Quick Facts

Adventure Tourism and Outdoor Recreation

Learn:

Your passion for the outdoors, your sense of adventure and your desire to learn through formal education and experience make you an ideal student for the adventure tourism and outdoor recreation (ATOR) program.

As a student you will be on extended trips for over 45 days throughout your 4 semesters – including whitewater paddling, ski touring, backpacking and expedition tripping.

ATOR provides leadership, outdoor skills and tourism business education and skill development. You'll be prepared to work in the tourism industry, one of today’s most exciting, resilient and rapidly growing industries. As an ATOR graduate you will have a broad range of career paths open to you including: ecotourism owner/operator, guiding, outfitting, instruction and heritage interpretation.

Live The Learning:

Even with little or no outdoor experience, you will learn the basics of practical guiding skills and progress to skills that will make you a competent outdoor professional. This includes:

wilderness first aid
interpretation
leave no trace
avalanche safety training
navigation

Experience 2 one-week trips in your first semester and several winter trips including a backcountry ski trip in Jasper. A two week northern canoe expedition starts your second year

Operate an interpretative tour for the public at the Vermilion Provincial Park in the fall of your second year.

Plan a special event on or off campus

The Lakeland Advantage:

Earn certifications in first aid, avalanche safety training, customer service and ATV safety
You get into the field early and often. Gain practical experience on a variety of field trips. Plan and manage the trips as part of your learning
Unique blend of outdoor skills, business skills and guiding skill
Industry experienced instructors

Live Your Career As A

wilderness guide
tour operator
heritage and/or wilderness interpreter
tourism planning, programming and administration
tourism marketing
adventure education
special events planning

Continue Your Learning With:

Tourism / Outdoor Recreation degree at U of A, Augustana campus, Thompson Rivers University or Medicine Hat College
Advanced certification
Extended field experience

Last updated on

Campus Location
Vermilion Campus

Program Length
2 Years

Current Project

Expedition Canoe Trip

Current first year Adventure Tourism and Outdoor Recreation students are planning and preparing for their expedition canoe trip that will start their second year this fall. They have chosen to paddle the Paull River in Northern Saskatchewan. Over the course of the 14-day trip, each student will take their turn as trip leader. All are very excited about the learning opportunities that will unfold in the northern wilderness.