geotourism

Geotourism is tourism associated with geological attractions and destinations.Dowling, R. & Newsome, D. (Eds.)(2006) ''Geotourism'' ; Elsevier, Butterworth-Heinemann, Oxford Geotourism deals with the abiotic natural and built environments.Sadry, B.N.(2009)''Fundamentals of Geotourism: with special emphasis on Iran'', SAMT Organization publishers,Tehran.220p.(English Summary available Online at: https://journals.openedition.org/physio-geo/4873?lang=en Geotourism was first defined in England by Thomas Alfred Hose in 1995.Hose, T. A. (2012), "3G's for Modern Geotourism", ''Geoheritage Journal'', 4: 7-24

Definitions of modern geotourism

Most of the world defines geotourism as purely the study of geological and geomorphological features. The key definitions of modern geotourism (abiotic nature-based tourism) include:

# "...part of the tourist's activity in which they have the geological patrimony as their main attraction. Their objective is to search for protected patrimony through the conservation of their resources and of the tourist's Environmental Awareness. For that, the use of the interpretation of the patrimony makes it accessible to the lay public, promoting its popularization and the development of the Earth sciences".
# "Geotourism is a knowledge-based tourism, an interdisciplinary integration of the tourism industry with conservation and interpretation of abiotic nature attributes, besides considering related cultural issues, within the geosites for the general public".
# "A form of natural area tourism that specifically focuses on landscape and geology. It promotes tourism to geosites and the conservation of geo-diversity and an understanding of Earth sciences through appreciation and learning. This is achieved through independent visits to geological features, use of geo-trails and viewpoints, guided tours, geo-activities and patronage of geosite visitor centers".
# "The provision of interpretative and service facilities for geosites and geomorphosites and their encompassing topography, together with their associated in-situ and ex-situ artefacts, to constituency-build for their conservation by generating appreciation, learning and research by and for current and future generations".

Geotourism (abiotic nature-based tourism), a new approach

Geotourism adds to ecotourism's principal focus on plants (flora) and animals (fauna) by adding a third dimension to the abiotic environment. Thus it is growing around the world through the growth of geoparks as well as independently in many natural and urban areas where tourism focus in on the geological environment.

"Looking at the environment in a simplistic manner, we see that it is made up of Abiotic, Biotic and Cultural(ABC) attributes. Starting with the 'C' or cultural component first, we note that of three features it is this one which is generally the most known and interpreted, that is, through information about the built or cultural environment either in the past (historical accounts) or present (community customs and culture). The 'B' or biotic features of fauna (animals) and flora (plants) has seen a large focus of interpretation and understanding through ecotourism. But it is the first attribute of the 'A' or abiotic features including rocks, landforms and processes that has received the least attention in tourism, and consequently is the least known and understood.This then is the real power of geotourism, in that it puts the tourist spotlight firmly on geology, and brings it to the forefront of our understanding through tourism".Newsome,D. and Dowling, R.K.(Eds.)(2010) ''Geotourism: The Tourism of Geology and Landscape'', Oxford: Goodfellow Publishers

Comparison with ecotourism

Geotourism is a sister category to ecotourism. Geotourism is distinguished to be focused on abiotic nature and built environments dealing with geology and geomorphology while ecotourism is focused on the living nature dealing with ecology and living things. Sadry, B.N. (Ed.) (2021) The ''Geotourism Industry in the 21st Century: The Origin, Principles, and Futuristic Approach'';Palm Bay, Florida: Apple Academic Press Sadry, B.N. & Fehrest, F. (2022) 'Geotourism Marketing'. In: D. Buhalis (ed.), ''Encyclopedia of Tourism Management and Marketing'',(Volume 2) Cheltenham, UK and Northampton, MA, USA: Edward Elgar Publishing(pp. 415–418).

Sectors

Geotourism sectors include: Maghsoudi, M., Moradi, A. & Moradipour, F. Aerial Geotourism: New Branch of Geotourism for Promoting Geoconservation (Examples from Iran). ''Geoheritage'' 13, 4 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12371-020-00526-8Erfurt-Cooper, P.& Cooper, M. (Eds.)(2010)''Volcano and Geothermal Tourism:Sustainable Geo-Resources for Leisure and Recreation''; Routledge PublishingAllan, M.(2021) Accessible Geotourism: Constraints and Implications. In: B.N.Sadry (Ed.) ''The Geotourism Industry in the 21st Century: The Origin, Principles, and Futuristic Approach''; Palm Bay, Florida: Apple Academic Press(pp. 473-479)

* Urban
* Rural
* Roadcuts
* Dinosaurs
* Meteorites
* Aerial
* Volcanoes
* Wellness
* Mining
* Celestial
* Space
* Adventure
* Accessible
* Underground

Geosites

A geosite is a location that has a particular geological or geomorphological significance. As well as its inherent geological characteristics it may also have cultural or heritage significance.

