Geoheritage and Geotourism Resources

TLDR

Geoheritage refers to geosites of special geological significance that are part of a region’s natural and cultural heritage, and geotourism is an emerging sustainable tourism model that promotes these sites while providing environmental education and supporting rural development. The Special Issue aims to outline how Geoheritage and Geotourism can serve as touristic resources for a region. The issue compiles papers grouped into four themes: promotion and valorisation of geosites in protected areas, in non‑protected areas, via exhibitions, remote sensing, and apps, and studies of geotourism from the tourist’s perspective.

Abstract

This Special Issue wants to outline the role of Geoheritage and Geotourism as potential touristic resources of a region. The term “Geoheritage” refers to a peculiar type of natural resources represented by sites of special geological significance, rarity or beauty that are representative of a region and of its geological history, events and processes. These sites are also known as “geosites” and, as well as archaeological, architectonic and historical ones, they can be considered as part of the cultural estate of a country. “Geotourism” is an emerging type of sustainable tourism, which concentrates on geosites, furnishing to visitors knowledge, environmental education and amusement. In this meaning, Geotourism may be very useful for geological Sciences divulgation and may furnish additional opportunities for the development of rural areas, generally not included among the main touristic attractions. The collected papers focused on these main topics with different methods and approaches and can be grouped as follows: (i) papers dealing with geosites promotion and valorisation in protected areas; (ii) papers dealing with geosites promotion and valorisation in non-protected areas; (iii) papers dealing with geosites promotion by exhibition, remote sensing analysis and apps; (iv) papers investigating geotourism and geoheritage from the tourists’ perspective.