Geotourism: some examples from around the world
and setting an agenda for the future
Resolving the definition
Some examples of geotourism:
Kalbarri (self-guided geotrail)
Hyden (self-guided geotrail)
Undara Caves (guided geotours)
Grand Canyon (visitor centre and
view points)
West Coast Fossil Park, South
Africa (geo-activities)
Walter Sisulu Gardens, SA
(integrated)
An agenda David Newsome, Murdoch University, Western Australia
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Resolving the definition of geotourism
Geotourism is a form of natural area tourism that specifically
focuses on geology and landscape. 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 view points, guided
tours, geo-activities and patronage of geosite visitor centres.
Newsome and Dowling 2010
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Where is Geotourism taking
place?
Natural Human Modified
Environments Environments
Natural Landscapes
Wilderness Mine Pits / Quarries
Protected areas Road sections
Urban Settings
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Kalbarri Coastal Geotrail;
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Location of Wave Rock in Western Australia
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Granite - one type of rock in the landscape
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Undara geotour, Australia
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Tourist Experience
and learning
300,000 yrs of volcanic activity
Lava flows at 1000 cubic m/sec
Lava flowed in depressions and formed a tube as the hot
surface in contact with air cooled
When the eruption ceased the insulated lava drained away
leaving a pipeline
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Tourism is a business that depends on satisfied tourists
Tourists rate their visits according to the experiences
that they have
Network of prof. tour guides (training, standards,
code of conduct and best practice)
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Grand Canyon National Park
World Heritage Site
Accommodation (hotel style, motel style and camping)
Hiking
Mule rides
Rafting
Museums
Visitor centres
4 million visitors
per annum
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Viewpoint Grand Canyon, USA
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Visitor centre Grand Canyon
Theme of how the rocks formed
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Grand Canyon Skywalk
Hualapai own and manage the western rim
Plexi-glass based walkway cantilevered over a side canyon
of the Grand Canyon on Tribal land ($US 30 million)
200,000 visitors since 2007 (Las Vegas source of visits)
Unique visitor experience
Employment and income
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Grand Canyon Skywalk
Juts 20 metres out over the canyon edge, 1,200 metres
above the canyon floor 34
Grand Canyon Skywalk
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Tourists pay US$75 each can get a bird's eye view
of the canyon from the horseshoe-shaped walkway
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West Coast Fossil Park, South Africa
Geo-activities
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West Coast Fossil Park, South Africa
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West Coast Fossil Park, South Africa
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West Coast Fossil Park, South Africa
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West Coast Fossil Park, South Africa
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West Coast Fossil Park, South Africa
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West Coast Fossil Park, South Africa
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Beds of quartzite and shale
At Walter Sisulu Gardens
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Walter Sisulu Botanic Gardens
Geological garden
rocks set out in order
from oldest to youngest
Landscape viewing
Waterfall
Geotrail
Outings, lectures and courses
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Geotourism: an agenda for the future
Geotourism is a form of natural area tourism that specifically
focuses on geology and landscape. 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 view points, guided
tours, geo-activities and patronage of geosite visitor centres.
Newsome and Dowling 2010
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There are many different types of Tourism
Type of touri sm Exa mp le s
Lifestyle nic he touri sm Extrem e touris m, wine touri sm, he alt h
tourism and gay tourism
Relationships between
Educa tional Farm touri sm, war tou rism, di sti nct
edu ca ti ve component ecotourism and geotourism,
Festival Arts festiv al s cultural tourism, soft
Sport in g events Olymp ics, Commo nwealt h Gam es, adventure tourism
Adventur e ra ces
Cultural / Herita ge Grand tours of histo ri c cit ies,
arch a eology, sustainab le touris m,
di sti nct ed uca ti ve component
There may be integrated
Adventure Whit e wa t er rafti n g, mou nta in
packages
climbi ng, jet boa tin g and bu ngy
jumping
Wildli fe Gorilla viewin g, bird wa tchi ng, whale
watchi ng, sustaina ble tourism, di sti nct
educ a ti ve component
Ecotour ism Hi king, cam ping in nat ural a rea s,
wildli fe viewing, sustaina ble touri sm,
di sti nct ed uca ti ve component
Geotouri sm Landsca p e viewing, visits to geosites,
sustainab le tou rism, di sti nct ed uca ti ve
component
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Not geotourism but cultural tourism
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Not geotourism BUT adventure/sports tourism
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Geotourism
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An agenda for the future
Geologically based
Environmentally
educative
Tourist satisfaction
Sustainable
Locally beneficial
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The end of the talk
But the real beginning for
geotourism! 60
