Geoturismo y Desenvolvimiento Local

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GEOTURISMO &

DESENVOLVIMENTOLOCAL

Geotourism & Local Development

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[ ]GEOTURISMO & DESENVOLVIMENTO LOCALG L D

Editores/Edited by

C N C/J R/A J

Cmara Municial de Idana-a-Nova/

Geoark Naturtejo da Meseta MeridionalUNESCO Euroean and Global Geoark


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MINOM Movimento Internacional ara uma nova Museologia

MINOM International Mouvement for a New Museology

Livro das XVIII Jornadas sobre a Funo Social Museu Idana-a-Nova, 25 a 28 de Setembro de 2008Book of te XVIII Meeting on te Social Role of Museum Idana-a-Nova, 25-28t Setember 2008

CMAR A MU NICIpA L DE IDAN hAANOVA > Avenida Joaquim Moro 6060-101 Idana-a-Nova, portugal

p E/First Edition 2009

Cmara Municial de Idana-a-Nova. Todos os direitos includos/A

R/Realization

Centro Cultural Raiano, Cmara Municial de Idana-a-Nova

E/Edition

Carlos Neto de Carvalo, Joana Rodrigues, Armindo Jacinto

C E/Executive Commission

Armindo Jacinto (CMIN/Naturtejo), Carlos Neto de Carvalo (CMIN/Naturtejo), Mrio Moutino (MINOM), Alfredo Tinoco(MINOM-portugal),

Liliana povoas (Museu Nacional de histria Natural/MINOM), Csar Loes (Museu Nacional de histria Natural/MINOM)

C C/Scientic Commission

Carlos Neto de Carvalo (Cmara Municial de Idana-a-Nova/Geoark Naturtejo da Meseta Meridional) , Joana Rodrigues(Naturtejo, EIM/Geoark Naturtejo da

Meseta Meridional), Maria Manuela Catana(Cmara Municial de Idana-a-Noval/Geoark Naturtejo da Meseta Meridional)

R/Revision

Carlos Neto de Carvalo, Joana Rodrigues

C/Covers

Frente/Front: Ti Maria Ti, de pena Garcia; modelado de xisto no Vale do Tejo

/M T p G; T V

Trs/Back:Visita de estudo das Jornadas Aldeia histrica de Monsanto ela Rota dos Barrocais

/M h V M B T

p G/Design

Escala Vertical > [email protected]

I/printer

printmor - Rio Maior

ISBN

978-972-8285-53-1

Desito Legal/L D

299317/09

Referncias aos artigos contidos nesta obra devero ter a seguinte estrutura

R :Dowling, R. (2009). Geotourisms contribution to Local and Regional Develoment. In: Neto de Carvalo, C. e Rodrigues,J. C. (Eds.), Geoturismo & Desenvolvimento Local, Idana-a-Nova, 15-37.Dowling, R. (2009). Geotourisms contribution to Local and Regional Develoment. In: Neto de Carvalo, C. and Rodrigues,J. (Eds.), Geotourism & Local Develoment, Idana-a-Nova, 15-37.


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A todos os que no se limitam a existir

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NDICE/CONTENTS

07 ApRESENTAO / INTRODUCTION

11 O QUE O MOVIMENTO INTERNACIONAL pARA UMA NOVA MUSEOLOGIA?

WhAT IS ThE INTERNATIONAL MOUVEMENT FOR A NEW MUSEOLOGY?

14 1. O QUE O GEOTURISMO

WHAT GEOTOURISM IS

15 Geotourisms contribution to Local and Regional Develoment

Ross Dowling

38 Geoturismo - uma abordagem emergente

Joana de Castro Rodrigues

62 Geoturismo e Desenvolvimento Local

MINOM Grupo de Trabalho 1 (concluses)

64 2. GEOPARQUES, GEOTURISMO E MUSEOLOGIA

GEOPARKS, GEOTOURISM AND MUSEOLOG Y

65 As Redes Global e Euroeia de Geoarques aoiadas ela UNESCO e o Ano Internacional do

planeta Terra

Elizabeth Silva

87 Geoturismo e Museologia

Liliana Pvoas & Csar Lopes

90 A integrao do territrio Naturtejo na Euroean and Global Geoarks Network assistida ela

UNESCO

Carlos Neto de Carvalho

95 Te meaning of Geoark Naturtejo Meseta Meridional: te rst portuguese geoark in te

Euroean and Global Geoarks Network under te ausices of UNESCO


106 Geoark Naturtejo - Unidos or Natureza

Armindo Jacinto

109 Los Geoarques y su aoyo al desarollo endgeno. Una vision desde Venezuela

Roigar Lpez, Francisco Hurtado & Jess Salazar

118 Reexes sobre o desenvolvimento do Geoarque Ararie (Estado do Cear, Brasil)

Armindo Jacinto


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121 Idrija - Slovenian Treasure

Bojan Reun, Martina Peljhan & Mojca Kai

138 Turkey oers a new geoark to te world: Katakekaumene - Burnt Fires Geoark project

Cneyt Akal, Soni Bulut, T. Tanju Kaya, M. Ylma Saan, Ender F. Sari & Altan Tare

149 O Geoturismo como instrumento de valorizao do Geoarque Aores

Eva A. Lima, Joo Carlos Nunes, M.P. Costa & A.M. Porteiro

161 Te Icnological park of pena Garcia: bringing back to Nature and sustainable enjoyment

Carlos Neto de Carvalho, Andrea Baucon, Maria Catana & Joana de Castro Rodrigues

165 projecto Antnio de Andrade: documentrio e Museu de Montana, de Oleiros ara o Mundo

Carlos Neto de Carvalho, Andrea Baucon & Jorge Fialho

178 3. ROTAS CULTURAIS E IDENTIDADES

CULTURAL ROUTES AND IDENTITIES

179 Rotas Culturais e Identidades

MINOM Grupo de Trabalho 2(concluses)

181 Turismo e Desenvolvimento local - Funo social do patrimnio

Alfredo Tinoco

184 A imortncia social dos objectos: os rocessos de patrimonializao e de Musealizao como

legitimadores da memria social

Judite Primo

188 pena Garcia - a World heritage/pena Garcia/patrimnio Mundial

Adolf Seilacher

192 paleontological eritage from te Ordovician of pena Garcia


195 A ameaa de abertura de uma mina de urnio em Nisa: o direito das oulaces integridade

ambiental e scio-cultural da aisagem


200 Rota do Mrmore do Anticlinal de Estremoz (projecto)

Alfredo Tinoco, Carlos Filipe & Ricardo Hiplito

203 Uma Rota do patrimnio da Sade em Lisboa

Clia Pilo


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206 4. COMUNICAR A GEODIVERSIDADE

COMMUNICATING GEODIVERSITY

207 Geology and Art: an unortodox ersective Andrea Baucon

284 Geoark Naturtejo da Meseta Meridional - a narrativa de um olar


291 Os rogramas educativos do Geoark Naturtejo: ensinar e arender geocincias em rotas,

geomonumentos, museus e na escola

Maria Manuela Catana

309 A Natureza das paisagens



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APRESENTAO/INTRODUCTION

O Geoturismo um segmento do turismo que se tem desenvolvido nos ltimos anos or todo

o mundo. Na realidade, j muito temo que as essoas se deslocam ara visitar maravilasgeolgicas, como grutas, desladeiros e montanas. Contudo, s nos ltimos temos quese verica uma real aosta neste sector, tendo vindo a desenvolver um mercado rrio comcaractersticas eseccas.Um Turismo de Natureza de excelncia suortado elo uso sustentvel do atrimnio natural,romovendo a consciencializao ara a Natureza, atravs da interretao. Este tio de turismotem crescido raidamente nos ltimos anos e os turistas de natureza rocuram destinos certicados,como o que queremos desenvolver atravs das Redes Euroeia e Global de Geoarques, sob osauscios da UNESCO.O Geoturismo um segmento emergente cujo objectivo se centra na Geodiversidade. Foi criado umnovo nico com novas esecicidades e contingncias que acomana no s as tendncias gerais

do turismo mas que tambm ime as suas rrias tendncias. Os Geoarques so ioneirosem Geoturismo e exemlos no desenvolvimento local sustentvel. O Geoturismo imlica umaconsciencializao ara o patrimnio Geolgico, ara que aja uma comreenso do meio. Nestecaso, os rocessos geolgicos com elevado interesse cientco e/ou cultural odem ser associados beleza cnica tornando-se locais de interesse geolgico com otencial turstico. Sob a aladados Geoarques retende-se estimular o conecimento da Geodiversidade, a Geoconservao e odesenvolvimento de novas sinergias ara diversicar racionamente a economia local. essencial que o geoturismo tena outras valncias ara alm da Geodiversidade, de modo adiversicar a oferta: um local com relevante patrimnio Geolgico deve ter igualmente abordagens histria, Cultura e Natureza (no seu todo). Mas tambm imortante que exista uma boa

interretao do territrio e infraestruturas ara receber e ara resonder s mais elevadasexigncias de qualidade dos geoturistas.Geoturismo e Desenvolvimento Local foi o tema de discusso durante as XVIII Jornadas doMINOM sobre a Funo Social do Museu, em Idana-a-Nova, entre 25 e 28 de Setembro de 2008,onde mais de 50 rossionais de (geo)turismo, olticos, gestores locais, ambientalistas e gelogosdiscutiram turismo, desenvolviemento local, geoconservao, estratgias de marketing, rojectosde geoarques, investigao cientca, boas e ms rticas e novos rojectos.Este livro resulta do aceso debate sobre os rinciais temas, Geoturismo & Desenvolvimento Locale Rotas Culturais & Identidades, que uniu essoas de diversas reas do conecimento ara discutirvrios exemlos do Terrrio-Museu Geoark Naturtejo Meseta Meridional, nos fruns de reexoe durante as agradveis excurses realizadas. Vrios outros esecialistas de diferentes artes

do mundo quiseram contribuir ara este livro, com a sua exerincia, e em portugus, Ingls ouCastelano, ara a discusso e reforo do Geoturismo como uma forma de divulgar o nosso aelconsciente na Terra.No rimeiro catulo exlicado o que o Geoturismo, com diversos exemlos de todo o mundoaresentados or Ross Dowling e centrados na nova realidade ortuguesa e no Geoark Naturtejo,or Joana Rodrigues. O modo como se estabelece a ligao entre o Geoturismo e as realidadeslocais resulta da reexo do gruo de trabalo do MINOM. O catulo segundo mostra a relaofundamental entre os geoarques, o Geoturismo e a musealizao do territrio. Elizabet Silvademonstra a imortncia da UNESCO na certicao de geoarques e consolidao de redescontinentais, assim como do alcance do Ano Internacional do planeta Terra. Liliana povoas e CsarLoes mostram o desao que o patrimnio Geolgico reresenta ara a Museologia. Carlos Netode Carvalo aresenta os rositos da criao do Geoark Naturtejo e os desaos que se rendemcom o seu desenvolvimento turstico so claricados or Armindo Jacinto. No quadro das arceriasestratgicas entre o Geoark Naturtejo e novos geoarques, Roigar Lez e colaboradores discutem


