Rota Vicentina is training local guides for the region
Local Guides Course: 12 days focused on the interpretation and appreciation of cultural and natural heritage, as well as on the relationship with local communities
The Rota Vicentina Association begins 2022 to focus on the differentiation of the Southwest of Portugal as a high quality tourist destination, based on the values of Responsible Tourism.
Rota Vicentina recognized, together with its network of partners and associates, the need to promote a course on Responsible Tourism, where culture, nature and socio-economic activity are interconnected and structured in an authentic, differentiating and sustainable offer.
This is how the “Local Guides Course” initiative was born, which received dozens of applications from guides and tourist entertainment entrepreneurs, aims to create more local offer of guide services specialized in heritage, more responsible experiences, greater proximity to communities, of absorbing the region’s distinctive cultural values and with reduced environmental footprints. The objective is also to make the territory more resilient from the tourist point of view.
At the end of the course, trainees will have the opportunity to present a program designed by them at the 2nd edition Semana ID, an event promoted by the Association in Spring 2022.
To guide the various sessions of the course we have invited experts, people from different areas of training, different nationalities, different experiences, but with a genuine interest in the topic of Tourism.
To help Rota Vicentina in this objective of promoting literacy for sustainability, we invite:
- Albio Nascimento and Kathi Stertzig (The Home Project)
- Ana Carla Cabrita (Guide Walkin’Sagres)
- António Quaresma ((Historian
- Gerónimo Sánchez Bendala (Andanatura)
- Jean-Claude Razel (Alpinist and founder of Alaya Expeditions
- Bruno Ramos (Aldeias do Xisto)
- João Ministro (Proactivetur)
- José Baptista (ICNF)
- Marcus Pavani (Andarilho da Luz)
- Maria de Lurdes Vale (Visit Portugal España)
- Marta Cabral (CEO Rota Vicentina)
- Marta Mills (Researcher in Sustainable Tourism
- Mónica Inácio (ICNF)
- Nuno Tavares (Engineer, Entrepreneur and Director)
- Paula Canha (Local biologistl)
- Pedro Prista (Anthropologist)
- Ricardo González (Bike Tours Portugal)
- Rikkert Barendse (Barrio Life)
- Rudolfo Müller (Monte da Choça)
- Rui Dias (Geologist)
- Sara Magalhães (Marine biologist, Mar Ilimitado)
Follow us on social media over the next few weeks. It is there that we will discover some of what is happening in the Course for Local Guides.