Argentina has a huge territory where all climates are possible, as well as a varied geography and landscapes which let one enjoy the contact with nature. It is the ideal territory to do adventure tourism, and it offers numerous opportunities for those who love this type of activities.Adventure tourism is a type of tourism which is booming and which is becoming more popular in San Luis every day due to the fact that it implies choosing unusual destinations for holidays, changing sun and beaches for exploration and active sightseeing.
As a lecturer of the course “Tourism and Recreation” –which is part of the Teaching Training Program in Physical Education at Instituto de Formación Docente Continua (Teaching Training Center) “Juan Pascual Pringles”- I work on the description of adventure tourism activities through comments and analysis of different tourism service providers and emphasize all the tasks that must be done before planning. After that future teachers are instructed on fundamental concepts, necessary to plan those activities from a theoretical point of view.
In the following section, I will refer to the work carried out by Ivana Paola Cerizola, a fourth year student at the Teacher Training Program in Physical Education.
How to plan recreational-tourist activities
We must emphasize the following aspects:
Destination: place (mountains, plains, river area, lake area, etc.) - Climate – Indoor or outdoor activities (visits to museums, play areas) – Solutions to problems in the schedule.
The tourists and their needs: Number of people - Age – Fitness -Security (first aid kit and suggestions for being comfortable – for example, wearing a helmet when riding a bicycle, proper shoes and comfortable clothes, etc.) - Medical record.
All these recommendations must be given before starting the journey/activity, and as soon as the guide or the instructor for a particular activity is introduced.
What should be considered when travelling with students?
Destination: Does the place have basic health services? How old are the students? Is there any specific characteristic which should be considered?; Special education needs; How many students travel?; Which activities will be prepared for those students who do not travel?; What time will they leave school?; Why is this trip organized? Objetives and educational content; How will other areas or subjects collaborate with this activity in order to be considered interdisciplinary? What will we do when we get to the place?; How are we going to get there (transportation); How will the activity be financed? (Will it be sponsored by the school? will the students pay for it? How many people are necessary to work on this activity? (Number of teachers, instructors, etc.); How should the students prepare for the activity? (clothes, proper shoes, bags, food, solar protection, etc.). It is important to remember that those topics which are intended to be worked in an interdisciplinary way must be dealt with before the trip.
Some final recommendations: do not forget to ask for parents’ authorization; (if it is an outdoor activity) do not forget to teach rules to project the environment; always think about an emergency plan in case of accidents (emergency phone number, first aid kit, knowledge of the closest health center).
What must be considered during the trip? call the roll before leaving; check students periodically during the trip; remember basic behaviour rules; follow the schedule.
