Geotourism is a sustainable form of travel that supports local communities, habitats, and terrains. It focuses on cultural education and allows visitors to experience life like the locals do. Geotourism often combines elements of ecotourism and agritourism, and is advertised as a form of sustainable vacation. Travelers can engage in geotourism on their own or through package tours organized by local communities or professional organizations.
The term ‘geotourism’ describes a style of travel that is as much about seeing new places as it is about supporting local communities, habitats and terrains. More often than not, geotourism trips focus on cultural education. Visitors visit and explore, but through the lens of local residents. They strive to experience life like the locals do, in everything from accommodation to meals and daily activities. In many ways, this type of travel is very similar to cultural immersion, although the facets of enjoyment, whether it’s mountain walks, beach visits or rainforest hikes, are usually the focus.
Geotourism is often advertised as a form of “sustainable vacation” or “sustainable tourism”. This usually means that trips are designed to have as little impact as possible. Much of the movement behind this type of travel has arisen from the fear that more traditional tourist activities not only divert resources from local communities, but also misrepresent the true nature of places.
Participants in sustainable tourism are usually looking for a holiday that allows them to get in touch with a place. This usually means avoiding the big resorts and upscale restaurants that cater to out-of-town visitors. Instead, travelers meet up with locals, stay in smaller inns or bed-and-breakfasts run by permanent residents, and orient themselves by what the community values.
Particularly outgoing travelers can often engage in geotourism on their own, simply by arriving at a place and seeking integration. For others who may not be so daring, package tours are often a better option. Many different local communities, especially those located around attractive locations or natural history sites, publish geotourism resources that make suggestions for things to do and places to visit. More formal organizations can also organize trips for interested participants.
Professional geotourism outfits often combine elements of ecotourism and agritourism in their trips. Ecotourism is a form of vacation that seeks to give back to the land visited, often by doing conservation work, habitat restoration, or wilderness cleanup. It often pairs well with more geographically aware travel allowing tourists to feel not only part of the host community, but also to leave it better than they found it. This type of work is most popular when traveling to remote locations.
Agritourism is a type of holiday where visitors immerse themselves in farming life, often in towns or places foreign to their own, as a means of gaining a deeper appreciation for sustainability and the local food sourcing. Geotourists can easily add agricultural aspects to their cultural immersion, particularly if the places they are visiting are agricultural centres. Engaging in local agricultural life is often an important part of traveling to farming communities and is a key way to engage in good practice tourism in these places. Farm stays are usually organized through professional sustainability organisations, but can sometimes be done through private arrangements as well.
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