Ideas for Designing a Geotour:

Suggestions from Experimental Geotour for Professional Nature Guides in Hokkaido Island, Japan

Abstract

 We conducted an experimental geotour, which was monitored by professional nature guides, to improve our geotour plan and guiding techniques. We asked the nature guides to fill out a questionnaire and give advices to improve the geotours. The experimental geotours were conducted at the Shikaribestu volcano group and Shikaribetu Lake in central Hokkaido, Japan. We explained the geological history of the volcano group and the mechanism of cold talus slopes filled with ice, in as simple terms as possible. However, the nature guides judged our geotours to be “rather difficult”, indicating that our plan and interpretation need to be improved. Based on the results of questionnaires and comments from the nature guides, we propose some ideas to improve the geotour in general: (1) Eliminate technical terms where possible in the explanations; (2) Use clear figures and pictures in explanations; and, (3) Make a story to connect all the geosites included in a tour. To improve guidebooks: (1) Use bird's-eye view map or other 3D maps instead of contour maps to make it easy to understand the landform; (2) Add glossary of technical terms and scale of geologic time; and, (3) Send the guidebook to participants before the geotour. These ideas may help to deepen the participant's' understanding and to achieve high-level of satisfaction among participants.