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Myles Farnbank:
be all sorts of things. You’ve got to be super-human.”
So apart from issuing guides superhero suits and capes,
how do we prepare them to deliver this 5 star service?
The range of skills, training and qualifications
for adventure travel guides around the world
varies dramatically. In the UK, there is a history
of high quality training for outdoor leaders
but this has focused on technical, safety
and medical issues for the most part.
Clients have high expectations of what their
Guide will provide in terms of skills and services.
As well as looking after their every need,
including those sometimes left unexpressed,
Guides are expected to be destination and
activity experts and deliver a 5 star service.
“To be a guide you’ve got to be an expert in lots of
different things: wildlife, culture, history, politics,
you name it. You have to be a diplomat, a nanny, a
psychiatrist, a paramedic, a cheerleader, you’ve got to
As guides we should aspire to provide ‘trips of a
lifetime’. Furthermore, with good training, careful
thought and practice, we have the potential
to provide experiences that could be truly
transformational, maybe even changing peoples lives.
The British Canoeing Guide Scheme is a great
step towards this goal. So now it seems at least
some of the super hero outfits provided for
might have the British Canoeing logo on them!
I have been lucky enough to guide sea kayak and
canoe trips from Greenland to Antarctica and
many places in-between. This has required many
different skills, knowledge and experience, as well
as good communication and buckets of empathy.
British Canoeing has a great pedigree in creating
qualifications and training for Paddlesport coaches
and leaders. These are recognised around the world
as benchmarks of good practice. British Canoeing
has recently launched the British Canoeing Guide
Scheme which looks to support the Paddlesport
Guide working in the commercial adventure travel
sector. The Guide Scheme recognises experience
and training that many Leaders already possess.
In the past, Guides did little more than make sure their party didn’t get lost
and perhaps might have cooked some food. An adventure travel guide today
has to be so much more! Adventure Travel is growing hugely both in the UK
and around the world.