Doug Neasloss Photography

                             Douglas Neasloss

       Doug Neasloss is employed by Spirit Bear Adventures as an ecotour guide and operations manager. In this role, Doug leads bear viewing and other ecotours, and acts as a natural/cultural history interpreter.  Doug’s primary responsibilities include: providing guests with information about the natural and cultural history of the Klemtu region (including ethno-botanical usages), teaching required technical skills for kayaking and wilderness travel, safety management, and managing the welfare of client groups in the wilderness environment.  In addition to tour guiding, Doug is responsible for other general duties pertaining to the operation of the tour programs including administration and sales.

Through his employment with Spirit Bear Adventures Doug has gained and/or enhanced various skills including frontline public relations, interpretation skills, customer service skills, technical guiding skills, and management skills.  Doug was also able to learn about managing the tourism operation and about sales and marketing

Douglas is of Kitasoo ancestry. Klemtu is his home and he has grown up on the waters and forests that surround it. He has spent much of his life learning its history and the traditional cultures of the Kitasoo/Xaixais people, and he enjoys sharing it with guests. Doug has been working with Spirit Bear Adventures for the past 10 years and has had the opportunity to work with some of the most notable scientists, naturalists, and cultural and ethno geographers. He has become one of the most knowledgeable and experienced tour guides on the Central Coast and is sought after by many tour operators when not busy with Klemtu tours. Doug is a qualified bear viewing guide and the first certified First Nations bear guide in BC.  Doug has also attained other industry certification with high standards including wilderness first aid, interpretation and sea kayak guiding. Doug is also turning into a keen photographer and his work is being sought by various organizations and publications.

With the efforts of Doug, Spirit Bear Adventures has been able to grow in the ecotourism marketplace, and establish itself as a quality tourism operation controlled 100% by a First Nations community. We receive great reviews from our guests each summer particularly with respect to the knowledge level and ambassadorship of Doug.  Doug has also been a great ambassador for tourism development in the Klemtu community and through his work has help bridge a traditional knowledge gap between the community youth and elders. Doug has had the honour to represent BC First Nations youth at various tourism conferences through out Canada.

Doug has also been a great mentor for the youth of Klemtu and other communities. He is seen as a successful member of the challenging tourism sector.  In 2006 he was the recipient of the Young Adult Achievement Award presented by Aboriginal Tourism BC.

By Evan Loveless

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Contact Doug Neasloss at (250)-839-2360 or dougneasloss@hotmail.com
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