93 Emirati tourist guides spread eco heft

On the occasion of the International Tourist Guide Day, Al Ain Zoo’s workforce is represented by an elite group of Emirati tour guides who are committed to enhancing and promoting an environmental awareness culture and supporting nature conservation and the protection of endangered animals.

Al Ain Zoo has actively contributed to Emiratisation by enabling and enrolling 93 young male and female Emiratis to join the tourism sector in the environmental and cultural fields in niche professions and careers, such as protecting endangered animals and promoting biodiversity, offering their skills, dedication and services in Al Ain Safari and throughout the zoo’s facilities.

The tourist guides also show their talents as cultural guides at the Sheikh Zayed Desert Learning Centre, which showcases the past, present and future of the UAE’s humanitarian and environmental development.

Al Ain Zoo has made a qualitative leap in the localisation of tourism and cultural guidance by attracting a diverse group of Emirati talents and professionals who have been trained to be ambassadors for the cultural and touristic image of the UAE and the zoo, especially in the fields of wildlife preservation, nature conservation and the protection of endangered animals.

 Al Ain Zoo is one of the world’s largest entities concerned with environmental and conservation projects, housing 4,000 animals on its more than 900 hectares of land.

It offers visitors a variety of unique experiences at regional and global levels, following international best practices for the protection of endangered species, and is thus a global point of reference for the conservation of nature, whether wildlife, aquatic, or of various plant species.

The zoo provides a range of visitor-pleasing experiences for people of all ages, from daily interactive zoo programmes and activities to a tour of the Al Ain Safari, an explore-and-discover experience among African wildlife consisting of diverse animal species wandering freely through vast areas of land without restriction.

There is also the Sheikh Zayed Desert Learning Centre, which is one of the most fascinating architectural masterpieces in the country.

Last year, Al Ain Zoo launched a dynamic new experience for website visitors that takes them on a fascinating journey through the Sheikh Zayed Desert Learning Centre, with three unique audio tours through the popular “Our Heritage, Our Identity”, “Zayed’s Footsteps”, and “Art of Architecture” tours.

WAM