachment and damage to ecosystems and infrastructure are just a few examples of how adventure travel activities can contribute to harmful impacts.

Example: The Leave No Trace Seven Principles from The Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics are international guiding principles for minimizing impacts in diverse rural and wilderness settings as well as in cultural heritage sites:

1. Plan Ahead and Prepare
2. Travel and Camp on Durable Ground
3. Dispose of Waste Properly
4. Leave What You Find
5. Minimize Campfire Impacts
6. Respect Farm Animals & Wildlife
7. Be Considerate of Others on the environment.

• Adventure travel guides shall protect animal welfare and report animal abuse.

Animal welfare refers to the physical and mental state of an animal as regards its attempts to cope with its environment. Understanding the needs of animals and how tourism can impact on their welfare is key to identifying and managing the associated risk.

• Respect local and international accords on illegal wildlife and cultural artifact trade and report violations.

Illegal trafficking of people, wildlife and cultural artifacts is not only undermining many of the heritage sites and economies that tourism relies on, but also causes permanent cultural and ecological damage. Artefacts such as traditional carvings, textiles, pottery and antiques make attractive gifts, however they may be stolen, illegally excavated or looted. The impact is irreversible with countries and local people being denied their heritage and cultural identities.

While the motives and results of reporting and stopping illegal trade are clear, the travel and tourism sector can do more to help stop such practices. For example, research and reporting demonstrate that tourism can facilitate the purchase and trade of illegal wildlife products [19]. Furthermore, when unregulated, trafficked wildlife may carry zoonotic disease and is often linked to global pandemics, including SARS, Covid-19 and others.

• Adventure travel guides shall inform participants and partners on best practices for sustainable travel in adventure destinations.

Adventure travel guides are participants’ closest contact during adventure activities, and it is the guide’s responsibility to adequately inform them of sustainability practices before, during and after their activities together. Furthermore, it is the responsibility of adventure travel guides to enforce such practices in the event that participants are not willing to do so, have forgotten or otherwise are not respecting the practices.

Careful planning will provide a more enjoyable experience for sustainability conscious visitors without further compounding their impacts such as over-tourism and pollution.

2. Technical Skills

Adventure travel guides shall possess multiple competencies in both activity specific and universal technical skills related to leading adventure activities in diverse environments. The specific competencies and skills a guide should obtain will vary depending on the activities and the conditions a guide guides in. A number of training and certification standards and protocols exist for some adventure activities, however, not all activities or universal technical skills have defined protocol or certifications. It is ultimately up to the guide to be aware of what protocols exist and in their absence, or when they are not applicable to local conditions, to develop and document protocols.

Activity specific technical skills refers to abilities that adventure travel guides shall possess in order to safely and professionally carry out a specific adventure activity with participants guides, staff and local community members.

• Adventure travel guides shall possess adequate and current activity-specific technical skills for the adventure activities they lead.
• Adventure travel guides shall possess understanding of and ability to explain, follow and enforce safety protocols (see also Section 3 - Safety and Risk Management).
• Adventure travel guides shall possess the authority and ability to use and/or operate activity related equipment and vehicles during adventure activities.

• Adventure travel guides shall possess appropriate First Aid and Wilderness Medicine training and certification based upon international protocol.
• Adventure travel guides shall possess orienteering and navigation skills according to activity.
• Adventure travel guides shall possess knowledge of and ability to monitor weather and climate conditions.

3. Safety and Risk Management

Risk is a central component of adventure travel. Not only are adventure travel activities often of higher risk due to the settings and skills requirement, but also participants in adventure travel deliberately seek out risk as a part of their experience. This places adventure travel guides in a unique position as they purposefully engage in risky activities.

While adventure activities vary greatly in risk level, adventure travel companies and guides share the responsibility to ensure safe operation of adventure activities. Guides are ultimately those who must directly monitor and respond to program execution and are responsible for managing safety in the field.

Safety and risk management in adventure travel requires a multi-tiered strategy involving outfitters, the environment, the local community, the activity, the guides and the activity participants.

Safety and Risk Management Competencies

• Adventure travel guides shall be aware of best practice to ensure the safety of all participants during adventure activities.
• Adventure travel guides shall be prepared for predictable and unpredictable risk as well as objective and subjective risks
• Adventure travel guides shall be trained in and follow a safety and risk management system.
• Adventure travel guides shall use the 3-step Risk Assessment methodology called RIAT (Risk Inventory, Analysis and Treatment.
• Adventure travel guides shall be knowledgeable about company specific protocol.
• Adventure travel guides shall have the leadership and the authority to respond to safety risks and emergency response.
• Adventure travel guides shall be informed of, trained in and able to communicate and enforce health and sanitary protocols.

4. Customer Service and Group Management

Customer service is the act of taking care of a participant’s needs by delivering professional, helpful, high quality service and assistance before, during, and after the experience. Adventure travel guides are a part of the tourism service sector and provide services that often go beyond those provided by educators or facilitators of adventure activities. A guide’s empathy, patience, flexibility, creativity and resourcefulness will help participants connect with places and people, improving their travel experience and contributing to the positive impacts on all stakeholders.

Customer service in an adventure guiding situation differs from a classic hospitality service situation, such as a restaurant or hotel. Customer service for an adventure travel guide is complicated due to the frequent objective of adventure trips to push participants outside of their comfort zone - mentally, physically or culturally. Furthermore, the adventure travel guide must seek equilibrium between the crucial and seemingly competing aspects of providing great customer service while also keeping our participants, communities and environment safe.

Customer Service and Group Management Competencies

• Adventure travel guides shall be skilled verbal and non-verbal communicators.
• Adventure travel guides shall strive to learn the interests, expectations and varying abilities of their participants and personalize their tours to meet those interests.
• Adventure travel guides shall employ management techniques that maximize quality and consistency of service and experience for all participants.
• Adventure travel guides shall proactively identify issues and conflicts and respond to complaints through mediation, solutions or changes to programs and by providing aftercare and opportunities for feedback.
• Adventure travel guides shall manage the compounding needs of participants as outlined in.
• Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs - Basic, Safety, Psychological and Self Actualization needs.
• Additional customer service considerations exist in adventure travel settings, and must be incorporated into guide practices.

5. Natural and Cultural History Interpretation

Adventure travel guides are expected to be knowledgeable about the natural and cultural history of the destinations where they work. Participants are interested in learning about the people, wildlife and landscapes where they engage in adventure activities and guides must be able to share relevant content with them. The ability to connect a participant to the destination through engaging content provides an opportunity for inspiration and transformational growth.

Knowledge of natural and cultural history varies greatly among adventure travel guides, as do the interests of their participants. Depending on their background, training and personal interests, some guides will be more knowledgeable about birds, for example, while others will be knowledgeable about geology. Whatever their expertise, guides should be prepared to share their knowledge of the physical environment, the history of human activity, past and contemporary politics, environmental issues, economics, art, culture, folklore, cuisine and whatever is relevant to the story of the destination.

Natural and Cultural History Interpretation Competencies

• Adventure travel guides shall employ content delivery techniques to share knowledge and respond to participant questions in an engaging manner.
• Adventure travel guides’ interpretation should be provocative, inspiring, and engaging.
• Adventure travel guides shall inform participants of relevant local practices and current events prior to contact with individuals and communities.
• Adventure travel guides should deliver authentic, balanced and unbiased content.
• Adventure travel guides should deliver personalized interpretation that increases the potential for transformative experiences of a musical genre in a certain city or country.

References: Adventure Travel Guide Standard, Feb 2021, ATTS.