[M-IS35_30PO1] Geopark

[MIS35-P07] Geopark guide training program in Amakusa area

Hiroaki UGAI¹, *Yoshitaka HASE¹ (1.Amakusa Geopark planning promotion committee)

Keywords:geopark, guide, inhabitants

Amakusa Geopark planning promotion committee trained 149 geopark guides in Amakusa area in 2013. We introduce a state of the Geopark guide training at the geosites."Amakusa Geopark plan" is an action for "Amakusa Geopark" aiming at authorization of the Japanese Geoparks Network. The five elements, geology, geography, viewing point, culture and industry, comprise the main core of the Amakusa area which is shown at the geosites throughout the islands.The purpose of Geopark guide training program, through a lecture in room and the local training in field, is aimed for the interpreter of the local geology, creature, culture and industry. The committee confers the qualification of the guide to the person who passed an authorized examination. Geopark guides perform their activity after the enrollment to each local tourism guide association. Through this program we expect an effect guide authorization, common knowledge of the activity for local inhabitants and the interpreter for geopark which can convey resources in this area to anyone clearly. Geopark guide is important as a diffuser explaining "What is geopark" precisely and is necessary for an action united with local inhabitants or the education spread. Residents and officials alike collaborate to preserve the geologic inheritance of Amakusa with an educational perspective. Exposing the unique beauty of this inheritance as a tourist attraction in conjunction with the history and culture of the area, an attractive geo-tourism will be found aim at the promotion of the Amakusa area.Point of the local promotion by the tourism is comment on an earth science-like element for constitution of the earth and a story about the local history and culture.