Game Lodge Management · 2020-05-21 · Hosting guests is your business and “hosting” them...

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Game Lodge Management Important note: Because this course and assessment comes to us from Wilderness Safaris, many of the questions, their answers and contents reflect their internal policies, procedures and protocols and are therefore highly subjective. Each lodge will function per their own internal procedures, within the laws of their country.

Transcript of Game Lodge Management · 2020-05-21 · Hosting guests is your business and “hosting” them...

Page 1: Game Lodge Management · 2020-05-21 · Hosting guests is your business and “hosting” them means making them feel at home. Create an atmosphere and an ambience in your camps that

Game Lodge Management

Important note: Because this course and assessment comes to us from

Wilderness Safaris, many of the questions, their answers and contents reflect

their internal policies, procedures and protocols and are therefore highly

subjective. Each lodge will function per their own internal procedures, within

the laws of their country.

Page 2: Game Lodge Management · 2020-05-21 · Hosting guests is your business and “hosting” them means making them feel at home. Create an atmosphere and an ambience in your camps that

- WildlifeCampus - Game Lodge Management Course

This course material is the copyrighted intellectual property of WildlifeCampus. It may not be copied, distributed or

reproduced in any format whatsoever without the express written permission of WildlifeCampus

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Philosophy of Game Lodge Management © Copyright

This is the most comprehensive theory course of its kind offered anywhere in the world.

This course is the best possible preparation you can undertake to begin a career in

Game Lodge Management.

The philosophy behind WildlifeCampus is quite simple - it is about conservation and

how the average person really can make a difference. The whole concept of

WildlifeCampus can be summed up by a very simple idiom:

- Tell them, and they may forget.

- Show them, and they may remember.

but

- Involve them, and they will understand.

We hope you will come to a greater understanding of the incredible wonders that our

world has to offer, and the fragility of that world.

Take with you the fact that just by participating as you are, you will already have

helped in the great battle that is conservation.

Enjoy the course and welcome to WildlifeCampus!

Welcome to The

Wildlifecampus

Game Lodge

Management Course!

Page 3: Game Lodge Management · 2020-05-21 · Hosting guests is your business and “hosting” them means making them feel at home. Create an atmosphere and an ambience in your camps that

- WildlifeCampus - Game Lodge Management Course

This course material is the copyrighted intellectual property of WildlifeCampus. It may not be copied, distributed or

reproduced in any format whatsoever without the express written permission of WildlifeCampus

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Philosophy of Game Lodge Management © Copyright

The call of Africa, a poem by C Emily-Dibb When you’ve acquired a taste for dust, The scent of our first rain, You’re hooked for life on Africa And you’ll not be right again Till you can watch the setting moon And hear the jackals bark And know that they’re around you Waiting in the dark. When you long to see the elephants, Or to hear the coucal’s song, When the moonrise sets your blood on fire, You’ve been away too long. It’s time to cut the traces loose And let your heart go free Beyond that far horizon, Where your spirit yearns to be. Africa is waiting… come! Since you’ve touched the open sky And learned to love the rustling grass, The wild fish eagle’s cry, You’ll always hunger for the bush, For the lion’s rasping roar, To camp at last beneath the stars And to be at peace once more.

©Wilderness Safaris

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- WildlifeCampus - Game Lodge Management Course

This course material is the copyrighted intellectual property of WildlifeCampus. It may not be copied, distributed or

reproduced in any format whatsoever without the express written permission of WildlifeCampus

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Philosophy of Game Lodge Management © Copyright

d Introduction

The philosophy of successful Game Lodge Management can be based on five

principles:

To provide the best adventure safaris possible, profitably.

Tourism through the revenue brought into the country and job creation is one way

to preserve the fast dwindling wilderness areas in Southern Africa and makes it

beneficial to the country.

All employees should obtain long-term personal fulfilment as well as future growth

prospects within the company.

The company, its directors and employees should derive short, as well as long term

financial benefits.

The lodge must always maintain sound conservation principles.

Module # 1 – Component # 1

Philosophy of

Game Lodge

Management

©Wilderness Safaris

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- WildlifeCampus - Game Lodge Management Course

This course material is the copyrighted intellectual property of WildlifeCampus. It may not be copied, distributed or

reproduced in any format whatsoever without the express written permission of WildlifeCampus

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Philosophy of Game Lodge Management © Copyright

Your objective

To ensure that the standard of your safaris is well above that of your competitors. Your

long-term objective is to build your safari company to become nationally and

internationally recognized as one of the finest adventure companies on the market in

that region. To do this your short-term objectives are to achieve the following:

1. Competitive advantage

2. Quality and innovation

3. Productivity

4. Profitability

©Wilderness Safaris

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- WildlifeCampus - Game Lodge Management Course

This course material is the copyrighted intellectual property of WildlifeCampus. It may not be copied, distributed or

reproduced in any format whatsoever without the express written permission of WildlifeCampus

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Philosophy of Game Lodge Management © Copyright

General statement of intent

Your lodge should strive to be a “low impact” safari company that does not contribute

to the degradation of the area.

To achieve this, there are a few basic rules:

Guides must obey all park rules.

No harassing of animals.

No disturbing of breeding areas.

No burying of rubbish.

All trash must be removed from campsites and handed over to the park disposal

area or burnt and lodges must have adequate rubbish pits, all bottles and cans to

be recycled.

When leaving a campsite, the area must be clean and fire ashes buried.

Burning of wood should be minimal.