Geodiversity

Geodiversity is the variety of earth materials, forms and processes that constitute and shape the Earth, either the whole or a specific part of it.

Geotrails

According to the Geological Society of Australia, a geotrail "delivers geotourism experiences through a journey linked by an area's geology and landscape as the basis for providing visitor engagement, learning and enjoyment".

Geoparks

A geopark is a unified area that advances the protection and use of geological heritage in a sustainable way, and promotes the economic well-being of the people who live there.

Geoconservation

Geoconservation is the practice of recognising, protecting and managing sites and landscapes which have value for their geology or geomorphology. Geoconservation is carried out by a wide range of organisations from local geological societies to government agencies.Typically the conservation of geodiversity at a site or within a landscape takes place alongside that of biodiversity.

See also

* Geoheritage
* Global Geoparks Network

References

Further reading

For further study, there are seven major geotourism reference books:Sadry,B.N., Geotourism Books: An overview on Geoconservation Concept through Geotourism, ProGeo News 2020: no.4, p.2
* ''Geotourism'' (2006) Co-edited by R. Dowling & D. NewsomeDowling, R. & Newsome, D. (Eds.)(2006) ''Geotourism ''; Elsevier, Butterworth-Heinemann, Oxford
* ''Global Geotourism Perspectives'' (2010) Co-edited by R. Dowling & D. NewsomeDowling, R. & Newsome, D. (Eds.) (2010) ''Global Geotourism Perspectives''; Oxford: Goodfellow Publishers
* ''Geotourism: The Tourism of Geology and Landscape'' (2010) Co-edited by D. Newsome & R. DowlingNewsome,D. and Dowling, R.K. (Eds.)(2010) ''Geotourism: The Tourism of Geology and Landscape'', Oxford: Goodfellow Publishers
* ''Geoheritage and Geotourism: a European Perspective'' (2016) Edited by T.A. HoseHose, T.A. (Ed.)(2016) ''Geoheritage and Geotourism: A European Perspective''; Boydell Press, UK
* ''Geoheritage: Assessment, Protection and Management'' (2018) Co-edited by E. Reynard & J. Brilha Reynard, E. & Brilha, J. (Eds.) (2018)'' Geoheritage : Assessment, Protection, and Management'', Amsterdam: Elsevier
* ''A Handbook of Geotourism'' (2018) Co-edited by R. Dowling & D. NewsomeDowling, R. & Newsome, D. (Eds.) (2018) ''A Handbook of Geotourism'', Cheltenham, UK: Edward Elgar Publishing
* ''The Geotourism Industry in the 21st Century'' (2021) Edited by B.N. SadrySadry, B.N. (Ed.) (2021) ''The Geotourism Industry in the 21st Century: The Origin, Principles, and Futuristic Approach'';Palm Bay,Florida: Apple Academic Press.

And some specialized ones on geotourism sectors, such as:

* ''Volcano and Geothermal Tourism: Sustainable Geo-Resources for Leisure and Recreation'' (2010) Co-edited by P. Erfurt-Cooper & M. CooperErfurt-Cooper, P.& Cooper, M. (Eds.)(2010)'' Volcano and Geothermal Tourism: Sustainable Geo-Resources for Leisure and Recreation''; Routledge Publishing

* ''Volcanic Tourist Destinations''(2014) Edited by P. Erfurt-CooperErfurt-Cooper, Patricia (Eds.)(2014)''Volcanic Tourist Destinations''; Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

* ''The Geoheritage of Hot Springs: Geoheritage, Geoparks and Geotourism''(2021) Authored by P. ErfurtErfurt, Patricia (2021)''The Geoheritage of Hot Springs: Geoheritage, Geoparks and Geotourism''; Springer Nature Switzerland AG

Also some new books:
* ''Global Geographical Heritage, Geoparks and Geotourism: Geoconservation and Development''(2021) Edited by Singh, R. B., Wei, Dongying, Anand, SubhashSingh, R. B., Wei, Dongying, Anand, Subhash (Eds.)(2021)'' Global Geographical Heritage, Geoparks and Geotourism: Geoconservation and Development''; Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd

* ''Economics and Management of Geotourism''(2022) Edited by Braga, V., Duarte, A., Marques, C. S. Braga, V., Duarte, A., Marques, C. S. (Eds.)(2022)'' Economics and Management of Geotourism''; Springer Nature Switzerland AG.

* ''Geoheritage and Geotourism Resources: Education, Recreation, Sustainability''(2022) Edited by H. Drinia, P. Voudouris, A. AntonarakouDrinia, H., Voudouris, P., Antonarakou, A. (Eds.)(2022)'' Geoheritage and Geotourism Resources: Education, Recreation, Sustainability''; Basel, Switzerland: MDPI

External links

Fundamentals of GeotourismGeotourism's Global Growth - About Geological TourismAustralian Geotourism Resource CentrePrinciples of the Geotourism Industry

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Types of tourism