Reflecting Experiences of Regional Academic, Tourism, and Education Specialists in Geoheritage Evaluation for Southeast Arabia

Abstract

In Southeast Arabia (i.e. the United Arab Emirates [UAE] and Oman), geoconservation is a budding initiative, but to date, there has been limited evaluation of geoheritage sites in this region. Many geoheritage evaluation methods have been developed over the last 20 years, but the most popular methods reflect experiences from experts in Europe. The representativeness of these methods for different regional, cultural, and social contexts requires scrutiny. This study developed the first parametric method for geoheritage evaluation focused on Southeast Arabia, using Fujairah, UAE as a case study. The study applied a novel approach based on questionnaires completed by regional geoscience academics, local nature tourism professionals, and local science teachers. The preferences they expressed for scientific value, educational value, and touristic value, respectively, were used to develop the evaluation method. To test the requirements for informed decisions by tourism professionals and science teachers, the study compared results of questionnaires from two occasions: after a seminar on regional geoheritage sites, and after site visits. The resulting method deviates from previous methods in the relative weight it places on various criteria, substantiating the need to target wider regional voices in methods for geoheritage evaluation in Fujairah and Southeast Arabia. It reflects the need to consider cultural and societal differences, as well as curricular requirements for the educational value, that are not highlighted in existing evaluation methods. The applicability of the method was tested and confirmed by ranking geosites in Fujairah, and the method could be used at a regional scale in the future.