Improving Visitors’ Geoheritage Experience: Some Practical Pointers for Managers

Abstract

This short paper describes 8 practical pointers to improve visitors’ experience of geoheritage sites and areas. These are based around 5 themes: putting communication and education at the heart of geoconservation, focussing communication on the target audiences, challenging the current scientific thinking, making sure there is a duty of care towards the visitor and connecting geoconservation to other conservation interests of the public. It is written on the basis of personal experience from visiting protected areas in many parts of the world. Examples of good practice with web links are provided. It builds on the IUCN Best Practice Guideline on geoconservation. The key message is that visitor target audiences and visitor experience should be included throughout the development of geoconservation protected areas, rather than the more traditional approach of adding these considerations later in the developmental process.