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a imortncia dos geoarques ara o desenvolvimento local, na ersectiva da Venezuela. ArmindoJacinto resume as suas observaes no mesmo sentido sobre o Geoarque Ararie, no Brasil.Bojan Reun e colaboradores mostram a imortncia do atrimnio mineiro ara a constituio

do rimeiro geoarque na Eslovnia, em Idrija. Cneyt Akal e colaboradores justicam com umatrimnio geolgico e cultural invulgar, a criao do rimeiro geoarque na Turquia. Eva Limae colaboradores enumeram os rinciais argumentos que nos ermitem sonar com um terceirogeoarque em portugal, agora toda a Regio Autnoma dos Aores. por m, Carlos Neto de Carvaloe colaboradores mostram a necessidade de criar novas estratgias de visitao que assam or umaaroximao do homem Natureza, como o parque Icnolgico de pena Garcia ou o rojecto doMuseu de Montana em Oleiros. O catulo Rotas Culturais e Identidades inicia-se com as conclusesdo gruo de trabalo do MINOM. Alfredo Tinoco aroxima o atrimnio e a sua salvaguarda doblico atravs do Turismo. Judite primo estabelece a funo social do atrimnio. Adolf Seilacerresume a imortncia dos fsseis de pena Garcia como patrimnio Mundial e Carlos Neto deCarvalo consubstancia sobre o ex-libris do Geoark Naturtejo. por outro lado, o mesmo autor

reala, sob ersectivas diversas, a ameaa da abertura de uma exlorao de urnio no territrioclassicado do Geoark Naturtejo. por m, Alfredo Tinoco e colaboradores e Clia pilo revelam anecessidade de salvaguarda o atrimnio cultural em contextos diversicados, atravs da Rota doMrmore e da Rota do patrimnio da Sade. O ltimo catulo, Comunicar a Geodiversidade, inicia-se com um arofundado estudo de Andrea Baucon sobre o imacto da Geologia na Arte, desde aantiguidade clssica contemoraneadade. Carlos Neto de Carvalo narra as istrias do GeoarkNaturtejo ara um documentrio e ara uma exosio fotogrca, na rosa e no oema. ManuelaCatana ensina-nos a arender com as rocas do Geoark Naturtejo.

Geotourism is a segment of tourism tat as been develoed around te world in recent years. Infact since long ago eole come to visit geological wonders, suc as mountains, canyons or caves.however, only in recent times tere is a real callenge in tis sector and it as been develoing amarket wit very secic caracteristics.Excellence in Nature Tourism is suorted by te sustainable use of natural eritage, romotingNature awareness troug interretation. Tis nice as been also growing in te last years allaround te world and nature tourists look for destinations wit Excellence brand, as we want todevelo troug te Euroean and Global Geoarks networks under te ausices of UNESCO.Geotourism is an emerging segment in wic te objective focuses on Geodiversity. It as beencreated a new nice wit new secicities and new contingencies tat accomanies not only tegeneral trends of tourism but also imoses its own trends. Geoarks are ioneers in Geotourismand examles of sustainable local develoment.

Geotourism needs awareness for Geological heritage. Geological rocesses wit ig scientic and/or cultural interest can be associated to aestetics and become geosites wit tourist otential. Onte frame of Geoarks it is intended to stimulate te knowledge of Geodiversity, Geoconservationto develo new synergies to imrove rationally local business.It is crucial tat Geotourism as oter benets tan geodiversity to diversify te oer: one site witric geological eritage sould ave cultural, istorical and natural (bio and geo) aroaces. Butit is also imortant to ave good interretation and infrastructures to receive and full te ig-quality requests of geotourists.Geotourism & Local Develoment was te main toic of discussion during te 18tMINOM Meetingon te Social Role of Museum, eld in Idana-a-Nova between 25tand 28tSetember 2008 weremore tan 50 (geo)tourism rofessionals, oliticians, local managers, nature conservationists and

geologists discussed tourism, local develoment, geoconservation, marketing strategies, geoarkrojects, scientic researc, good and bad ractices and new rojects. Tis book is te result ofotly debated major subjects of Geotourism & Local Develoment and Cultural Routes & Identities


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tat brougt eole to discuss several examles of te Territory-Museum Geoark NaturtejoMeseta Meridional during te leasant eldtris. Some oter exerts from dierent arts of teworld wanted to contribute for tis book, wit teir own exerience, bot in portuguese, Englis

and Sanis, for te discussion and strengting of Geotourism as way for raising awareness of oursense of lace on Eart.In te rst cater Geotourism is introduced, wit several examles all over te world resentedby Ross Dowling and centered in te new portuguese context and Naturtejo Geoark, by JoanaRodrigues. Te ways of establising Geotourism among local riorities results from te discussionof MINOM working grou. Te second cater sows te fulcral relation between geoarks,Geotourism and musealization of te territory. Elizabet Silva demonstrates te imortance ofUNESCO for certication of geoarks and strengting te bonds of continental networks, as well aste range of International Year of planet Eart. Liliana povoas and Csar Loes sow te callengeof Geological heritage for Museology. Carlos Neto de Carvalo resents te main objectivres witte creation of Naturtejo Geoark and te callenges concerning its tourism develoment are

dened by Armindo Jacinto. In te scoe of te strategic artnersis between Naturtejo Geoarkand new geoarks, Roigar Lez and collaborators discuss te imortance of geoarks for localdeveloment, in te frame of Venezuela. Armindo Jacinto resumes is observations on te sameissue about Ararie Geoark, in Brazil. Bojan Reun and colleagues sow te imortance of miningeritage for te develoment of te rst Slovenian geoark, in Idrija. Cneyt Akal and colleaguesargue wit an unusual geological and cultural eritage for te denition of te rst geoark inTurkey. Eva Lima and collaborators resent te main arguments wic may allow to dream wita tird geoark in portugal, tis time all te Autonomic Region of Azores. At last, Carlos Neto deCarvalo and colleagues sow te necessity to establis new visiting aroaces to bring Man backto Nature, as in te Icnological park of pena Garcia or te roject for te Mountain Museum in

Oleiros. Te cater Cultural Routes and Identities starts wit te conclusion from te MINOMworking grou. Alfredo Tinoco brings eritage and its rotection to ublic troug Tourism. Juditeprimo establises te social role of eritage. Adolf Seilacer resumes te imortance of penaGarcias fossils as World heritage and Carlos Neto de Carvalo adds on te ex-libris of NaturtejoGeoark. On te oter and, te autor emasizes, on diverse aroaces, te treat of teossible oening of an uranium ore mining in te rotected territory of Naturtejo Geoark. Forclosing, Alfredo Tinoco and colleagues, as well as Clia pilo reveal te need to save cultural eritagein dierent contexts, troug te Marble Route and te healt heritage Route. Te last cater,Communicating Geodiversity, begins wit a comreensive study of Andrea Baucon on te imactof Geology uon Art, from te antiquity of te classics to contemorarity. Carlos Neto de Carvaloaccounts for te stories of Naturtejo Geoark for a lm and a oto exibition, by rose and oem.

Manuela Catana teac us ow to learn wit te rocks of Naturtejo Geoark.Os editores/Te editors


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O QUE O MOVIMENTO INTERNACIONAL PARA UMA NOVA MUSEOLOGIA?

WhAT IS ThE INTERNATIONAL MOUVEMENT FOR A NEW MUSEOLOGY?

U / S O MINOM foi fundado em 1985, em Lisboa, no decurso do II Encontro Internacional de NovaMuseologia. O seu nascimento legal foi recedido or um I Encontro Internacional de Ecomuseus/Nova Museologia, no Qubec (Canad), em 1984. Nesta ocasio, muselogos rovenientes dequinze ases adotaram a Declarao de Qubec, como onto de artida do movimento. As suasorigens ideolgicas invocam a Declarao de Santiago do Cile, adotada em 1972.Actualmente, o MINOM conta com membros em todos os continentes e encoraja a articiaode elementos das minorias autctones. Entre os seus membros incluem-se tanto rossionaise colaboradores de Museu, como elementos de autarquias, associaes culturais ou dedesenvolvimento local, rofessores e estudantes de diversas areas cientcas e tcnicas.MINOM was founded in 1985, in Lisbon, during te II International Meeting on New Museology.

Its legal birt was receeded by te I International Meeting on Ecomuseums/New Museology,in Qubec (Canad), in 1984. In tat event, museologists coming from 15 countries adoted teQubec Declaration as te starting oint of te mouvement. Its ideological origins invoke teSantiago do Cile Declaration, adoted in 1972.presently, MINOM as members in all continents and encourages articiants of autoctonousminorities. Among teir members are Museum rofessionals and collaborators, municialitiestecnicians, cultural or local develoment associations, as well as teacers and students in severalscientic and tecnical areas.

F MINOM/ B MINOMO MINOM agrua, numa vasta lataforma de tendncias e de organismos, indivduos dedicados

a uma museologia activa, interactiva, reocuados com a mudana social e cultural. Favorece acooerao entre os utentes e os rossionais dos museus. Defende uma museologia aberta atodas as ersectivas que ossam contribuir ara fazer do museu e da exosio um instrumentode desenvolvimento da ersonalidade das comunidades e um laboratrio de construo do seufuturo. por isso, o MINOM defende a aroximao intercultural e a criao de solidariedades a nvellocal, nacional e internacional.MINOM joins in a vast latform of trends and organisms eole dedicated to an active and interactivemuseology and also concerned wit a social and cultural cange. It favours cooeration amongvisitors and museum rofessionals. It defends a museology oen to all aroaces contributing tomake museum and exibition a tool to develo communitaries ersonality and a lab for buildingteir future. Terefore, MINOM defends intercultural mingling and creation of solidarities at local,national and international levels.

