Abstract
Geoheritage and geotourism are two important aspects of human appreciation of the Earth’s geological resources. Geoheritage refers to the elements of the Earth that we value, whereas geotourism is a type of tourism that is based on various aspects of the Earth’s geological and/or geomorphological heritage. Geotourism may have either positive (beneficial) or negative (adverse) impacts on geoheritage. At best geotourism fosters an understanding of, and a connection with, geological features through visitation, interpretation and education. However, if not planned and developed appropriately, geotourism may cause adverse impacts on geoheritage because of ineffective management of visitor and geological attractions. This chapter describes the relationships between geoheritage and geotourism and outlines the tourism link between the two through a series of examples of geotourism in selected geological settings.