Ecotourism Operator

Ecotourism operators design, plan and lead sustainable tourism experiences that connect visitors with nature, local communities and cultural heritage. They need to create itineraries incorporating conservation principles, environmental education and responsible tourism practices while ensuring guests have an enjoyable and memorable experience. Ecotourism operators contribute to the local economy by generating revenue through tourism, creating jobs in the hospitality and recreation sectors, and promoting sustainable environmental practices. At the same time, they play a critical role in raising awareness of conservation issues and protecting natural and cultural heritage for future generations.

At a Glance

Imagine you are sitting quietly in a small boat off the Atlantic coast, watching a female sperm whale and her calf surface for air. You are an ecotourism operator in the middle of one of your many summer whale-watching excursions. The other eight people on your boat are clients who have bought a five-day tour package from your company to be introduced to and guided around the ecological highlights of Canada's east coast.

As your awestruck guests watch the whale clear her blowhole and dive 20 metres below the water's surface, you quietly deliver a short lecture on the sperm whale and other species that live along this environmentally sensitive coastline. You want your clients to enjoy their vacation while learning about this ecosystem and gaining a new appreciation for natural areas. As an ecotourism operator, you like the fact that you get to spend your summers hiking, camping, and boating and your winters cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, and dog sledding. But this is a tough job that takes a lot of organizational skill and physical stamina, and you have to love working with all different kinds of people. This group is only on day two of its adventure trip.

Yesterday you led everyone on a sea kayaking tour of the Bay of Fundy, teaching them not only about the amazing tides but about the geological formations and wildlife species native to this habitat. After today's whale-watching excursion, you will set up camp in another national park and lead a sunset hike, lecturing on the unique characteristics of coastal forests.

By the time the five days are up, you will have visited all four Atlantic provinces, biked more than 100 kilometres, rafted down a river, crossed a lake in a canoe, hiked through three national or provincial parks, and snorkelled in one shallow bay. You and your clients will be exhausted, but they will have learned a great deal about the natural history of the areas they've visited, and you will have the satisfaction of knowing you have both entertained and educated another group of people.

Job Duties

Duties vary from job to job, but the following list includes typical job duties one might encounter as an ecotourism operator:

Arrange advertising for tours and services through various marketing campaigns.
Coordinate, organize, and arrange tours, including accommodation, transportation, and food.
Perform customer service duties, including greeting clients, responding to requests, and handling situations, to provide customers with satisfactory experiences.
Guide, control, and accompany visitors on tours of ecologically significant areas.
Conduct tours in a safe manner according to safety guidelines, including responding with first aid and attending to the group's needs if incidents arise.
Drive vans and other vehicles, often with tour passengers.
Locate, identify, and sight plants and wildlife or signs of wildlife.
Research and educate visitors on indigenous flora, fauna, and cultures using entertaining but factual interpretive talks and presentations.
Maintain written reports of activities.
Keep necessary certifications current, including participating in training and professional development.

Work Environment

Ecotourism operators work in a variety of locations, including, but not limited to:

The field:

Guiding groups and leading tours
Attending training courses and professional development seminars
Monitoring visitors’ activities
Demonstrating outdoor activities and providing advice on the use of activity equipment
Leading hazard assessments with guests and employees to ensure potential risks are communicated

The office:

Communicating on the phone and in meetings with clients, colleagues, supervisors, and suppliers
Explaining tours and services to prospective clients
Researching information and folklore for use in tours
Uses social media to communicate with customers and promote organizational programs and brand awareness
Developing program schedules and planning visitor experiences

Where to Work

There are a number of places ecotourism operators can find employment. They include:

Ecotourism and adventure tour companies
Parks and private preserves
Vacation resorts and cruise companies
Summer camps
School programs
Tourism bureaus
Universities and colleges

Search for jobs on the ECO Canada Job Board.

Education and Skills

Education

If you are a high school student considering a career as an ecotourism operator, you should have strong marks or an interest in:

Physical Education/Outdoor Education
Biology
Social Studies
Geography
English

In most cases, the minimum education requirement to work as an ecotourism operator is a technical diploma. If you are a post-secondary student considering a career as an ecotourism operator, the following programs are most applicable:

Ecotourism
Outdoor Recreation
Parks and Forest Recreation
Biology
Geography
Environmental Studies

Ecotourism operators can have a range of backgrounds in addition to those listed above, including post-secondary education in communications and heritage interpretation. Although it is not mandatory to become certified in order to work as an ecotourism operator, it is recommended. In addition, most ecotourism operators have formal first aid training and specialized certificates for activities such as diving, rafting, backcountry hiking, and cross-country skiing.

Our Environmental Professional (EP) designation can also help you progress in your chosen environmental career.

Skills

Technical Skills

Marketing
Risk Management
Emergency Response Skills
Project Management
Social Media Engagement
Knowledge of sustainable practices
Equipment Operation

Personal and Professional Skills

Communication
Adaptability
Working with children
Leadership
Customer Service

Role Models

Frank Brown

Frank Brown knew right out of high school that he wanted to work in outdoor recreation. He went from high school in Bella Bella, British Columbia and life on the reserve right to Capilano College in Vancouver where he completed the two-year program in tourism management. Today he's the owner of his own business back home in the Native community of Waglisla near Bella Bella, where he organizes visits for tourists to his first nation. "On a typical day the guests arrive and we welcome them into our homeland," he says. "After the orientation we take them out into the field, where we do walking tours.

On the ocean-going canoe tours we provide a narrative of our history and culture, and share some of our traditional culture through songs. On the walking tours we do flora and fauna interpretation. We also do three-day ocean-going canoe excursions where our guests have a chance to paddle into different bio-regions from inland fiords to rugged West-coast beaches." Frank's work has helped breathe fresh life into some Native traditions. For example, in 1986 he helped organize the first carving of a traditional canoe in Bella Bella in more than a hundred years, then he and the rest of his crew paddled it to Vancouver for Expo 86. And he organized a regatta for ocean-going canoes for all Native bands in the Pacific Northwest in 1993.

He has also built a traditional Native longhouse. What motivates Frank? "Many times as Native people we don't recognize the uniqueness of our situations. Travelling and living in the outside world helped me to realize how beautiful and pristine my home is. I wanted to be able to share that in a cross-cultural setting. That's how I got involved in owning and operating an aboriginal heritage and eco-tourism business."

Your Impact

Your work can highlight important conservation projects, educate visitors, and foster a love of nature. You operate in a way that minimizes negative impacts on wildlife and habitats. You help visitors explore areas respectfully and responsibly and show them wonders of the natural world that will awe and inspire them.

Ecotourism operators play a significant role in promoting sustainability and improving human and environmental health and well-being. They do this by promoting the conservation of natural resources and biodiversity, providing employment opportunities, promoting economic development in rural areas, and increasing awareness of environmental issues through education.

Ecotourism operators also contribute to preserving cultural heritage and traditional ways of life by promoting cultural exchanges and encouraging visitors to respect local customs and traditions. Overall, ecotourism operators' work helps create a more sustainable and equitable society, with greater awareness and appreciation of the natural world and cultural diversity.

Occupational Classification

Ecotourism operators are classified in the following occupational groupings:

NOC Code: 64322 – Outdoor sport and recreational guides

NOC Code: 64320 – Tour and travel guides

What is an NOC Code?

The National Occupation Classification (NOC) provides a standardized language for describing the work performed by Canadians in the labour market. It gives statisticians, labour market analysts, career counsellors, employers, and individual job seekers a consistent way to collect data and describe and understand the nature of work within different occupations.