O MINOM?/ W MINOM?Essencialmente a artila de exerincias umanas e tcnicas que geralmente so ouco conecidasdevido aos escassos meios disonveis e ao isolamento que caracteriza algumas rticas da novamuseologia: ecomuseus, museus de vizinana, museus comunitriosO encorajamento das iniciativas. Os encontros regionais e internacionais de membros e de no-membros a todos os nveis. Uma reexo ermanente e colectiva sobre as nalidades da museologiae da museograa. A comunicao atravs dos meios mais simles e mais directos. A artila doentusiasmo dos seus membros.Te essence is saring of uman and tecnical exeriences tat usually are rater unknown due toscarce available resources and isolament of some ractices of te new museology: ecomuseums,

neaborood museums, communitary museumsTe encoragment for initiatives. Te regional and international meetings for members andnon-members at all levels. A ermanent and collective reexion on te scoes of museology

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and museogray. Communication troug te simlest and most direct metods. Saring ofentusiasm among members.

C MINOM?H MINOM?O MINOM um frum de aco e de reexo que retende dar a conecer a nova museologia nomundo. Conta com um envolvimento activo e a interveno regular dos seus membros no seio doorganismo. O MINOM um instrumento que os membros devem recriar constantemente com assuas rrias iniciativas atravs das actividades que favorecem a sua articiao.MINOM is a forum for action and reexion tat retends to sow a new museology in te world. Itlives from active envolvement and regular intervention of teir members. MINOM is an instrumenttat members must constantly recreate wit teir own initiatives troug activities leading to teirarticiation.


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1.O G What Geotourism is[ ]


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1GEOTOURISMS CONTRIBUTION TO LOCAL AND REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT

R D

Foundation professor and head of Tourism, Scool of Marketing, Tourism & Leisure, Faculty of Business &Law, EDITh COWAN UNIVERSITY, Joondalu WA 6027, AUSTRALIA. Email: [email protected].

I

Geotourism is sustainable tourism wit a rimary focus on exeriencing te eartsgeological features in a way tat fosters environmental and cultural understanding,areciation and conservation, and is locally benecial (Dowling & Newsome, 2006). It isabout creating a geotourism roduct tat rotects geoeritage, els build communities,communicates and romotes geological eritage and works wit a wide range of dierenteole. According to James & hose (2008) geotourism is a form of secial interest tourismand focuses on geology and te formation of landscaes. Wicever way it is dened ordescribed, te geo art in geo tourism means geology and geomorology. Geology iste study of te eart and geomorology is te study of landforms. Te natural resourcesinclude landscaes, landforms, rock outcros, rock tyes, sediments, soils, fossils andcrystals (Fig. 1). Te tourism art means visiting geosites, learning, areciating andengaging. Overall, geotourism comrises te geological elements of from and rocesscombined wit te comonents of tourism suc as attractions, accommodation, tours,activities, interretation and lanning & management (Fig. 2). Examles of globallyrecognized geosites include Te Grand Canyon in te United States of America, IguazuFalls searating Brazil and Argentina, and te Daxia Landforms in Cina.

F. 1. Geotourism attributes (Dowling & Newsome, 2006).

According to (Dowling, 2008a), geotourism comrises ve imortant asects, easilyremembered by teir starting wit te letter C. Tey are:

1. Creating autentic geotourism roducts2. Conserving sites of geoeritage3. Communicating geological eritage4. Community building5. Cooerating wit a range of stakeolders.

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Geotourism is a synergistic form of tourism in wic te elements of te landscae andlandforms togeter create a tourist exerience tat is ricer tan te sum of its arts,aealing to visitors wit diverse interests. It also involves te community wen a

combination of local businesses and civic grous work togeter to romote and rovidedistinctive, autentic visitor exeriences. Geotourism may also rovide economic and oterbenets to local residents suc as job creation and income generation as well as addedservices, roducts and sulies. Wen te community understands te benecial role ofgeotourism it becomes an incentive for wise destination stewardsi.

F. 2.Te Nature and Scoe of Geotourism (Dowling & Newsome, 2006).

Geotourism is also about creating a lace in wic bot locals and tourists are free to

enjoy te areas local geological landscaes (Dowling & Newsome, 2008). It generates anexerience wic brings togeter te local landscae, te local community and its visitors allof wom ave dierent interests in te earts formations. Local businesses and communitygrous work togeter to romote and rovide a distinctive, autentic visitor exerience.Geotourism laces a major focus on informing tourists and local communities about teeart troug geological interretation and education. Geotourism businesses are usuallyoerated by local communities and may include interretation, tours, accommodationand food outlets. Tese in turn generate business for te local residents creating a largerworkforce and economic aid.

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Geotourism can ave a large role in local develoment. however, for it to work successfully

te regions stakeolders must ave a buy-in and a degree of emowerment in te rocess(Newsome et al., 2005). Te ublic now demands tat teir concerns be incororated intote decision making rocess. Aroriate ecoetics for resident and tourist articiationin te lanning rocess include te need for develoers to take account local communityattitudes and feelings, including te way tat te local natural environment contributesto a communitys sense of lace. Any geotourism develoment sould not lessen teenjoyment of te local environment by te local community and were racticable, souldenance it.

Geotourism develoment at te local and regional levels must be develoed witin te

context of sustainable local, national and international tourism develoment. At telocal, regional and national levels, develoment olicies, lans and rograms, laws andregulations, and marketing, all inuence tourism develoment. Te tree main rincilesof sustainable develoment wic can also be alied to regional geotourism develomentlanning are its concentration on ecological, social and economic issues.

Tere are a number of stakeolders in tourism develoment and management. Eac grouas a contribution to make to te nature of tourism and teir own success is deendentuon te contribution of oters. Tourism develoment involves multile stakeoldersincluding business and government as well as community and environmental grous. Anintroductory denition of stakeolder is any erson, grou or organisation tat is aected

by te causes or consequences of an issue (Bryson & Crosby, 1992). Altoug it is oftendicult and time-consuming to involve a range of stakeolders in te lanning rocess,tis involvement may ave signicant benets for sustainability including environmental,social, cultural, economic and olitical (Medeiros de Araujo & Bramwell, 2000).

A central task in stakeolder develoment is to establis wo te stakeolders actuallyare and weter or not tey adequately reresent te aected stakeolders. Tis can bedone by identication, self nomination or referral. Once identied stakeolders can beositioned on a ma according to tese relationsis in order to determine teir owerto inuence te relationsis between, teir erceived legitimacy and te urgency of teir

claims. Tese tree relationsis are central to ow stakeolder grous become involvedin an issue. Anoter imortant consideration is to limit te number of stakeolders incollaborative lanning to a manageable size in order to build trust and consensus andincrease te likeliood of acieving a mutually accetable outcome.

Asley & Roe (1998) suggest tat tourism can involve and aect local residents witout beingdriven and controlled by te community and terefore tere can be many forms of teirinvolvement. Tese may include a range of involvement from assive to active and includelease agreements, concessions, artnersis and active involvement in businesses.


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G S

In te develoment of geotourism it is imortant tat tourism sould more equitably

balance te costs and benets of conservation, wic are often borne by local communities.Tis balance can be acieved troug te creation of mutually benecial, self-sustainingmecanisms tat suort tourism, geoeritage, institutions and communities. Ensuringte long-term success of geotourism deends on creating local incentives to conserveand rotect environmental amenities. Te local ost community and wider communitygrous are bot included in a wider grou again, tat of te stakeolder. In geotourismtis grou includes te tourism industry; lanners and investors; rotected area managers;conservation non government organisations; te local communities; and nally, tetourists temselves. Wile tourists wo are on geotours are rimarily interested in viewinglandforms and oter geological features, tey are generally also interested in interacting

wit local communities in a sustainable manner. Tis can occur wen visitors view geo-attractions wit local guides, visit villages, samle local food and drink, or watc craftsbeing made, music layed or dances. Local guides are often esecially igly valued bygeotourists as tey can rovide deeer understanding of te surrounding geological andbiotic environment.

Asley & Roe (1998) state tat in recent years community involvement in natural areatourism as increased due to its erceived local economic, social and conservationbenets. Te develoment of geotourism oers local residents income generation, jobsand skill develoment. It also is a way in wic tey can gain benets from geoeritagewic in te ast may ave only brougt tem costs. In addition most conservationists

now recognise te crucial role layed by local eole in managing geological features. Tusgeotourism is viewed as a way in wic geology can be conserved and managed. In additionte tourism industry recognises te imortance of local eole because of teir centralrole in maintaining natural and cultural eritage. Bot government and non governmentorganisations may fund geotourism develoment as a way of fostering te integration ofdeveloment and conservation. Tus in geotourism develoment tere can be a number ofstakeolders involved but wit eac olding a dierent ersective on te develoment.For examle, community based geoeritage management rojects may combine bot tedeveloment and conservation ersectives to varying degrees.

S E

Geotourism develoment reresents a artnersi between local eole, te rivatesector and government and it is gaining accetance because it makes good economicsense and can benets all artners. Stakeolder involvement in geotourism is varied. Teactual and erceived imacts of geotourism inuence te attitudes of te ost communityand ultimately ave an eect on sustainability. Geotourism will only be sustainable weretere are benets for te ost community, and tese may be social and/or cultural, andenvironmental and will not necessarily be conned to economic benets.

A tourism develoment lanning framework, wic includes stakeolder engagement, asbeen alied to te Nort West Cae region of Western Australia (Dowling, 1999). It is anarea of outstanding natural beauty wit unique marine and terrestrial landforms rotected


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witin bot national and marine arks. Tourism, esecially geotourism, is te fastest growingindustry in te region and growing concern is eld for te ongoing conservation of teregions environment. Te lanning aroac to te study stemmed from its commitment

to balance te cometing needs of rotable develoment, tourism values, communitylifestyles and environmental rotection (Fig. 3). Its underlying ilosoy derived fromte need to nd otions and solutions by te alication of an oen metodology. Tiswas based on understanding te inuts, letting land assets and natural resources seak,gaining exert and ublic inut, and formulating recommendations tat emanated clearlyfrom te information base.

