Lifelong Learning in Ecotourism

Global Ecotourism Conference 2007 Lifelong Learning in Ecotourism Aivar Ruukel Estonian Ecotourism Association

Personal Profile
1994-96 Kodukant Ecotourism Initiative
Since 1995 private tourism business in Soomaa national park
Since 1996 Estonian Ecotourism Association, networking nationally and internationally

Personal Profile
Since 2000 lecturer and trainer at courses and seminars nationally and internationally
Since 2001 consultant nationally and internationally
Since 2006 Student at Estonian University of Life Sciences

Issues
Estonian Ecotourism
Experience from Soomaa National Park
ECOLL Project (Lifelong Learning for Ecotourism Development)

Estonia on the map

Estonian Ecotourism
Kodukant Ecotourism Initiative
Ecotourism Association – ESTECAS
Our mission
Our activities
Seminars, Conferences, Fairs
Plans, strategies at national, regional and local levels
Ecotourism labelling process

Estonian Ecotourism Quality Label
Established in 2000
Criterias:
Accept carrying capacity
Support local economy
Green business perfomance
Support conservation of nature and culture
Responsibility, education and respect
Safety and quality

Estonian Ecotourism Quality Label
Destination analysis
Environmental plan

www.ecotourism.ee

National Parks of Estonia
Lahemaa
Matsalu
Vilsandi
Karula
Soomaa

Soomaa National Park
established in 1993
400 sq.km
RAMSAR area since 1997

Soomaa National Park
- Bogs, forests, meadows, rivers
- Home for eagles, black storks, flying squirrels, wolves, bears, lynx ...

Soomaa.com
Private company
Established in 1995
8000 quests in 2005
Operating in Soomaa NP

Canoeing trips on the rivers

Walking on the bogs

Skiing on the bogs

Five seasons – more reasons
Regular floods – a fifth season

www.soomaa.com

Our policy
The philosophy of SOOMAA.COM is ecotourism, which means to us :
supporting preservation of cultural and natural heritage
educating t ourists and public
promoting local economic development

Local People
The backbone of our activities is a network of farms along the rivers and people living there.
involvement in planning
guide services
other services – food, transport, riding, B&B

Conservation of alluvial meadows

Conserving the culture of haabjas Haabjas- Estonian dugout canoe

Conserving the culture of haabjas

Haabjas-building workshops
1995 - 2000

Haabjas and ecotourism
New product - exclusive trips on the rivers

Haabjas and tourism
Image building and promotion for Soomaa NP
lot of attention from media
in 2005-06 eight film-teams visiting Karuskose

Haabjas and tourism
Promotion of Soomaa on festivals in Tallinn and Tartu

Partnerships and networks
Partnerships
Horizontally and vertically
Within the business sector and across sectors

ECOLL
Project period 2005 – 2007
EU Leonardo finance
Vocational Schools from 4 Countries
Võru County Vocational Training Centre – Estonia
University of Lapland – Finland
Schools of Economics no1 Nicolaus Copernicus- Poland
Vocational Training Centre “Alfonso Motolese” - Italy

ECOLL
Partners from business sector
Finnish Nature-based Entrepreneurship Association
Tourism Agency Wedrowiec (Poland)
Touriusm Agency "Terrae Maris"
Estonian Ecotourism Association
Estonian Rural Tourism Association
Soomaa.com (OÜ Karuskose)

ECOLL
Objective is to develop programme for education and training in the area of ecotourism in accordance with the principles of lifelong learning.

ECOLL
Target groups:
Students who choose tourism as their vocational training program
People who already work in the tourism sector
People who live in rural communities with ecotourism potential

ECOLL
Activities of each partner country
develop the requirements for professional qualification
adapt existing and develop new programs, teaching materials, and curricula
test the new programs, teaching materials and teaching methods in the education environment and test their validity in the partner companies

ECOLL
Learning Modules:
Tourism Impact on Environment
Safety and Wilderness Skills
Ecotourism Marketing
Foreign Language
Guiding and Tour Leading
Cultural and Natural Heritage
Ecotourism Management

ECOLL Modules
Tourism Impact on Environment

ECOLL Modules Safety and Wilderness Skills

ECOLL Modules
Ecotourism Marketing

Foreign Language
ECOLL Modules

ECOLL Modules Guiding and Tour Leading

ECOLL Modules
Cultural and Natural Heritage

ECOLL Modules Ecotourism Management

www.ecoll.ee

ECOLL Summer Camp 03. – 07.of July 2007 in Soomaa, Estonia Welcome!

Thank you! Questions please?
Contacts: Aivar Ruukel
phone: +3725061896
[email_address]
skype: sookoll3

Lifelong Learning in Ecotourism

by Aivar Ruukel on Sep 09, 2007

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