Geoparki jako nowe narzędzie rozwoju turystyki. Idea promowania georóżnorodności, aktualne problemy i wyzwania

Abstract

The present article is a review of rich specialist literature of geotourism and concerning the idea of creating geoparks in Poland and in the world. It attempts to present the issues related to geoturism in Poland and in the world, to synthesize information on promotion of geo-diversity and the conception of creating national geoparks. The article has drawn special attention to the idea of promoting geo-diversity and the history of the Earth pointing out positive aspects of its realization together with the possibilities of using them for the development of tourism and regional economy. The growing interest of tourists in nature brings about the creation of, besides well-known, typical forms of tourism, totally new forms of adventure and specialinterest tourism. Visible changes in social trends and habits – an increase in intensity of spending spare time, new forms of passing time (adventure and special interest tourism), and the fad for healthy lifestyle, increased impact on education or a growing market of conferences and congresses support generating new tourist products. The article underlines the possibility of satisfying the growing needs of tourists through geotourism, pointing out the opportunity of new perception of geological objects as a subject of tourism development. On account of repeated terms and expressions appearing in the article in order to explain them, the authors compiled basic definitions concerning geotourism. The article presents as well a short history of development of the idea of geo-diversity in the world, and also the criteria of geopark creation together with the survey of these already existing (according to the actual state in 2011). The article describes synthesized information concerned with the actual state and the prospect of creating geoparks in Poland. In spite the fact that Poland has a crucial potential of geological features and there are many local initiatives of constructing geoparks, the process of their creation is still in an initial phase, especially the lack of mechanisms promoting them can be observed. The article presents also the effects of current integrated activities supporting the promotion of geotourism in Poland – the base of geological sites created by the Institute of Nature Conservation in Cracow and a Central Register of geological sites in Poland put together by the Polish Geological institute, or the International Association for Geotourism set up in 2007 whose main objective is to, first of all integrate science and business by combining geological knowledge with business activities within tourism. The article is finished by a discussion on the issues of challenges and problems developing geotourism may face which were presented during the conference devoted to “Geoparks, Geo-diversity and Geotourism” held in Lublin between 6–8 June 2011.