F. 3.Regional Tourism Develoment Model (Dowling, 1999).

By alying tis metodology, it was considered tat a long term tourism develomentstrategy could be imlemented tat is sustainable:

politically - because te various viewoints are roerly and objectively analysed; Commercially - because te develoment models are tested for long-term

rotability; Ecologically - because te imacts of te develoment models are examined in relation

to known resource data;

Socially - because te economic, demograic and cultural imacts are establised inconsultation wit local eole; and Tecnically - because te scoe of te use of aroriate tecnologies are demonstrated

in te evaluation rocess.

Tis ilosoical base was translated into ractical alication troug a metodologyincororating tree ases - analysis, formulation and reorting (Fig. 4). Te analysis aseincluded site visits and local consultations, te formulation ase included an evaluation ofotions, and te reorting ase included a review wit local decision makers. Key elementsof te consulting rocess included distributing information well before discussion tooklace in a range of individual and ublic meetings. Issues were discussed in an iterative

manner in order to ensure tat all stakeolders ad a cance to inut fairly into te rocess.Te focus was on te formulation stream of action in te centre of te diagram, werete information was brougt togeter after analyses. Eac information source was tested

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for relevance and rocessed as necessary to oerate te metodology. Te resultingstakeolder discussions and inuts as led to a workable develoment lan.

F. 4.Regional Tourism Develoment process (Dowling, 1999).

CASE STUDIES

Tere are a number of examles around te world were geotourism is being used as arimary tool for te develoment of local and regional communities. Examles are nowresented of selected geotourism develoments in Australia, Iceland, Malaysia, Oman andte USA.

Australia

Australias tourism is largely based on its geotourism attractions wit its iconic drawcardbeing Uluru, te worlds largest monolit in te centre of te continent. In addition to Uluru,Kanawinka, Australias rst Global Geoark, as recently been establised in souteasternSout Australia and western Victoria.

Uluru Australias icon geotourism site

Australias as a large number of natural landforms wit te most well known being Uluru(formerly known as Ayers Rock and often simly referred to as Te Rock), in te centreof te country (Fig. 5). It is not only Uluru tat as tourists travelling to te red centre ofAustralia but also nearby Kata Tjuta wic togeter form Uluru - Kata Tjuta National park,a World heritage Region. Uluru is a monolit and Kata Tjuta comrises 36 rocky domes.Togeter tey cover 35 square kilometres.

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F. 5. Uluru, Australias iconic geotourist attraction.

Te geology of Uluru and Kata Tjuta rovides insigt into te eritage of te Eart and alsote age of te rocks wic is wat draws eole to visit it. however, te park as to manage

tis increased visitation to ensure tat te landforms are not damaged and are reservedfor future generations. Te ark as a Cultural Centre wic rovides interretation aboutte areas geology and landforms. It lays a large role in eling te tourists to understandte culture of te local traditional owners, te Anangu eole, and ow Uluru and KataTjuta are central to teir way of life.

Te rst tourists visited te area in 1936 and today te landforms are visited by over 400000 eole eac year from Australia and overseas. Guided tours are led by elders of teAnangu eole wo rovide insigt into wat Uluru and Kata Tjuta means to tem trougte saring of stories about teir relation to te land and formation of te rock. One of

te major attractions to Uluru is being able to climb to te to wic many tourists do,even toug it is not a leisure walk. Even toug many tourists climb Uluru, te Anangueole feel tat it is disresectful to do so but tey do not revent tourists from makingte climb (pyers, 2002). So instead of climbing te rock te Anangu eole ave ut asign at te base wic says Anangu naganana tatintja wiyawic means Anangu neverclimb. Dislaying tis sign sows te tourists te imortance of Uluru to te traditionalowners and te ride tat tey take in making sure tat it last. One solution tat as beensuggested is for tourists to circumnavigate te rock (tat is to walk around its 9km base)rater tan climb it (Dowling,1996).

Kanawinka Australias First Geopark

Australias rst geoark, te Kanawinka Geoark meaning te land of tomorrow byte local Buandik eole, became a UNESCO Geoark in 2008. Te volcanic area of teKanawinka Geoark covers some 26,910 square kilometres extending some 400 kilometresfrom Colac in Victoria to Mount Gambier in Sout Australia, and is 120 kilometres wide(McKnigt, 2008). Te ark includes six sites of international signicance, fourteen sites ofnational signicance, eigt sites of state signicance and 25 sites of regional signicance.Te ark is romoted into four distinct region recincts, wic are lakes and wetlands,cones and falls, coast and caves and craters and limestone (Fig. 6).


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F. 6.Te Blue Lake, Kanawinka Geoark, Australia (source: Kanawinka Geoark).

Te lakes and wetlands encomasses te eastern section of te volcanic region and containsa good roortion of te more signicant volcanic features as well as te vast majority of teregions water bodies formed by volcanic activity. Cones and falls include a series of volcanicsystems tat link a number of major cones wit te ocean via extensive lava ows. Tis includesByaduk caves wic are te most extensive and accessible set of lava caves in Australia andbecause tey are only 8,000 years old tey are largely unweatered and in teir natural state.Cae Bridgewater is te main attraction in te coast and caves recinct as it was once avolcanic island created wen rising sea levels built a bridge of sand dunes. Finally te cratersand limestone recinct includes a volcanic crater lake comlex and mountain range.

Troug te creation of te geoark a number of local enterrises and small businessesave been establised as well as training rograms and new jobs by generating new sourceof revenue wile also rotecting te geo-resources. Te ark as also fostered an educationregime wic includes a number of tools and activities wic communicate geoscienticknowledge and te environmental concets to te ublic. Tis includes museums, trails,literature mas and an interretive centre, te pensurst Volcanoes Discovery Centre wicdislays geological istory and te nature of volcanoes in te region (Fig. 7). In additiontere are a number of extensive education rograms for scools.

F. 7. Brocure of te pensurst Volcanoes Discovery Centre at Kanawinka Global Geoark (Australia).


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Te ark oers a number of activities wic reect tourism develoment at a local level.Tey include walking tracks, interretative signage, viewing latforms, and boat tours

of caves. Te ark also rovides scool, university and visiting geological grous to bebetter educated on Australias geology. Tis knowledge is conveyed largely by volunteerswo ave a assion for its geology and includes information on te need for geoeritageconservation and rotection.

Iceland

Iceland is synonymous wit rugged landscaes, glaciers, volcanoes and geotermal activity.Lonely planet (6tedition 2007: 44) states Its dicult to remain unmoved by te amazingdiversity of te Icelandic landscae noting tat ssures ri te ground aart, volcanoes

erut, lava sills, and steam, mud and boiling water come surting from te eart (. 182).Sitting astride te Mid-Atlantic Ridge, Icelands geology is a work in rogress as it is teyoungest country in Euroe. It as 22 active volcanoes, 250 geotermal areas, 780 otsrings, and te worlds tird largest iceca. It is one of te worlds most active ot-sotswit one-tird of all te lava to surface on eart in te last 1000 years being of Icelandicorigin. Te country as two World heritage Regions, four national arks and 80 naturereserves, but as yet as no geoarks. Yet Iceland is a geotourists dream destination andwit aroriate develoment and smart marketing it is already caitalising on te risinginterest of geotourism in general, and geoarks in articular (Dowling, 2008b).

Iceland is geologically young and is located sitting astride te Mid-Atlantic Ridge. It is

geologically active wit many volcanoes, geysers and eartquakes. Nowere on Eart issuc a sowcase of volcanic features found (harlow, 2008). Te volcanoes include hekla,Eldgj, and Eldfell and te erution of Laki in 17831784 caused dust clouds and aze toaear over most of Euroe and arts of Asia and Africa for monts after te erution.Recent erutions ave included te new island of Surtsey, wic rose above te ocean ina series of volcanic erutions between 1963 and 1968. A second occurred on te island ofheimaey in 1973 wic roduced te new red cinder cone Eldfell, and a tird is hekla wicroduced a series of owerful eartquakes wic sook te country in 2000. Te geysersinclude Geysir, from wic te Englis word is derived. Tis is now inactive but te nearbygeyser of Strokkur is a major tourist drawcard. Iceland is comosed rimarily of basalt,

similar to hawaii, but it also as various kinds of volcanoes, many of wic roduce moreevolved lavas suc as ryolite and andesite.

F. 8.Strokkur Geyser (Iceland).

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Te number of tourists in Iceland as grown raidly in te recent years. Over te ast decadete number of travellers to Iceland as increased at an average annual rate of 11% and in2004, Iceland ad more tan 360 000 visitors. Te tourism sector is exanding wit recent

trends incororating geotourism. Geysir is Icelands most famous tourist attraction. It is teoriginal ot water sout from wic all oters are named. It as ad a istory of intermittenterutions and in recent times eartquakes ave tended to revive its activity. however, teneigbouring geyser Strokkur eruts to eigts of u to 30 metres aroximately every veminutes (Fig. 8). Bot Geysir and Strokkur are surrounded by tirty muc smaller geysersand ot ools in te area, including one called Litli Geysir (Little Geysir). At te geyser sitetere is a tourist comlex wic contains a Geoscience Centre, an audiovisual exibition ongeysers and volcanoes wit an eartquake simulator (Fig. 9).

F. 9. Geyser Geo-interretation Centre (Iceland).

The Reykjanes Peninsula

Te Reykjanes peninsula is an area of dramatic lava landscaes, geotermal activity and astriking coastline. Te region sits astride te Mid-Atlantic Ridge and includes virtually everyvolcanic feature in Iceland. Activity during te Ice Age roduced tu ridges wic run itslengt, wile ost-glacial lavas and craters are also found. On te eninsula is te BlueLagoon, one of Icelands major tourist attractions wit aroximately 170,000 visitors erannum (Fig. 10). It is a geotermal sa sulied by ot water from te Svartsengi Geotermalproject, wic sulies ot water to te Reykjanes peninsula. Te suer-eated seawateris ric in blue-green algae, mineral salts and ne silica mud giving it a brigt blue colour.Te waters are surrounded by black lava wit te steam rising from te geotermal lantadding to te surreal setting. Wile more of a sa setting tan a geotourism one, neter-te-less, te fabulous geological setting rovides tourists wit an incredible geologicallyinsired exerience enanced by its Lava Restaurant built into te cli and featuring anatural lava wall. Nearby in Eldborg, Te Rift, an exibition of geology, geotermal eatand energy conservation, is brougt to life troug multimedia dislays. Also close by in teformer NATO military base, a comreensive centre of scientic, academic, and economicknowledge is being built u in te area of Vallareidi. Te centres aim is to exandinternational education in te eld of geosciences, tourism and sustainable develoment.


