TRAINING MODULE 6: EDUCATES VISITORS ABOUT LOCAL NATURE AND CULTURE

Objectives

• Training to meet the criteria of the Sustainable Arctic Tourism Label
• To stress the importance of briefing visitors on local culture
• To help avoid tourism-related conflicts between visitors and residents
• To stress the importance of natural resources for local residents
• To encourage cultural sensitivity between all tourism stakeholders
• To promote responsible behavior of tourists towards local nature
• To provide value-added experience for visitors

Outline:

CULTURE:

• Provide a background on local history, culture, and customs
  - Who local residents are and what is important to them
  - Local holidays and special occasions
  - Being accepting and open (not judgmental) to a culture you are seeing only superficially
  - Local legislation if differing from origin of visitors

• Providing a visitor Code of Ethics
  - Do’s and don’t’s related to culture
  - Respecting local customs (e.g. dress, behavior in church)
  - Respecting areas which are off-limits to visitors
  - Respecting residents’ privacy

• Opportunities for sampling local foods
• Location of visitor services
• Local dangers (related to the community) and how to get help

NATURE:

• Provide background on local nature: flora, fauna geological features and climate
  - Importance of specific fauna and flora to the local culture and economy
  - Use of local natural products (medicine, warmth, food, liquids)

• Impacts of tourism on the land (tracks across the tundra)
• Information on local threatened or endangered species – plant or animal
• Respect for traditional management of nature – different but equally valid

 

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