Scope of Practice in American mountain guiding

Abstract

This study explored the implications of the American Mountain Guides Association's (AMGA) adoption of a new Scope of Practice (SOP) framework for affiliated mountain guiding professionals in the United States. The researchers used an interpretivist methodological approach to assess the readiness of AMGA professional members for this organizational change, assessing the value that the new SOP framework and credentialing system held for guides at various stages of their guiding careers as well as the influence of the SOP framework on their attitudes toward ongoing involvement in the profession. Findings revealed both favorable and unfavorable attitudes toward the new SOP framework and credentialing system, indicating a lack of consensus regarding the readiness of the American mountain guiding industry for such a credentialing system. The study concludes with a series of recommendations that the AMGA and other industry stakeholders should consider in supporting guides who are engaged in the AMGA professional credentialing system as well as maintaining momentum in facilitating desired change in the mountain tourism industry in the United States.