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F. 10.Te Blue Lagoon, Icelands iconic tourist attraction.

Geotourism also fosters education as an imortant art of its aeal to tourists and tisis an excellent lace to learn and gain knowledge on some simly extraordinary geology.Tis exibition exlains te basics of geology and allows visitors to understand and make

meaning of te researc and knowledge geologists ave gained. Not only is te geologyof te area exlained but so is ow and wy tey ave used te area to roduce eat andelectricity for ouses and buildings. Te exibition uses te nest tecnology, visual aidsand documentaries, comuter graics and rofessionals to el describe and detail onte geological rocesses so tat all visitors can learn someting new and see just ow itworks. Tis ower lant is not only an educational base but its imortant to understand byusing te active volcanic eninsula tey benet te entire community and te lanet Eartin an eco-friendly manner.

F. 11. Te Bridge Between Two Continents, Iceland: left Nort America; rigt Euroe.

Also on te Reykjanes eninsula lies te Bridge Between Two Continents, a remarkablegeotourism attraction (Fig. 11). It is situated on te lava-scarred eninsula were two of teEarts tectonic lates slit. Te bridge sans te two continents and is situated in te Alfagjarift valley, a casm marking te boundary of te Eurasian and Nort American continental


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tectonic lates. Crossing te bridge takes you from Nort America to Euroe (Fig. 12).

F. 12. Te Bridge Between Two Continents (Iceland): midoint interretive signage.

Eldheimar The World of Fire Geotourism Attraction

Te Vestmannaeyjar Islands o te soutern coast of Iceland were formed by submarinevolcanoes 11 000 years ago, wit Surtsey being formed 40 years ago. On te main island ofheimaey, a volcanic erution in 1973 created a 1.5 km ssure wic slit te eastern sideof te island. Te erution area formed a new mountain te red cinder cone Eldfell FireMountain (Fig. 13). One tird of te town on te island was buried beneat te lava owand te island increased in size by 2.3 sq km. Today te resulting cinder cone is a majortourist drawcard and as given rise to te local tourist attraction of a Volcanic Film Sow

wic focuses on te erution.

F. 13.Eldfell Fire Mountain wic eruted in 1973, heimaey, Vestmannaeyjar Islands, Iceland.

Currently te local council is develoing an exciting geotourism attraction calledEldeimar World of Fire (Fig. 14). It is based on te 1973 erution, wic occurred 5000years after te receding one, causing its 5000 inabitants to ee to te mainland. Teerution continued for ve monts engulng 400 ouses in lava and tera. Te roosedattraction aims to excavate fourteen of te former buried ouses wic were buried intera by te erution. Inside te ouses are all of teir contents wic were buried fourdays after te erution commenced. Te excavations so far ave revealed muc tat is

well reserved over te ast 35 years, and it is oed tat some of te omes formerresidents will be able to recover some of teir treasured ossessions tat tey tougtwere lost forever. At resent excavations ave commenced and te tos of some ouses


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are exosed. Interretive signs ave been erected and it is already attracting many visitors.Te excavation roject as been called Te pomeii of te Nort.

F. 14. Eldeimar World of Fire, heimaey, Vestmannaeyjar Islands, Iceland.

Iceland is abundant wit volcanic activity, mountains, rock outcros and eninsulas andis one of te most imressive geological destinations in te world. here geotourism willcontinue to grow and exand as an iconic tourist destination wic not only leaves touristswit a unique geological exerience but also benets te local economy and community.

Malaysia

Malaysia is a land of magnicent geosites and its rst geoark, te island of Langkawi,was roclaimed in 2007. Oter key geosites are te World heritage Listed Mt Kinabalu

in Saba and Gunung Mulu in Sarawak. Gunung Mulu National park is one of te largesttourist attractions in East Malaysia encomassing sectacular caves and karst formationsin a mountainous equatorial rainforest setting. Mulu is dominated by tree mountains -Gunung Mulu (2376 m), Gunung Ai (1750 m) and Gunung Benarat (1585 m). It is renownedfor its ig biodiversity and some of te largest and most unique limestone features inte world (UNESCO 2008). Tus, many of Mulus greatest attractions lie dee below tesurface. hidden underneat te forested sloes of tese mountains is one of te largestlimestone cave systems in te world. Te park was establised in 1974 and is situated 100 kmsouteast of te town of Miri, close to te Brunei border. Te geology of te area consists ofa combination of alluvial clays, sandstone and limestone formations. Te majestic GunungMulu rise over a mass of sandstone covering 52,865 ectares of old rimary rainforest

crossed by a number of fast owing rivers.

Gunung Mulu National park incororates te largest cave in te world, te longest caveassage wit underground clear water constantly owing, and te largest rock camber inte world. Sixty to seventy ercent of te caves in te region ave not yet been exlored.Te ark is extremely ric in cave resources, as a result of geological ulift in te karstformation 2-5 million years ago followed by te erosion of te karst landscae by riversin te area. Te caves tat ave been created are some of te largest found anywere inte world and are suerb examles of troical river caves wit ood incursions, extensiveclassic sediment deosits and ellitical tubes linking dierent cave levels.

Sarawak Camber is te largest natural rock camber in te world (Fig. 15) and is treetimes te size of te Big Room in Carlsbad Caverns National park, New Mexico. It is 700 mlong, 400 m wide and aroximately 70 m ig. Ai Camber is a camber in WiterockCave in Gunung Ai. It is te eigt largest cave camber by area in te world. Its eigt


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is over 100 m and its lan area is 58,000 square meters. Over 200 km of cave assagesave been exlored but tis is tougt to reresent just 30-40% of te actual total. It is tesecond largest camber in Malaysia after Sarawak Camber.

F. 15.Sarawak Cave Camber, Gunung Mulu National park, Sarawak,Malaysia (Source: www.muluark.com/Image/Caveactivities/adventure-cave-Sarawak-Cam.jg).

As well as caves, razor-edged innacles are a feature of te area, articularly on tenort-east side of Gunung Ai (McGinley, 2008). Te innacles are a collection of 45 m iglimestone needles tat cling to te side of te mountains. As water as continued to erodeand dissolve te rock te formations ave taken on a razor-like aearance (Fig. 16). Teyare formed in a forest of silver-grey stone encircled by tick green vegetation. A trekkingtrail to te area, te pinnacles Summit Trek, is one of te most oular ikes in te ark.

F. 16. pinnacles, Gunung Mulu National park, Sarawak,

Malaysia (Source: Gunung Mulu National park).

Anoter activity is te Mulu Canoy Skywalk wicat 480 m long and 20 m above te forest oor, is te world longest tree-based walkway. Itwas built by te local communities wit advice from exerts in design and structure. Tewalkway winds among te treetos wit a river running below and te soaring eigts ofnearby limestone clis above. It also follows a circular route susended between fteen

trees wit a searate exit tower (Francis, 1999).

Gunung Mulu National park rovides a sound examle of ow geotourism as brougt abouttangible benets for local communities and te natural environment. Troug geotourismtere as been a cross-cultural understanding of te incentive value of tourism in reservingte local traditional culture and eritage. Troug tourism, esecially geotourism in Mulu,local eole ave been rovided wit a reason to reserve teir culture. Geotourism asbrougt considerable economic benets to Gunnung Mulu in articular, and to Malaysiain general. Direct economic benets include te income from entrance fees to te ark, teadditional fee of visiting dierent areas inside te ark (for examle, RM30 for te Canoy

Skywalk), as well as troug te cost from accommodations, food and souvenirs etc. Indirectbenets are ave accrued to related industries wic ave linkages to te geotourism, forinstance entertainment, emloyment, manufacturing, telecommunications etc.


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The Sultanate of Oman

Te Sultanate of Oman occuies te souteastern ti of te Arabian peninsula. It saresborders wit te United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Yemen. Omans landscaecan be categorized into tree main geotourism resource grous including te norternmountains; te interior deserts and central Oman; and te coastal fringe of Dofar inte sout. Te country as identied aroximately 25 sites tat ave been selected asarticularly outstanding geological areas wit otential of geotourism develoment andossible geoark establisment (Al Musar & Lawrence, 2008). Te Ministry of Tourism inOman is increasingly caitalizing on te recent trend towards ecotourism and geotourismby romoting growt in all tese areas as well as develoing range of comlementaryroducts suc as ealt and sa tourism, yacting tourism and more.

Two examles of geotourism develoment include teJebel Sams Mountain and Al hootaCave (Dowling & Dowling, 2007). Al Qanna is best known for its geological structure and itis oularly known as Jebel Sams, te Sun Mountain. At aroximately 3000 m it is teigest mountain in Oman. It is located in te Norteast of te country and oers sectacularviews around te area eiter on te tri u via 4WD, or on te nal walk to te summit. Onesectacular view includes overlooks te Wadi Gul, Omans version of Te Grand Canyonwic as a seer dro of aroximately 1000 m to te canyon oor (Fig. 17).

F. 17.Wadi Gul, Omans Grand Canyon.

Located in te Jebel Sams is te village Misfat Al Abryeen. It is one of many small villagesestablised in te mountains near te source of a natural sring, and from tis it sows tat

teir lifestyle are blends a lot wit te landscae and te surroundings. hence wit tesenatural srings, te system of water cannels is a soisticated metod of saring terecious water and diverting it to omes and cros. Te Ministry of Tourism is develoinga geotourism roject ere in artnersi from te local community wit lans to refurbissome of te abandoned ouses to maintain teir traditional caracter, but wit addedfacilities adequate for tourist accommodations. It was intended to conserve and sustain tevillages arcitecture eritage and at te same time to rovide emloyment oortunitiesfor te local community around te Jebel Sams troug guiding, ositality services andlocal information.


