ECOTOURISM PLANNER

Robert Smith, ecotour guide
Owner, Timbuktours

WHY IS ECOTOURISM SO POPULAR?

With so many frontiers in a rapidly developing market, the time to take advantage of these opportunities would be now, while regulation is more or less wide open. Because many people are increasingly feeling a need to interact with the natural environment, ecotourism will become more and more popular.

HOW DID YOU GET INVOLVED IN THIS UNIQUE INDUSTRY?

I've been a guide ever since I can remember, venturing alone or with friends into the bush in my native South Africa. Alone, I was guided by my instincts, intuition, and knowledge, and I was usually the appointed leader when venturing outdoors. My know-how, or bushwhacking ability, was first gained by being a Boy Scout as a youth, and later as an infantryman in the military. I also learned a lot from an uncle who was a nature conservationist.

WHY DID YOU START YOUR OWN COMPANY?

Because of the understanding I have of the natural world, I am definitely in favor of “treading lightly” and the “leave no trace” protocol. This explains my affiliation with ecotourism, which allows people to get closer to the environment with much less intrusion than conventional forms of tourism.

Today I operate as an eco/adventure guide and wilderness interpreter in the Republic of South Africa, Canada, and in other countries. With hiking, camping, ocean kayaking, and river rafting as my means for giving my clients the kind of travel experience they will never forget, I have created the opportunity for myself to work and play hard simultaneously.

WHAT ADVICE COULD YOU GIVE YOUNG PEOPLE WHO SHARE YOUR INTERESTS?

If you are the same kind of person as I am, then ecotourism is your ticket to a rewarding career. Many people finish high school and do not have a very clear realization of what they intend to do with their lives afterwards. After all, this is a rather big decision to make. There are not many alternatives to the rat race. However, with the rapid and large-scale expansion of tourism, there are some opportunities to be found.