The EcoGuide Australia Certification Program is a flagship program of Ecotourism Australia. It is an industry driven program for Nature and Ecotour Guides. The EcoGuide Australia program provides a credential, endorsing the recipient as a guide who will deliver an authentic, environmentally responsible, and professional Ecotourism experience.

The 2007 New Generation EcoGuide Program now provides Guides with a cost effective and convenient advantage in being able to attain both EcoGuide and the national Guides of Australia (GOA) accreditation in one application.  For information on Guides of Australia national accreditation go to www.goa.org.au/guidesofaustralia

The EcoGuide Australia Certification Program was originally developed out of a pilot program driven by Australia’s Guides and the tourism industry. It comprised representatives from Guiding organizations, the tourism industry, protected area managers, training providers, the tourism industry training advisory board, the ECO Certification Program, ecotourism organisations and of course, the guides themselves!

Ecotourism Australia manages the EcoGuide Program, backed by the expertise of the Ecotourism Australia management team. We also maintain a team of independent EcoGuide Assessors who will examine your initial EcoGuide application. An additional EcoGuide Australia strategy Committee is also comprised of nominated representatives elected from the Ecotourism Australia Board. Ecotourism Australia is a not for profit organisation that manages the EcoGuide Program on a self funding policy.

• Certified EcoGuides gain the advantage of an industry credential and a pathway to nationally recognised and respected formal qualifications that will provide a defined competitive edge. 
• Operators gain a sound method of recognising quality guides, a benchmark to use for training purposes and greater product appeal through employing and promoting the use of bona fide nature and ecotour guides. 
• Both guides and operators gain an opportunity to promote guiding services as genuine nature tourism or ecotourism, providing a competitive edge for these niche markets.  
• Visitors gain a guarantee of guides who are committed to providing quality nature tourism and ecotourism experiences in a safe, culturally sensitive and environmentally sustainable manner.  
• Environmental benefits flow from improved guiding practices that lead to fewer negative environmental and cultural impacts.  
• Training providers gain a benchmark of best practice nature and ecotour guiding. 
• A potential advantage for protected area managers is the ability to identify operators who employ staff with appropriate training and qualifications when reviewing permit applications in sensitive areas.

The EcoGuide Australia Certification Program is designed to be equally relevant and accessible to guides who have obtained competence through:

• life experience and on-the-job training; or 
• the formal training and qualification frameworks.

To be eligible all you need to have is a minimum of 12 months relevant work experience as a tour guide or a recognised and approved guiding qualification (Certificate III Tourism [Tour Guiding]) or other relevant qualification (e.g. a degree in ecotourism) and a minimum of 3 months relevant work experience as a tour guide.

To apply for certification, you will need to purchase a copy of the EcoGuide application document at a cost of $45.00 mailed, by completing the request form application insert within the Ecotourism Australia brochure, or real time order on the attached web site link.

Upon receiving your application workbook, we recommend you then work through the self assessment questions in the workbook.

We encourage mentoring assistance and networking with other EcoGuide Certified guides for support, or contact the Ecotourism Australia EcoGuide help desk.

Upon completion, return the workbook and all necessary supporting documentation, and the appropriate application and annual fees to Ecotourism Australia for assessment.

Upon entry to the program, guides declare their intent to provide high quality nature or ecotourism experiences in a safe, culturally sensitive and environmentally sustainable manner through signing a professional code of ethics.

Once your completed application is received, Ecotourism Australia staff check the application for completeness.  Your application is then forwarded to one of our independent EcoGuide Assessment team.  The Assessor will inspect your application, and conduct reference checking.

To become an EcoGuide, there is an initial application, administration and assessment cost, with a modest annually renewable re-certification fee. The application workbook cost is $45. The initial once only assessment fee is $125 and is based on cost recovery. Certification is renewable each year at a cost of $165.00 which includes Individual Membership of Ecotourism Australia.

• A package containing an EcoGuide Australia cloth sew on badge, ID card and Certificate. 
• Automatic inclusive Membership of Ecotourism Australia. 
• A listing in the Guiding section of the Ecotourism Australia web site database, and email newslist. 
• Access to reduced cost training materials and Guiding equipment. 
• Valuable networking and professional development opportunities
• Discounted attendance to the annual Ecotourism Australia National Ecotourism Conference

An EcoGuide workbook, which sets out the process of application and provides more details on the process and policy is available from Ecotourism Australia.   Please click on the attached link to order your EcoGuide Workbook on line, or fax the workbook order form to 07 32295255.