The Brown Bear Foundation (FOP) launches the first edition of the 'Training courses for responsible and sustainable tourism' in Asturias, within the framework of a project aimed at improving the skills of workers in this growing sector, and in this way prevent negative impacts on the brown bear population, a species cataloged in Spain in danger of extinction. The project has the support of Fundación EDP.

In line with the exercise of a sustainable tourism, the courses seek to improve the qualification and training of workers in the sector, which will result in the quality of services, elimination of risks and greater awareness of customers, and will also help to consolidate employability. The courses will be taught face-to-face with specific theoretical content on ecology, behavior and conservation of the brown bear, ecotourism, guidelines for the development of tourist activities in bear areas and manuals of good practices.

Pola de Lena, Belmonte, Somiedo, Proaza, Sisterna, Oviedo and Cangas del Narcea are the population centers chosen, on different dates, from May 30 to June 30. The full program can be found at http://www.fundacionosopardo.org

The program includes workshops to develop ecotourism products linked to the brown bear and a field trip to put into practice the knowledge acquired. It's free and aimed at active workers on their own account or outside the tourism sector. Its duration is two consecutive days, at the end of which a certificate of attendance will be delivered. In addition, within the framework of this project and always for free, the FOP will continue to advise (in person and online) the participants after the completion of the courses so that they can respond to situations that arise in the actual exercise of their activity professional.