“To the village for impressions: a tour from “A” to “Z””: launch of the educational platform SendPulse

We are pleased to announce that the courses of the Academy of Rural Development of the Union of Rural Green Tourism of Ukraine have been officially launched on the SendPulse educational platform, which became possible thanks to the expert support of the UNDP project “Strengthening Business Associations of Small and Medium Enterprises”, which is being implemented with the financial support of the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO).

Online classes in the course “To the Village for Impressions: Excursion from A to Z” have already started for those who want to master the basics of excursion activities in rural tourism and learn how to organize unforgettable excursions. The first module of the course, which is being taught by Taisiia Chernysheva, a trainer at the Academy of Rural Development and associate professor of the Department of Economics, Entrepreneurship and Tourism at Polissia National University, is dedicated to an important topic: “Guide and its role in the tourism business”. The participants learned about:

• basic requirements for the profession of a guide;
• legal aspects of the activity, including opportunities for IDPs and veterans;
• methods of preparing and conducting excursions in rural areas, including the choice of objects, techniques of interaction with tourists and ensuring safety;
• peculiarities of showing and telling on excursions to rural areas, examples of practical cases.

Classes are held online, which allows participants from all over the country to conveniently join the training, including Kyiv, Zaporizhzhia, Sumy, Lviv, Dnipro, Zhytomyr, Cherkasy, and Kharkiv regions.

What’s next?
After completing the first module, the baton will be continued by Halyna Shchuka, Vice President for Research and Education of the Academy of Rural Development, Doctor of Pedagogical Sciences of the Transcarpathian Hungarian Institute named after Ferenc Rakoczi II, and Diana Hryniuk, Vice President for Marketing and Communications of the Academy of Rural Development, lecturer at Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, who will share their experience and knowledge in the following modules:

• Module 2: “Studying the consumer – rural tourist” (Halyna Shchuka). Participants will explore the types of rural tourists, their needs and expectations, which will become the basis for creating a successful tourism product.
• Module 3: Digital guide and territory brand (Diana Hryniuk). The module will focus on the use of digital tools, the importance of branding territories to create a unique image of the region.
  The final lesson of Module 4 will combine the efforts of all the trainers – Taisiia Chernyshova, Halyna Shchuka, and Diana Hryniuk – to practically consolidate the knowledge gained.
  Why is it important?

The final session of Module 4 will bring together all the trainers – Taisiia Chernyshova, Halyna Shchuka, and Diana Hryniuk – to consolidate the knowledge gained in practice.

Why is it important?
The Academy of Rural Development works to help estates, professionals, and communities create a quality rural tourism product that will reveal the unique aspects of rural life. The modules, as well as the entire course, are focused on practical skills that will become the basis for working in real life.
New knowledge, interesting tasks, and the opportunity to receive a certificate confirming the level of their professional development are waiting for the participants.
We are grateful to everyone who joined the course and wish the participants success in their studies!

Note: The creation of the SendPulse educational platform was made possible thanks to the expert support of the UNDP project “Strengthening Small and Medium Enterprises Business Associations”, which is implemented with the financial support of the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO). The publications of the Union of Rural Green Tourism of Ukraine on the educational platform do not necessarily reflect the views of UNDP, other UN agencies or the Swiss Confederation.