The Role of the Picturesque in Geotourism and Iconic Geotourist Landscapes

Abstract

Geotourism can be defined as visits to locations that fall within the Bgeoheritage^category, whether natural or man-made. This underscores all the definitions of this phenomenon in the literature. The notions of the role and agency of typical geotourist motivations are much discussed in the definition of geotourism (i.e., cognitive orientation aimed at acquiring or expanding knowledge of geoscience, the history of Earth and geomorphological processes, and the like). Among the conceptual approaches in the field are those that emphasize more the final cognitive results of travel to geosites (in the form of the acquisition of knowledge on geoheritage by tourists) than the potential initial geotourist motivations of tourists. This article considers the picturesque esthetic of a landscape as the sole, main, or an important pull factor for geotourism and even whether this esthetic is necessary to transform a geosite into a tourist attraction. The picturesqueness of a landscape has varying importance for different categories of geotourists, from Bunaware geotourists^to Bgeoexperts.^The iconic role of geotourist landscapes is illustrated by the Cretaceous landscape of the north-coast cliffs of Rügen (Germany), the rauks of Gotland and Fårö (Sweden), and the Trotternish Ridge with the Old Man of Storr on the Isle of Skye (Scotland).

Water in Descriptions of Global Geoparks: Not Less Important than Geology?

“…However, there is also a serious disadvantage, which is as follows. The majority of tourists, including geotourists (except for relatively rare geoscience professionals, students, and amateurs) do not have enough geological knowledge, and they have been not trained for perception of geological features that are masked by other landscape elements and often need special interpretation [29][30][31][32]. In contrast, tourists do not need any special knowledge to judge on rivers, lakes, or waterfalls, and the natural beauty of water objects is a significant attractor of visitors [33][34][35].…”

Advances in Quaternary studies and geomorphology in Scotland: implications for geoconservation

“…Some, such as Fingal's Cave, the Falls of Clyde and the Cuillin Hills, have been visitor destinations since Victorian times and earlier, and played a central part in the development of early tourism in Scotland based on the appreciation of the landscape and the aesthetics of the sublime and picturesque (Gordon 2012, 2016; Gordon & Baker 2016). The modern appeal of spectacular landscapes has followed a similar pattern to that of the Victorian era, with a boom in tourism for scenic landscapes and historical sites fostered by visual artforms and social media (Chylińska 2018). For example, the numbers of visitors to the Storr landslide complex on Trotternish in Skye have increased from just over 35,000 a year ten years ago, to over 150,000 today.…”

Tourism and Geotourism: A Conceptual Problem

“…Assim, os geoturistas dedicados constituem uma demanda muito específica, formada por turistas com alto nível de ensino e renda, os quais Hose associa aos turistas alocêntricos, como definidos por Plog (1974). Enquanto a motivação dos geoturistas não engajados e casuais coincide, geralmente, com a motivação de turistas em outros tipos de turismo (Chylińska, 2019), o que significa que os geossítios competem com outras formas de turismo, conforme elucidado nas características do geoturismo.…”

“…É o conjunto desses interesses que fará o ser turista, isto é, o turista como estado de espírito. Os geoturistas casuais podem buscar a paisagem como principal motivação e, consequentemente, podem aprender algo sobre o patrimônio geológico em si, já os experts buscam o conhecimento geológico e podem vislumbrar a paisagem (Chylińska, 2019). Em ambos os casos, não deixam de ser geoturistas.…”