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Al Hoota Show Cave

In Oman, most tourists are familiar wit caves, as it te land is one of te oldest inabited

laces on Eart. One suc cave is Al hoota, located in te soutern art of Jebel Sams. Itcomrises dark grey limestone, granular dolomite, and argillaceous layers and is coveredwit crystals formed by calcite and gysum formations. Te cave as recently beendeveloed as one of Omans icon geotourism attractions. It was oened to te ublic in2006 and is te rst sow cave in Oman and te surrounding Gulf region (Fig. 18). Te caveis 4.5 km in lengt of te cave but only a art of it as been develoed wit te rest due toremain reserved.

F. 18. Al hoota Cave Visitors Centre, Sultanate of Oman.

An innovative feature is a conservation-based rogrammable ligting system tat allowste tour guides to switc te ligts on and o as tey roceed troug te caves wit eactour grou. Te cave visitor centre includes a geological museum, interretive facilitieswit comuter animated and interactive dislays, as well as a restaurant. It is located 500m from te cave entrance wic is accessed by an electric rail service to te cave rovidingtourists wit a unique entry to te cave (Fig. 19).

Fig. 19.Entrance Train, Al hoota Cave, Sultanate of Oman.

Te Cave as quickly become a oular tourist attraction and receives u to 750 touristser day. Tour oerators now feature Al hoota Cave as art of teir inbound ackages andte cave is well utilized by educational grous, te government sector, and geologists.

United States of America

probably te worlds remier geotourism attraction is te Grand Canyon, one of te worldsnatural wonders, located in Arizona, USA (Fig. 20). peole from all over te world come toview te sectacular site and exerience wat tis location as to oer. Te Grand Canyon


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National park covers over 1.2 million acres, and in 1979 UNESCO designated te Canyon asa World heritage Site. In te park tere are many touristic attractions and activities. Teseinclude iking troug te dierent areas of te national ark and caming at te various

grounds. Tere are also museums and visitor centres so visitors can learn about te istoryand geology of te area.

F. 20.Grand Canyon, USA one of te worlds geological wonders (Source: Juan, 2002).

Geotourism in te Grand Canyon began after te construction of te railroad in te canyonsrim in 1901. Visitors came to view te geology of te Canyon carved by te Colorado Riverwit its vast array of colours sowing te geological eras over millions of years. Tere arealso broad latforms, temle-like buttes and intricate side canyons (Martin, 2008). Tis iste geo in geotourism tat visitors come and see. Tey want to exerience and see rst-

and te outworking of te forces of nature wic ave roduced tis incredible geosite.By te 1990s visitation ad grown enormously and te ark was faced wit callenges sucas overcrowding and inadequate ark facilities. Te Grand Canyon currently attracts nearve million visitors er year and te ark as ad to exand teir facilities. Te tourismin geotourism is revalent troug many visitor facilities, activities and attractions. Tevisitor centre is located at te sout rim of te national ark and as muc informationabout te canyon and its geology.

The Grand Canyon Sky Walk

Te latest structure to be added to te Grand Canyon as been te multi-million dollar

Grand Canyon Sky Walk, wic lies in Indian lands outside te National park itself. Teskywalk was created for, and is owned by, te hualaai Tribe, and since its oening in early2007 it as become one of te biggest attractions at te canyon. Te skywalk is a 130 footorse-soe saed bridge cantilevered over te edge of te Grand Canyon susended 4000feet above te canyon oor (Fig. 21). It as a glass bottom and rovides 720 degree views(Gizmag, 2003). Visitors ave a birds eye view of wat te oor of te canyon actuallylooks like as well as viewing te dierent landforms and geological occurrences tat tecanyon as gone troug.


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F. 21.Grand Canyon Skywalk, USA (Source: Lonely planet, 2007).

Te bridge allows eole to walk out over te canyon and look down troug te glass

oor, at te canyon oor some 4000 feet below. It is a unique exerience and allows tevisitor to become more interactive wit te actual site rater tan just viewing it. Testructure is relatively non-intrusive on te landscae as it blends in wit te natural coloursand is erced out only over a small exanse of land. It allows eole to walk over tebridge rater tan tramle on te landscae, tus eling to reserve te sites naturalfeatures and troug a sustainable alternative.

Te Skywalk is oerated by te hualaai Tribe, wic owns and rotects more tan onemillion acres of land trougout te Grand Canyons western rim. During construction ofte Skywalk, arcitects and engineers were concerned not only wit safety but also witcreating a structure tat would balance well wit its natural surroundings and rotect

tat values eld by te hualaai (Viator, 2008). Te tribe is oing to attract visitors to aig unemloyment area. To get exerience te Skywalk, te visitors ay US$25 for a 15-minute walk (Andy, 2007). Te tribe of 2200 eole as an unemloyment rate of 70 ercent wit more tan a tird living below te overty line. Since te oening of te GrandCanyon Skywalk in Marc 2007, Grand Canyon West as welcomed more tan 200,000visitors. Oerational functions ave more tan doubled to address te sudden growtand imrovements are being made daily to ensure te satisfaction of eac tourist (GrandCanyon Skywalk, 2008).

Te hualaai wis tat saring tis land and te breattaking landscae will rovide teir

resent and future generations wit a muc-needed economic revitalization (Viator, 2008).According to a hualaai ocial te cost of te Skywalk was US$31 million. Future lans forte Grand Canyon Skywalk comlex include a museum, a movie teatre, VIp lounge, giftso, and several restaurants and bars including a ig-end restaurant called te SkywalkCafe were visitors will be able to dine outdoors at te canyons rim (Wikiedia, 2008).

The Challenges Involved in Developing Local Geotourism

Geotourism is often camioned as being an eective strategy for diversifying te incomesof rural and/or remote areas in a sustainable manner as it is said to consume less resources

tan oter rural develoment initiatives suc as forestry or farming. however, tere are anumber of callenges wic face local geotourism develoment including economic, socialand environmental ones. Te underlying key is to el te community move from assive toactive and from individual to collective, involvement in tourism. A number of strategies can


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be emloyed wic increase articiation including ensuring access to resources, buildingcollective management, comlementing existing livelioods, establising artnersiswit te rivate sector and creating local conservation benets (Fig. 22).

N S E

1 Increase nancial benets for residentsprovide training in rofessional tourism skillsCreate linkages troug artnersis

2 Ensure equity of cas distributionDevelo sales oortunitiesExand collective income & its equitable distribution

3 Maintain access to resources Secure geotourism resource rigts

4 Comlement livelioodsRecognise existing livelioodsAdat tourism management to tem

5 Encourage active articiationIntegrate social develoment skills wit business andconservation exertise

6 Cooerate wit te rivate sector

Make it wortwile for te rivate sector to work witlocal communitiesAssist communities to know and exercise teir marketower eectively

7 Minimise environmental damageIntegrate geotourism imact management witcommunity enancement measures

8 Limit cultural intrusion Establis visitor codes of conduct

9 Create local conservation incentivesEnsure nancial benets are sustainable, signicant,widely distributed and are linked to geoeritagereservation

10 have suortive government olicies

Focus olicy attention on te issues, remove constraints,

ave a coordinated aroac and establis a exiblerocess

11 Caitalise on existing tourism Link geotourism to oter forms of tourism

12 Ensure rotabilityReduce existing costs, rovide realistic exectations,ensure clarity on trade-os

F. 22.Enancing Community Involvement in Geotourism (after Asley and Roe 1998).

Geotourism can generate a range of economic benets for local communities includingrevenue creation, job generation, diversication and infrastructure imrovement. however,a number of callenges exist including economic leakage, menial jobs, a comromise ofoter liveliood activities and a drain on existing resources. Community involvement ingeotourism can result in increased ride in, and recognition of, te cultural and naturalassets of te area troug te develoment of visitor centres, te renewal of interest intraditional culture and crafts, and interretation of te regions geology.

Conclusions

Recently, geotourism as emerged as an additional tourism industry, wic oers newdeveloment and emloyment oortunities for local eole. Net benets from tourismaccrue from te balance of economic, social and environmental interactions of touristswit a destination (Greiner et al., 2004). Any geotourism venture sould only be considered

successful if local communities ave some measure of control over tem and if tey sareequitably in te benets emerging from geotourism oortunities. But geotourism, likeoter forms of tourism, can generate bot ositive and negative imacts. Tus te main aim


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of stakeolder articiation is to maximise economic, social and ecological benets and tominimise any adverse costs. By resenting income, emloyment and infra-structural benetsfor local regions, geotourism is often resented as a mecanism aving te otential to oset

te local oortunity cost of rotected natural areas and cultural sites. Te logic for sucdeveloment is tat olitical suort for conservation is best generated were rotectedareas demonstrate tangible economic benet to local eoles (Goodwin et al., 1998). Teyargue tat were eole gain more from te use of landscaes troug tourism, tey aremore likely to rotect teir asset and may invest furter resources in to it.

One of te most obvious and immediate benets of geotourism associated wit localcommunities is te increase in emloyment oortunities and income generation for teost region (Wearing & Neil, 1999). Tis includes:

1. direct emloyment (associated service industries suc as otels, restaurants, concessions),2. indirect emloyment (generated as a result of increasing industry inuts suc asemloyment at a retail souvenir outlet),

3. induced emloyment (generated as a result of increased sending caacity of localresidents due to increased receits from tourism; consumtion of goods for examle).

Engaging stakeolders in geotourism develoment is a comlex task. Develoing tourismin ways tat are more aroriate for communities takes considerable time and eort,articiatory lanning and conict resolution rocedures. A central consideration is tat ofinclusion of all relevant individuals and grous in te engagement rocess. Tis is imortantbecause tose wo want to articiate in te lanning of geotourism may ave eiter a real

or a erceived stake, and eac is imortant. Altoug te range of interested stakeoldersmay be large, tose in te local community wit a direct involvement in te area are veryimortant and need not only to be eard but also to be involved in future management ifdesired, once te lan is enacted. Anoter imortant art of stakeolder articiation iste resolution of conicts by sifting te focus away from ersonal or individual goals toareas of common interest.

