DOT to train ‘naturalist’ tour guides

Saturday 18th of February 2012

TUGUEGARAO CITY, Feb. 18 (PIA) -- After the success of the ‘Kalesa tour guiding’ project, the Department of Tourism (DOT) region 2 is now offering training for ‘naturalist tour guiding’ to step-up tour packages in the environment friendly region.

Regional Director Blessida Diwa said if kalesa tour guides are for the tourists in cities and centro municipalities, the naturalist tour guides will be deployed to the identified eco-tourism destinations.

A naturalist tour guide is an expert of natural history and advocate of naturalism, who practices describing nature in realistic detail.

Diwa explained that Cagayan Valley has rich potential on eco-tourism wherein the most visited tourist spots are those located within the eco-tourism sites.

“We need tour guides who are knowledgeable on the nature as it is our strength in terms of tourism destinations. Naturalist tour guides must be expert in the nature related facts that is why we offer this training,” Diwa said.

She said they will accommodate 25 interested participants for the first batch.

Diwa further stated that the program will not only boost tourism industry of the region but also gives livelihood opportunities to the unemployed who could be a naturalist tour guide.

Some of the major eco-tourism sites that were identified in the region include the Penablanca landscape and seascape, Baggao tourist zones, Sta Ana eco-tourism sites in the province of Cagayan, others are within the forest covers of Isabela, Nueva Vizcaya and Quirino, but the priority are those located in Cagayan province. (TCB/OTB/PIA-2)