Project Overview

I. Background & Origin

This program is implemented in accordance with the relevant regulations governing the five designated intertidal zone natural and cultural ecotourism areas of Xiao Liuqiu (Shanfu, Yuchengwei, Duzaiping, Gebanwan, and Longxiadong), officially announced on March 20, 2015. While the Dapeng Bay National Scenic Area Administration established the initial foundation for local guiding capacity through training and certification programs between 2016 and 2017, recent shifts in the tourism industry structure have led to a gradual loss of experienced guides to other sectors. Concurrently, newcomers face a lack of official channels to obtain legal certification, posing a direct challenge to the capacity and quality of local guiding services.

II. Core Objectives

To address manpower shortages and elevate professional standards, this program implements a systematic training framework designed to cultivate qualified tour guides equipped with comprehensive ecological knowledge and professional interpretation skills. The ultimate goals are to ensure the sustainable development of local natural resources, enhance the overall quality of ecotourism, and foster a synergistic relationship between local tourism industries and environmental conservation.

III. Key Implementations

This program offers a progressive and diversified curriculum divided into three core training streams. The training content encompasses a comprehensive range of courses, including indoor marine ecology lectures, regulatory overviews, emergency first-aid handling, and outdoor field instruction.

•  Basic Training Course: Focused on nurturing new guiding talents to bolster the foundational capacity of intertidal ecotourism interpretation.
•  Professional Training Course: Focused on providing advanced education for existing basic-level guides to help them upgrade their skills and acquire official professional tour guide credentials.
•  Diversified Guiding Course: Focused on integrating Xiao Liuqiu’s marine ecology, historical culture, and natural landscapes to enrich the depth and breadth of the guiding narratives.

IV. Team Strengths & Expertise

Since 2019, our research center has been continuously assisting the Pingtung County Government in conducting intertidal ecological surveys, coordinating with local operators, and establishing management systems. Through these long-term efforts, we have accumulated extensive empirical experience and developed a deep understanding of regional ecological traits and practical demands. This program will fully integrate our research track record and professional resources, inviting leading experts and scholars from relevant fields to co-design and deliver the curriculum, thereby ensuring top-tier training quality and practical efficacy.

V. Latest Updates & Project Achievements

1. Institutionalization & Policy Implementation

In response to tourism transformation and ecological conservation demands, the program continues to drive professional certification and structured management:

• Flexible Eligibility Criteria (Introduced in 2024): Admission eligibility was expanded to include non-registered residents who work locally or are committed to tour guiding, successfully broadening the talent pipeline.
• Mandatory Professional Certification (Effective from 2026): In alignment with the new policy, only certified professional tour guides are permitted to lead visitors into designated control zones. Dedicated uniform vests and redesigned guide credentials have been introduced to establish a distinct, professional identity.

2. Training Outcomes & Metrics

The curriculum was upgraded to a rigorous two-stage professional training system, alongside continuous renewal training and sustainability empowerment courses:

• Credential Renewal: 100% of participants in the renewal program successfully renewed their credentials. Over two years, a cumulative total of 53 guides completed retraining, representing 66.3% of all eligible guides.
•  Two-Stage Professional Training: Achieved a 75% qualification rate in Stage 1 and a 90.5% pass rate in Stage 2.
•  Sustainability Empowerment: Achieved an 89.5% pass rate across diverse modules, including marine ecology, local history and culture, stargazing, and folk traditions. Comprehensive video recordings were implemented to ensure flexible, asynchronous learning.

3. Current Capacity & Future Outlook

Xiao Liuqiu currently has a cumulative total of 154 certified professional tour guides, which adequately meets current local demand. Moving forward, our research center will strategically shift its focus from opening new general training courses to strengthening standardized governance and sustainable empowerment:

•  Quality Assurance & Governance: Instituting regular recertification protocols and establishing a phase-out mechanism for unqualified guides.
•  Curriculum Enhancement: Accelerating digital learning adoption, introducing foreign language and on-site practical drill modules, and establishing credit-waiver mechanisms for volunteer service and seminars.
•  Ecosystem Collaboration: Deepening partnerships with local businesses and community stakeholders to balance tourism excellence with ecological preservation, ensuring the long-term sustainability of Xiao Liuqiu.

*Course Sessions

  Regulatory & Policy Overviews

  Marine Biology Course

   Emergency First-Aid Training

    Intertidal Biology Course