Community Development

Community Develoment includes sustainable tourism lanning and community articiation

(Telfer 2003). Geotourism can lead to te economic and social rejuvenation of a community.It as been suggested tat local camions ensure tey ave included articiants fromgovernment, business and non-rot sectors, as well as from te national, regional andlocal olicy arenas, in order to ensure tat te collaboration rocess is inclusive. In tis wayall of te articiants sould be fully involved in geotourism develoment discussions andave equal inuence in te negotiations and decision making rocess.

Building community caacity troug geotourism develoment is one of te keys to socialtransformation. It sould rovide funding for small geotourism businesses in a communityto work collaboratively and furter develo teir roducts for te tourism market.

Collaboration among a broad range of stakeolders including non-economic may romoteconsideration of te varied natural, built and uman resources tat need to be rotectedfor resent and future generations.


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It sould be noted tat communities not only act as a resource for geotourism but tey alsoreceive and generate tourists. Communities can be a otential motivator for geotourists

wanting to exerience te way of life and te material roducts of dierent communitieseiter around te world or around te corner (Ricards and hall 2000). Tus communitybased geotourism develoment sould strengten institutions wic enance localarticiation and romote economic social and cultural well-being for all.

Conclusion

Tis and next year geotourism will again be in te sotligt wit one Euroean venue atGeoark Naturtejo (portugal) and two global conferences being eld in Malaysia in Aril 2010.Tey are te 8tEuroean Geoarks Conference New Callenges wit Geotourism being eld

at Idana-a-Nova from 14-16 Setember, te 4t

UNESCO Conference on Geoarks GeoeritageEducation for Sustainability being eld at Langkawi Geoark on te island of Langkawi from12-16 Aril, and te 2ndGlobal Geotourism Conference being eld in Miri, Sarawak, Borneo, from17-20 Aril. No doubt tese conferences will furter advance our knowledge of Geotourismesecially in alied forms. Eiter or all conferences are not to be missed.

RAl Musar, S. & Lawrence, A. 2008. Geotourism in Oman. In:Geotourism. Proceedings of the Inaugural GlobalGeotourism Conference, Discover the Earth Beneath our Feet (Coord. R.K. Dowling & D. Newsome). Fremantle,Western Australia, 17-20 August. promaco Conventions pty, Ltd: 21-28.

Andy, G. 2007. BBC NEWS, Marc 2007. Grand Canyon Glass Skywalk Oens. Retrieved 15 Setember 2008

from tt://news.bbc.co.uk/2/i/americas/6469941.stm

Asley, C. & Roe, D. 1998. Enhancing Community Development in Wildlife Tourism: Issues and Challenges,IIEDWildlife and Develoment Series, International Institute for Environment and Develoment, London, UK, 12.

Bryson, J. M. & Crosby, B. C. 1992. Leadership for the Common Good: Tackling Public Problems in a Shared-Power World.San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Dowling, R. K. 1996. Ecotourism and Conservation Management.Ranger,A Journal for Conservation Managers,34: 26-28.

Dowling, R. K. 1999. Develoing tourism in te environmentally sensitive Nort West Cae Region, WesternAustralia. In: Tourism Development in Critical Environments (Coord. T. V. Sing, & S. Sing). CognizantCommunication Cororation, New York: 163-175.

Dowling, R. K. 2008a. The Future of Geotourism.presented at te 3rd International UNESCO Conference ofGeoarks, Osnabrueck, Germany, 22-26 June.

Dowling, R. K. 2008b. Geotourism in Iceland.In: Geotourism - Proceedings of the Inaugural Global GeotourismConference, Discover the Earth Beneath our Feet, (Coord. R. K. Dowling & D. Newsome).Fremantle, WesternAustralia, 17-20 August. promaco Conventions pty, Ltd.: 151-157.

Dowling, R. K. & Dowling, W. E. 2007. Oman Tourism: Recommendations for Sustainable Future Development,Final Report.Ministry of Tourism, Sultanate of Oman, 26 .

Dowling, R. K. & Newsome, D. (eds). 2006. Geotourism. Elsevier - Butterwort heinemann, Oxford.

Dowling, R. K. & Newsome, D. (eds.) 2008. Geotourism. proceedings of te Inaugural Global GeotourismConference, Discover te Eart Beneat our Feet, Fremantle, Western Australia, 17-20 August. promacoConventions pty, Ltd. 478.


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Francis, G. 1999. Mulu National Park Walkway in the Sky. Retrieved 5 October 2008 from www.e-borneo.com/travel/articles/mulu-national-ark-canoy-walkway-in-te-sky.tml.

Gizmag 2008. hualaai Tribe Building Skywalk 4,000 Feet above Colorado River Retrieved: 19 Setember

2008 from www.gizmag.com/go/4053/.

Goodwin, h., Kent, I., parker, K. & Walole, M. 1998. Tourism, Conservation and Sustainable Development:Case Studies from Asia and Africa. IIED Wildlife and Develoment Series No. 12. International Institute forEnvironment and Develoment, London, UK.

Grand Canyon Skywalk. 2008. Walk Te Skywalk. Retrieved 15 Setember 2008, from: www.grandcanyonskywalk.com/mainmenu.tml.

Greiner, R., Stoeckl, N. & Scweigert, R. 2004. Estimating community benets from tourism: Te case ofCarentaria Sire. 48th Annual Conference of the Australian Agricultural and Resource Economics Society,Melbourne, 11-13 February.

harlow, C. 2008. Iceland,Landmark publising, Asbourne, England.

James, h. C. L. & hose, T. A. 2008. Are We in Danger of Losing te Geo in Geotourism? An assessment of tegeological otential of selected sites in soutern-central Britain. In:Geotourism. Proceedings of the InauguralGlobal Geotourism Conference, Discover the Earth Beneath our Feet (Coord. R. K. Dowling & D. Newsome).Fremantle, Western Australia, 17-20 August. promaco Conventions pty, Ltd: 199-208.

Juan, N. 2002. Grand Canyon, Nort Rim. Retrieved 10 Setember 2008 from: www.cs.rice.edu/~jnavarro/ictures/Samle/Grand%20Canyon,%20Nort%20Rim.tml.

Lonely planet 2007. Walking on Air. Retrieved 15 Setember 2008 from www.lonelylanet.com/blogs/travel_blog/labels/Te%20Americas.tml.

Martin, S. 2008. Lessons Learned from 100 Years of Geotourism at Grand Canyon National Park.In: Geotourism.

Proceedings of the Inaugural Global Geotourism Conference, Discover the Earth Beneath our Feet (Coord. R. K.Dowling & D. Newsome). Fremantle, Western Australia, 17-20 August. promaco Conventions pty, Ltd: 41-48.

McGinley, M. 2008. Gunung Mulu National park, Malaysia. Retrieved 30 Setember 2008 from www.eoeart.org/article/Gunung_Mulu_National_park,_Malaysia.

McKnigt, J. 2008. Develoment of te Australian Geoark Network. In: Geotourism. Proceedings of theInaugural Global Geotourism Conference, Discover the Earth Beneath our Feet (Coord. R. K. Dowling & D.Newsome). Fremantle, Western Australia, 17-20 August. promaco Conventions pty, Ltd: 57-62.

Medeiros de Araujo, L. & Bramwell, B. 2000. Stakeolder assessment and collaborative tourism lanning:Te case of Brazils Costa Dourada roject. In: Tourism Collaboration and Partnerships: Politics, Practice andSustainability (Coord. B. Bramwell & B. Lane). Cannel View publications, Clevedon: 272-294.

Newsome, D., Dowling, R. K. & Moore, S. A. 2005. Wildlife Tourism. Cannel View publications, Clevedon,England.

pyers, G. 2002. World Heritage in Australia: Uluru- Kata Tjuta. heinemann Library, Singaore.

Ricards, G. & hall, D. (eds.) 2000. Tourism and Sustainable Community Development. Routledge, London.

Telfer, D. J. 2003. Develoment issues in destination communities. In: Tourism in Destination Communities(Coord. S. Sing, D. J. Timoty & R. K. Dowling). CABI publising, Oxford:. 155-180.

UNESCO 2008. Gunung Mulu National park.World Heritage United Nations Educational, Scientic and CulturalOrganisation (UNESCO). Retrieved 14 Setember 2008 from www.wc.unesco.org/en/list/1013.

Viator 2008. Grand Canyon Skywalk. Retrieved 15 Setember 2008, from www.viator.com/Arizona/Grand-Canyon-Skywalk/d271-steme.

Victorias Geology 2006. Retrieved 24 Setember 2008 from www.vic.gsa.org.au/ Victorian_Geology/.tm.


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Wearing, S. & Neil, J. 1999.Ecotourism Impacts, Potentials and Possibilities. Melbourne: Butterwort -heinemann.

Wikiedia 2008. Grand Canyon Skywalk. Retrieved 15 Setember 2008 from en.wikiedia.org/wiki/ Grand_Canyon_Skywalk.

Ross Dowling is Foundation professor of Tourism, and head of te Tourism program, Scool of Marketing,Tourism & Leisure, Faculty of Business & Law, Edit Cowan University, Western Australia. Internationally eis an Advisor, UNESCO Global Network of National Geoarks (France) as well as an Executive Board Memberof te Indian Ocean Tourism Organization (Oman). In Australia e is Co-founder and Executive Director ofEcotourism Australia as well as an Advisor to Cruise Down Under. In Western Australia e is Cair of teForum Advocating Cultural and Eco Tourism (FACET) as well as a Council Member of te Royal AutomobileClub and te National Trust.

As a Director of Resolve Global (www.resolveglobal.com.au), e is an international consultant on tourismroviding advice for te industry in a number of countries around te world. In recent years e as establiseda Tourism degree for Emirates Airlines, United Arab Emirates; convened a number of International Tourismand hositality Conferences in Malaysia; lead an Australian team giving Tourism Industry DevelomentWorksos for te Vietnam Government; comleted an extensive lecture tour for te Cinese Government,trougout Cina, hong Kong and Macau; and advised on Tourism Develoment for te Minister of Tourism,Sultanate of Oman. In 2008 e convened te Inaugural Global Geotourism Conference in Australia.

he is a rolic autor and researcer wit over 200 tourism ublications. In recent years e as co-autoredor co-edited nine books on tourism. Tey are Ecotourism, Tourism in Destination Communities, Natural AreaTourism, Ecotourism Policy and Planning, Wildlife Tourism, Geotourism, Cruise Ship Tourism andCoastal Tourism

Development. Two ave been translated into Cinese and oters ublised in India.Dr Dowlings exertise lies in Tourism Develoment planning and e as been actively involved in te tourismindustry as a tour guide in Asia, te pacic and te Antarctic. he as been awarded an NZ ConservationFoundation Citation and a Mobil Environmental Award as well as a pert Tourism & Aviation Scolarsi.