©Wilderness Safaris

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- WildlifeCampus - Game Lodge Management Course

This course material is the copyrighted intellectual property of WildlifeCampus. It may not be copied, distributed or

reproduced in any format whatsoever without the express written permission of WildlifeCampus

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Philosophy of Game Lodge Management © Copyright

Minimum standards

Should your lodge company have more than one camp, you must have agreed

standards for as many activities, services, equipment and materials as possible. You

cannot leave as important a factor as guest satisfaction to chance, so set

performance standards on different tasks, services and procedures. Your standards

should be based on guest requirements, levels of service, accommodation and

personal attention.

It is your responsibility to ensure that these standards are maintained and provide

regular feedback to your concession manager. This is necessary to monitor and adapt

standards as guest requirements change.

©Wilderness Safaris

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- WildlifeCampus - Game Lodge Management Course

This course material is the copyrighted intellectual property of WildlifeCampus. It may not be copied, distributed or

reproduced in any format whatsoever without the express written permission of WildlifeCampus

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Philosophy of Game Lodge Management © Copyright

Characteristics of a lodge manager

Unlike a hotel manager who is more of an administrator, a lodge manager is constantly

involved with their guests. A manager must be able to educate and entertain his

guests as well as run a professional operation.

Some characteristics to look for when employing someone for this position, for

individuals already in this position or those striving for such a position:

Ability to confidently deal with and communicate with guests and staff from

different backgrounds and cultures.

Love of lifestyle - you must love living and working in the bush and be driven by

the love of the outdoors, not monetary funds. You must be able to handle the

isolation of being cut off from the comforts of modern town living.

Broad education either formal or informal - you should be knowledgeable in all

topics including fauna and flora. Self-improvement by taking extra courses and

earning extra certificates not only helps broaden your knowledge, but also puts

you in a good position towards employment, as it shows you are driven and

determined.

Ability to deal with staff i.e. leadership qualities. You must be able to accept and

delegate responsibilities. Motivate your staff and be trusted and respected by

them.

©Wilderness Safaris

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- WildlifeCampus - Game Lodge Management Course

This course material is the copyrighted intellectual property of WildlifeCampus. It may not be copied, distributed or

reproduced in any format whatsoever without the express written permission of WildlifeCampus

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Philosophy of Game Lodge Management © Copyright

Organizational skills - Organize your office, staff, time, workshop, catering,

accommodation, maintenance and all other aspects of managing the lodge

professionally and profitably.

You must be presentable - neat, clean and pleasing to the eye.

Initiative - You must be able to handle all types of emergencies and crises calmly

and efficiently and constantly plan.

Self-motivated - Be positive and have the right attitude, remain motivated, caring

and level-headed through all situations - this requires strong work ethic, loyalty and

honesty.

You cannot afford to be moody or take personal problems to work.

Be prepared to work long hours - seven days a week.

People-pleasing - You must enjoy working with and pleasing people and be

outgoing.

Service orientated - You must know what guests want, what pleases and

disappoints them.

©Wilderness Safaris

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- WildlifeCampus - Game Lodge Management Course

This course material is the copyrighted intellectual property of WildlifeCampus. It may not be copied, distributed or

reproduced in any format whatsoever without the express written permission of WildlifeCampus

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Philosophy of Game Lodge Management © Copyright

The Lodge Credo

Your lodge or lodge group should strive to provide the finest possible safaris in the

Earth’s wild places. Your company should be holistic, conservation-orientated, non-

consumptive, caring and ethically driven.

Low volume, low impact, non-consumptive tourism is the finest way to create a

sustainable engine for economic growth for the country, its people, your staff and

partners. Your activities must help stimulate these economies so that all

stakeholders help protect the environment and its wildlife.

Everything you do as a travel and safari company must add value: to the countries

in which you operate; to the environment; to the communities who live around the

wild places where you operate; to the people who work for you; to your guests; to

your partners; to your company.

Put the environments in which you work above everything else. Your ethics should

rely on you to say “no” to guests’ requests if that request compromises your

principles (i.e. is harmful to the environment, their safety or the safety of your

employees).

Recognise that one of your primary resources is your staff. They are, in every

respect, the interface between your products, the environment, your guests and

your clients.

Believe that it is your responsibility to employ from, train and help uplift the

communities in the areas where you are represented. Ensure the prospering of

these rich cultures, the wildlife that surrounds them and the wild places they

occupy. Aim to provide the framework to enable these communities to fully

embrace their environmental and cultural heritages and become the custodians

of the future.

On your safaris and in your camps, you host, entertain and educate your guests,

striving to give them holistic experiences that will produce new (or re-affirmed)

conservationists and create guests for life. At the end of the safari, your guests

should become the new ambassadors for your lodge company and Africa. To take

Africa’s messages of hope and conservation around the globe.

Hosting guests is your business and “hosting” them means making them feel at

home. Create an atmosphere and an ambience in your camps that makes your

guests feel as though they are in their hosts’ home. Your employees must enjoy

interacting with guests and understand that your future depends on how well they

look after your guests and how much they enjoy their stay with you.

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- WildlifeCampus - Game Lodge Management Course

This course material is the copyrighted intellectual property of WildlifeCampus. It may not be copied, distributed or

reproduced in any format whatsoever without the express written permission of WildlifeCampus

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Philosophy of Game Lodge Management © Copyright

The safety of your guests and employees and their enjoyment of their travels with

you are paramount.

If you are not nurturing the environment or looking after your guests, (or the people

who support your people who do), then you may not be best suited for this business.

Looking after people is what you do. If you do not like dealing with guests (or your

customers - i.e. agents) then you do not have a long-term future in this industry.

Always live by the principle of “under-promising and over-delivering” and always

act in all your dealings with integrity!

If you are happy with these core values and guiding principles,

you will find your life in the lodge and safari industry rewarding,

enriching, educational and fun!

©Wilderness Safaris