4th Wildlife Viewing & Nature Tourism Academy

Guides, Tour Operators and Outfitters, services are a key component of the tourism & outdoor recreation industry. This business provides a valuable contribution to the local economy, the environment, and community social wellbeing! In this presentation you will learn about GORP, a training program developed to help market guides as professionals and raise the value of guide services to the public. The program content is organized into four regions: Local, State, National, & Global. The content provides a broad range of knowledge and skills including identification of 101 local species of plants and animals, knowledge of local history, natural resource agencies, tourism organizations, and economic impact, group management, customer service, sustainability, marketing, personal interpretation skills, and more. Explore a new way of learning and training with the GORP Guide Program. This program supports any existing training and blends online knowledge courses with live skills training. The four core online courses are designed to allow easy customization to any location. The program was developed for and by guides in collaboration with University Extension faculty and tourism industry destination marketing and management organizations.