The Principles of Geotourism

281 Pages·2015·2.24 MB·English

by  Anze Chen, Yunting Lu, Young C.Y. Ng (auth.)

Springer Geography
Anze Chen
Yunting Lu
Young C.Y. Ng
The
Principles of
Geotourism
Science Press
Beijing
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Anze Chen · Yunting Lu · Young C.Y. Ng
The Principles of Geotourism
1 3
Anze Chen Young C.Y. Ng
Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences Association for Geoconservation,
Beijing Hong Kong
China Hong Kong
China
Yunting Lu
School of Geography
Beijing Normal University
Beijing
China
ISSN 2194-315X ISSN 2194-3168 (electronic)
Springer Geography
ISBN 978-3-662-46696-4 ISBN 978-3-662-46697-1 (eBook)
DOI 10.1007/978-3-662-46697-1
Jointly published with Science Press, Beijing
ISBN: 978-7-03-043495-1 Science Press, Beijing
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Foreword 1
The Principles of Geotourism (1991), compiled by Anze Chen, Yunting Lu, et al.
of China Tourism Earth-science Research Association, is a summary of research
findings of several 100 members of the Association in five years since its estab-
lishment, as well as a pioneering move of China’s earth-science workers to serve
tourism and apply the theories and methods of earth-science to tourism. It basi-
cally reflects China’s research level of contemporary tourism earth-science. The
publication of this work is of significance for both the earth-science circle and
the tourist circle. I, as the honorary chairman of the Association, feel very happy
about so many research findings in just several years after the establishment of
the Association, and feel it necessary for me to recommend this monograph to the
earth-science, tourist and academic circles and say a few words about the birth of
this new discipline.
“Tourism earth-science” is an emerging marginal discipline which uses the
theories and methods of earth-science and draws the essences of other disciplines
to serve the needs of survey, evaluation, planning, development, management and
protection of tourism resources, thereby boosting tourism development. It comes
into being along with the emergence of China’s tourism industry. It is known to
all that tourism, as a social phenomenon, has been in existence in China for thou-
sands of years. However, tourism as an industry did not take shape in China until
10 years ago. In the late 1970s, China launched its reform and opening up, giving
rise to the booming development of tourism, and in the early 1980s, tourism has
come up as a sizeable sector of national economy. In this process, varied industries
and disciplines had been penetrating into tourism and serving tourism by various
scientific means. Geological and geographical circles take the lead. They have
not only inaugurated “tourism earth-science”, but also achieved a series of highly
academic research findings, built up a research team with adequate qualifications,
thereby promoting the formation and development of tourism earth-science.
Despite different research areas, geology and geography belong to the same
category of Earth-science and both serve the tourism industry. With a view
to finding an intersection of the two in tourism researches, a seminar on tour-
ism earth-science was held in the spring of 1985 as proposed by Committee of
v
vi Foreword 1
Science Popularization of Geological Society of China. Scholars of geological,
geographical, gardening, environmental and tourist circles got together, exchang-
ing their research findings in combining with tourism science and serving tour-
ism. All the attendants felt much wiser and unanimously thought it necessary to
set up an academic team beyond all branches of science in order to research and
explore the varied earthscientific issues relating to tourism. On careful discussion
and consultation, the attendants accepted “tourism earth-science” as the name of
the new discipline, and “China Tourism Earth-science Research Association” was
established. Comrade Daguang Sun, the then Minister of Geology and Mineral
Resources, Prof. Renzhi Hou, a famous geographer, and I (the then chairman of
Geological Society of China) were elected honorary chairmen. I was pleased to
take this honorable position. After establishment of the Association, the members
have enriched and improved theories and gradually built up this new discipline—
tourism earth-science in line with the guidelines of science and technology serving
the construction of national economy and “practice–theory–further practice”.
As assigned by State Planning Commission and Bureau of Land and Resources
in the year of establishment of the “Association”, it drew the perspective zoning
map (1:6,000,000) of China’s tourism resources, showing over 70 tourist areas and
spots, and proposed the preliminary scheme of dividing national scenic areas into
86 sites (zones), which basically meets the requirement of the state for tourism
resources in formulating national land rectification strategies. In recent years, the
Association focused on researches on tourism resources and their development
principles, including researches on structures, combinations, types and distribu-
tion rules of tourism resources; made drawings of various national and regional
tourism resources, and provided plenty of basic materials for central and local
governments to develop tourism; researched the formation conditions and evolu-
tion models of tourism resources, enriching the formation theories of tourism
resources; drew perspective forecast maps of tourism resources to point out the
direction for exploring new tourism resources; studied the methods of survey and