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GEOTURISMO UMA ABORDAGEM EMERGENTE

J C R

Gabinete de Geologia e paleontologia do Centro Cultural Raiano, Geoark Naturtejo da Meseta Meridional UNESCO Euroean and Global Geoark. Avenida Joaquim Moro, 6060-101, Idana-a-Nova, portugal.

E-mail: [email protected].

1. IO Geoturismo um segmento do turismo que se tem desenvolvido or todo o mundonos ltimos anos. Na realidade j muito temo que as essoas se deslocam ara visitarmaravilas geolgicas, contudo, s nos ltimos temos que se verica uma real aostaneste sector, tendo-se vindo a desenvolver um mercado rrio com caractersticaseseccas.Mas antes de cegar ao geoturismo necessrio analisar diversas questes relacionadas como patrimnio Geolgico que esto na base deste conceito. sua volta que se desenrolamas variadas estratgias que conduzem o geoturismo. No nos odemos esquecer de todasas articularidades deste tio de atrimnio nem de todas as circunstncias inerentes sua conservao. So recisamente estes factores que vo ditar o tio de actividades queodero e devero ser desenvolvidas.A ar com todas estas condies existe um asecto no menos imortante que a legislaovigente ara cada geosstio que vai no s roteger mas ao mesmo temo condicionar asua otencialidade de uso.De seguida iro ser abordadas diversas questes relativas ao patrimnio Geolgico,

geoconservao e ao geoturismo: as estratgias utilizadas, as ferramentas e o blico-alvo.

2. E GO Ecoturismo ou Turismo de Natureza corresonde a uma utilizao recreativa sustentveldo atrimnio natural, romovendo a sensibilizao ara o Ambiente, atravs da suainterretao. Este nico tem crescido bastante nos ltimos anos or todo o mundo. NaEuroa as viagens internacionais deste tio de turismo reresentam cerca de 9% do totaldas viagens de lazer realizadas (Turismo de portugal, 2006). Os turistas rocuram viverexerincias de grande valor simblico, interagir e usufruir da Natureza, em actividadesdesortivas e na simles contemlao da Natureza. Os seus rinciais objectivos oscilam

entre o descansar e desligar no meio natural, caminar, descobrir novas aisagens,tirar fotograas, raticar desortos, arofundar o conecimento da Natureza e educaoambiental (Turismo de portugal, 2006).O geoturismo j tem sido desenvolvido ao longo dos temos, inconscientemente (Kum &Lez, 2007), no que diz reseito a vulces (or exemlo, nos Aores), guas termais (orexemlo, S. pedro do Sul, Caves ou Monfortino), jazidas minerais (pedras parideiras,Serra da Freita) ou aleontolgicas (egadas de dinossauros da Serra dAire.Neste mbito surge o Geoturismocomo uma actividade que se baseia na Geodiversidade(Brila, 2005). Etimologicamente o termo Geoturismo rovm dos termos geo e turismo.O rimeiro refere-se ao laneta Terra enquanto que o segundo refere o gosto ela realizaode viagens. Da juno resulta um termo que envolve viagens com o objectivo de comreendero laneta. Geoturismo foi inicialmente denido or hose (1995) como a proviso de servios efacilidades interpretativas que possibilitem aos turistas adquirir o conhecimento necessrio paracompreender a Geologia e a Geomorfologia de um local alm da mera apreciao esttica. Mais

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recentemente, no Brasil, Ruckys (2007) refere Geoturismo como um segmento da actividadeturstica que tem o Patrimnio Geolgico como seu principal atractivo e procura a sua protecopor meio de conservao dos seus recursos e da sensibilizao do turista, utilizando, para isto, a

interpretao deste patrimnio, tornando-o acessvel ao pblico leigo, alm de promover a suadivulgao e o desenvolvimento das Cincias da Terra.O geoturismo ode ser sucintamente exlicado como um viajar ara exerimentar, arendere tirar razer do atrimnio geolgico (Larwood & prosser, 1998). para os mesmos autores,a Geologia no deve ser abordada isoladamente. O geoturismo deve ser desenvolvido numaabordagem integrada das aisagens, como um nico mosaico onde existem caractersticasgeolgicas, biolgicas e culturais. Martini (2000) acrescenta que o termo geoturismo tem vindoa ser atribudo ao valor econmico do patrimnio Geolgico. Deste modo ossvel caracterizaro geoturismo como um nico do ecoturismo. O geoturismo imlica uma consciencializao arao patrimnio Geolgico, ara que aja uma comreenso do meio. Neste caso os rocessos

geolgicos com interesse cientco odem ser associados beleza cnica tornando-se locaisde interesse geolgico com otencial turstico. pretende-se assim estimular o conecimento daGeodiversidade, a geoconservao e o desenvolvimento sustentvel.Contudo necessrio ter em conta que destino que se retenda exlorar do onto devista geoturstico dever aresentar uma estratgia de geoconservao que garanta asustentabilidade dos locais (Brila, 2005). Em portugal o Monumento Natural das pegadasde Dinossauro da Serra d Aire e Candeeiros , sem dvida, um exemlo em que uma ecazestratgia de geoconservao transformou o local num destino geoturstico de excelncia,em que a visitao e a roteco do patrimnio Geolgico so sustentavelmente combinadas.Tem crescido nos ltimos anos o interesse em musealizar e tornar geotursticas algumasminas abandonadas, o que j acontece actualmente nas Minas do Lousal.

Segundo Manrique (comunicao oral), o geoturismo a convergncia do ecoturismo,do turismo vivencial e do turismo cultural. As rinciais diculdades rendem-se com acarncia de guias esecializados, o desconecimento dos recursos elas autoridades eemresrios, a carncia de elementos interretativos, a carncia de roteco ambiental efalta de estudos ara o desenvolvimento do turismo.

T 1 As vantagens do geoturismo (Brila, 2005)

Vantagens do Geoturismo

No est restrito a variaes sazonais tornando-o atractivo ao longo do ano;no est deendente de bitos da fauna;ode comlementar a oferta em zonas tursticasode romover o artesanato com motivos ligados Geodiversidade local.

O geoturismo , assim, um segmento emergente, em que o objectivo do turismo secentra na Geodiversidade. Est criado um novo nico com novas esecicidades e novascontingncias que acomana no s as tendncias gerais do turismo mas que tambmime as suas rrias tendncias.Quando turismo e cincia se juntam, emergem novas oortunidades. por um lado a cinciaalcana uma audincia nova enquanto que o visitante vive novas exerincias e novasoortunidades (Monro, 2004).


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necessrio acrescentar que o Geoturismo no se vem sobreor ao Turismo de Natureza,vem antes acrescentar e combinar outros valores inerentes aos conceitos de Geodiversidadee Desenvolvimento Local.

3. O GCom o objectivo de melor rearar as estratgias geotursticas necessrio coneceras motivaes e os bitos dos geoturistas. Estes aresentam muitos traos geraissemelantes aos ecoturistas, mas exibem alguns traos eculiares, tendo em conta asesecicidades desta tendncia. Com base em estudos realizados no Reino Unido, hose(2000) aresenta algumas caractersticas do geoturista mdio. No nosso as ainda noforam realizados estudos nesta rea, estudos que serviriam ara uma melor adequaode estratgias e ara uma avaliao das j existentes.para hose (2000), dois gruos de geoturistas: o geoturista esecializado, que selecciona

intencionalmente os locais com objectivo de educao essoal, aerfeioamento intelectuale razer; e o geoturista ocasional, que visita locais com o objectivo de obter razer e algumaestimulao intelectual.Steuve et al. (2002) no estudo Te Geotourism Study, onde foram traados os ersdos turistas norte-americanos, classicam 55,1 miles de americanos como turistassustentados ou geoturistas. Estes turistas revelam-se guiados nas suas viagens elaconsciencializao do mundo sua volta, rocurando exerincias nicas e culturalmenteautnticas que reservem o ambiente natural e cultural. tambm imortante referir que o Geoturismo uma actividade emergente e muitas vezesos geoturistas envolvem-se nas actividades com outros retextos. Isto vem reforar a ideia deque o Geoturismo tem de ser interdiscilinar, tem de ter atractivos no s na Geodiversidade

mas tambm no restante atrimnio natural e no atrimnio istrico-cultural.

T 2 Traado do erl do geoturista (hose, 2000).

Perl do geoturista mdio

no laneia as suas visitas; a maior arte das vezes a visita a um geosstio casual;no ossui exerincia de trabalo de camo e no consegue ler maas; ossui mais de trinta anos e cega em equenos gruos de amigos e/oufamiliares;

aresenta uma caacidade de leitura mdia; elo menos metade dos turistas ossuiuma caacidade de leitura inferior a uma criana de treze anos;ossui uma escolaridade mdia;no est familiarizado com temas relacionados com a geoconservao;no se encontra devidamente equiado, em articular no que diz reseito ao calado;no se afasta do veculo mais do que 400 metros;observa os ainis interretativos durante cerca de um minuto, trs quartos dosturistas ignora-os ou resta uma ateno mnima; resta menos ateno aos ainis interretativos sobre Geologia quando emassociao com outros assuntos;arecia actividades de interretao onde ossa interagir directamente;arecia vistas e excurses de camo guiadas or esecialistas.


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4. P GO atrimnio natural comosto or uma srie de elementos biticos e abiticos quedevem ser rotegidos e conservados ara as geraes futuras. O Patrimnio Geolgico

reresenta a memria da Terra, sobre a qual os seres vivos desenrolam toda a sua actividade.A sua considerao no contexto do ordenamento do territrio leva a uma interessantefonte de actividade econmica, esecialmente no mbito turstico que, sem dvida, odeotenciar a eco

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Geoturismo y Desenvolvimiento Local