Application
This unit describes a product planning function for a diverse range of tourism products delivered across a range of tourism industry sectors. It has particular application to the tour operating, cruise and attractions sectors and to those tourism products that are delivered in environmentally sensitive areas. Many would be nature or ecotourism-based experiences. The planning and implementation of minimal impact operations could be for a series of activities within a venue, a tour operation, or a one-off activity. This role would normally apply to those who operate with some level of autonomy or under limited supervision and guidance from others, e.g. senior operational or supervisory personnel such as senior guide or senior activities coordinator, site guide, interpretive guide and owner-operator of a small tourism business. | |
Prerequisites
Nil | |
Elements and Performance Criteria
ELEMENT | PERFORMANCE CRITERIA | ||
1 | Organise environmentally responsible activities. | 1.1 | Develop experiences and activities that combine education and interpretation of the natural environment, and ensure environmental sustainability and cultural sensitivity. |
1.2 | Ensure a positive outcome for the local community and environment, and compliance with ecotourism codes of practice. | ||
1.3 | Consult with colleagues and other stakeholders regarding issues of responsibility for environmental impact and social impact. | ||
1.4 | Develop tour procedures to limit potential negative impact and maximise positive impact on the natural environment and local community. | ||
2 | Conduct activities with minimal impact. | 2.1 | Select and use minimal impacttechniques and procedures appropriate for a given area. |
2.2 | Advise customers politely about acceptable behaviour in different environments and communities prior to entering the area. | ||
2.3 | Provide a role model for customers and colleagues in relation to minimal impact. | ||
2.4 | Take appropriate action to address situations where customer behaviour is not acceptable. | ||
3 | Monitor impact and changes. | 3.1 | Monitor and accurately record changes in the natural environment using appropriate technology. |
3.2 | Collect environmental information on behalf of environmental and social agencies and authorities where appropriate. | ||
3.3 | Advise appropriate authorities of environmental and social change promptly. |
Required Skills
This section describes the essential skills and knowledge and their level, required for this unit. |
The following skills must be assessed as part of this unit: information collection techniques for monitoring environmental and social impact high-level communication skills to consult with colleagues and stakeholders on issues of environmental responsibility, inform customers of their minimal impact responsibilities as tour or activity members, and discipline non-compliance when necessary literacy skills to: read and interpret complex materials describing environmental regulatory requirements, local land management practices and permit requirements, and industry and ecotourism codes of practice develop written or verbal tour procedures numeracy skills to: record and calculate basic measurements for environmental monitoring, e.g. temperature count sightings of environmental components, e.g. numbers of animals. |
The following knowledge must be assessed as part of this unit: general and overview knowledge of global environmental issues and ethics broad working knowledge of the environmental and social impact of tourism in-depth knowledge of local environmental issues and the social and cultural aspects of the local host community the key contents of industry ecotourism codes of practice, especially that of the Ecotourism Association of Australia broad working knowledge of the range of environmental legislation and regulations imposed by relevant land management agencies and federal, state or territory, and local governments working knowledge of the particular land management practices and permit requirements affecting the area of operations, e.g. those used by national park management understanding of the biophysical and socio-cultural elements in an environment minimal impact techniques and procedures in relation to: waste disposal use of tracks energy use noise souveniring setting of camps interaction with wildlife group size activity-specific guidelines local customs and courtesies. |
Evidence Required
The evidence guide provides advice on assessment and must be read in conjunction with the performance criteria, required skills and knowledge, the range statement and the Assessment Guidelines for this Training Package. | |
Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit | Evidence of the following is essential: ability to organise and operate tourism activities with minimal negative environmental and social impact and monitor and report on any impact on the environment knowledge of general environmental impact and issues in regard to tourism and the particular environments of operation knowledge of minimal impact practices planning and implementation of minimal impact operations for multiple delivery environments to ensure that skills can be adapted to different delivery locations and contexts project or work activities conducted over an operationally realistic period of time so that the monitoring and recording of changes in the natural environment can be assessed. |
Context of and specific resources for assessment | Assessment must ensure: access to comprehensive and sufficient information about the tourism delivery environment to allow the candidate to plan for minimal impact operations and monitor any environmental impact conduct and monitoring of a minimal impact tour or activity within appropriate environments, e.g. in an environmentally sensitive area conduct of a tour or activity and interaction with customer groups of a size and nature that reflect the commercial environment in which the tour or activity operates. |
Methods of assessment | A range of assessment methods should be used to assess the practical skills and knowledge required to plan and implement minimal impact operations. The following examples are appropriate for this unit: direct observation of the candidate conducting a tour or activity in an environmentally sensitive area review of planning and operational activities undertaken as part of industry placement or training with an industry operator project or case study to analyse appropriate minimal impact approaches for different environments written and oral questioning or interview to test knowledge of the environmental and social impact of tourism, local environmental issues, minimal impact techniques and procedures and regulatory requirements review of portfolios of evidence and third-party workplace reports of on-the-job performance by the candidate. Holistic assessment with other units relevant to the industry sector, workplace and job role is recommended, for example: SITTGDE004A Lead tour groups SITTGDE006A Prepare and present tour commentaries or activities SITTPPD005A Plan and develop interpretive activities SITTPPD006B Plan and develop ecologically sustainable tourism operations. |
Assessing employability skills | Employability skills are integral to effective performance in the workplace and are broadly consistent across industry sectors. How these skills are applied varies between occupations and qualifications due to the different work functions and contexts. Employability skills embedded in this unit should be assessed holistically with other relevant units that make up the skill set or qualification and in the context of the job role. |
Range Statement
The range statement relates to the unit of competency as a whole. It allows for different work environments and situations that may affect performance. Bold italicised wording in the performance criteria is detailed below. | |
Environmental impact may include: | positive: opportunities for conservation and protection education of visitors improvement of sites already impacted negative: disturbance of flora and fauna physical damage introduction of exotic and feral species pollution waste, energy and consumable demands and issues visual impacts. |
Social impact may include: | positive: economic benefits to local community improved local facilities employment visitor education greater understanding between host and visitor cultures negative: trivialisation of culture effect on social structures. |
Minimal impact techniques and procedures may include: | education on appropriate behaviour site hardening technological solutions education restricting or limiting access staged authenticity. |
Changes in the natural environment may include: | breeding events erosion species sighting changes to flora changes to fauna. |
Collecting environmental information may involve: | logbooks sighting forms basic measurements, including temperature, weather conditions and estimating percentage cover and water photography. |
Sectors
Sector | Tourism |
Competency Field
Planning and Product Development | |
Employability Skills
The required outcomes described in this unit of competency contain applicable facets of employability skills. The Employability Skills Summary of the qualification in which this unit is packaged will assist in identifying employability skills requirements. | |
Licensing Information
Not applicable.