A new movie highlighting CMRCA’s dedication to the promotion and expansion of sustainable climbing tourism in Asia:

The fundamental piece of an adventure tourism industry that supports the local economy and culture are guides with extensive knowledge and excellent skills.  Rock climbing guides, as well as being safety experts, teachers, and coaches, become representatives of their community and their country to visiting travelers.  Working in adventure tourism becomes an avenue for the personal and professional development of local people.

CMRCA engaged in this development directly in August 2010, when we hosted four aspiring climbing guides from Cam Sur Province, The Philippines.  Dong Dee, Mark, Paul, and Song completed five weeks of intensive guide training with CMRCA.  Beginning with an extended Fundamentals of Rock Climbing course and developing into an internship where the boys acted as assistant guides on student programs, sold gear in the shop and engaged in promoting community events, the guide training course represented what we hope will be the future of climbing in South East Asia.

The boys are now back in Cam Sur preparing to guide at one of the newest sport climbing crags in Asia, which CMRCA helped bolt (see picture of the beautiful seaside cliff and bolting expedition here).

Thanks again to the Cam Sur boys for taking the lead on the road to sustainable climbing tourism!  We can’t wait to visit you on Gota Island (again).

Climb On…