Tour Guide Training: A Model for Sustainable Capacity Building in Developing Countries

This paper explains the special role of interpretive tour guide training in the context of sustainable tourism development and management in developing countries. It goes on to examine the interpretive guiding component of a six-week training programme delivered in April and May, 1999 in Panama, together with two shorter, more focused interpretive guiding courses, one in Patagonia, Argentina (March 2000) and one in Galapagos Islands, Ecuador (September 2000). The context and process for the development of these courses and the rationale for the selection and development of course content and methods are presented, followed by a description of a multi-level evaluation of the training, including the addition of a training-of-trainers component. These provide the basis for a model approach with recommendations for the design, delivery and evaluation of future interpretive guide training in developing countries. The work is part of a long-term research programme on best practice development in guide training in developing countries.