evaluation of tourism resources, and development planning principles, reasonable
use and protection schemes of tourist areas (spots) to provide scientific and tech-
nological certifications for the overall development of tourism resources; studied
earth-science and other sciences like history, economics, psychology and aesthet-
ics relating to tourism; and studied the popularisation of earth-science in tourism,
and combined tourism with spiritual civilisation education as well as the improve-
ment of the scientific and cultural level of the whole nation. In a word, the studies
on the above-mentioned issues have enriched and deepened the contents of tour-
ism earth-science from different scopes and perspectives.
Tourism earth-science, as an emerging science, needs more of our attention and
support so as to give greater play to its potentials and functions in the expansive
tourism field. However, we should also note that the theories, methods and con-
tents of an emerging discipline are all pending for enrichment, improvement, as
well as varied ordeals of practices. As we enter into the twenty-first century, I feel
deeply that earth-science needs to develop and have its connotation deepened and
service sectors expanded, and create more new disciplines with endless vitality
Foreword 1 vii
like tourism earth-science during practices. I believe, by virtue of the concerted
efforts of earth-science and tourist circles, “tourism earth-science” aiming to serve
tourism will surely have its theoretical and method systems improved day by day,
and fully display its irreplaceable effects and values in China’s tourism.
December 1989 Jiqing Huang
Foreword 2
Earth, is a small rocky planet hurtling through space. From the edges of the solar
system, it is barely visible as a small, blue dot. But this small, blue dot is spe-
cial. Very special. For 4,600,000,000 years, as it orbits the Sun, the surface
of this small planet has altered innumerable times. As the tectonic plates of the
Earth’s thin solid outermost layer have moved across the eons of time, so oceans
have come and gone, continents have collided and split apart, mountain ranges
have risen and then been worn away and life, in all of its incredible diversity, has
evolved and multiplied. How do we know all this? We know because the memory
of these things are written in the stones and rocks all around us. Professor Anze
Chen is one of those very special people who can not only read the memory of the
Earth as it is recorded in the rocks, but also has the ability to share these stories
with humanity, re-connecting them to the planet we call home. By engaging the
Chinese people with their geological heritage, with their rich geodiversity, Prof.
Chen has also assisted in the development of geotourism in China, and through
that, in the sustainable economic development of communities across China.
Through the sustainable approach used in geotourism and adopted by Global
Geoparks, Prof. Chen has helped ensure that the geological heritage of China will
remain intact for future generations to enjoy and that, through this English version
of his book, the amazing journey of our small planet becomes more widely known
across the world.
Prof. Patrick J. Mc Keever
Chief of Section, Earth-sciences and Geohazard Risk Reduction
Secretary of the IGCP
EES/NGR
Natural Sciences Sector/Bureau 5.08
UNESCO
ix
Foreword 3
We all love our nature and stand ready to protect it, especially against the increasing
human and urban encroachment. Rocks, landscapes and geological formations are not
just spectacular creations by our mother nature but also the bedrock of our ecosystem
and living planet. The understanding of the making of our planet earth should not be
confined to academic pursuit. If we make it simple and well articulated, it could foster
a greater sense of ownership by all walks of life and encourage all communities in the
world to preserve our nature. Professor Anze Chen is a forerunner in this endeavour
and his deeds, including the publication of this new book, set a good example.
For decades, Prof. Anze Chen has pioneered the concepts of tourism earth-
science and geopark in China. These concepts, supported by practical works and
demonstrated results, have convinced geoscience academia and policy makers to
promote the establishment of national geoparks and later UNESCO’s accredited
global geoparks in China including the one recently established in Hongkong.
Apart from effectively protecting China’s invaluable geological heritage and sce-
nic wonders, well-managed geoparks have proven to be a healthy and sustainable
engine bringing about improvement to the livelihood of the local people especially
those in remote and less developed areas. On the education front, green-tourism-
cum-earth-science, as a multidisciplinary academic subject, has gained its place
and popularity among schools and colleges particularly for students studying geol-
ogy and geography as well as those pursuing studies in tourism and development.
I got to know Prof. Chen during the establishment of the Hongkong Geopark.
We share the same vision of geoconservation and I am deeply impressed by his
dedication and relentless efforts in promoting tourism earth-science in China for
the benefits of all people. Professor Chen and his associates published the original
Chinese version of their ground-breaking book ‘The Principles of Tourism Earth-
science’ in 1989. They now take a step forward by publishing this English version
to promote their ideas in the international arena. I take this opportunity to wish
him and his team every success in this meaningful and challenging endeavour.
August 2014 Edward Yau Tang-wah
xi