Unraveling Hong Kong Geopark experience with visitor-employed photography method

Fung, Charmaine K.W.; Jim, Chi Yung

doi:10.1016/j.apgeog.2015.05.014

Cited by 37 publications

(20 citation statements)

References 35 publications

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“…However, the escape factor was cited as the least important motive, which is similar to the findings for other nature-based tourists (Fung and Jim 2015a). The local community's lack of geological knowledge may explain these results given that geology has been neglected in the formal education curriculum in Hong Kong; thus, local residents generally lack relevant geological knowledge and find the topic difficult to understand (Fung and Jim 2015b). Local travellers therefore generally do not aim to increase their geological knowledge through geotourism activities.…”

Section: Resultssupporting

confidence: 72%

The Effect of Geopark Visitors’ Travel Motivations on their Willingness to pay for Accredited Geo-guided Tours

Cheung

2015

Geoheritage

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This study investigated the travel motivations of visitors to a geopark and their willingness to pay (WTP) for an accredited geo-guided tour by employing the contingent valuation method (CVM). Questionnaire surveys were administered at the geological sites of Hong Kong Global Geopark of China, and 310 completed questionnaires were collected. The results showed that the geopark visitors were willing to pay a price premium for the accredited geo-guided tour: They were willing to pay an average HK$165.3 for the accredited tour, which is HK$34.5 higher than the price that they were willing to pay for the non-accredited counterpart. The results further suggested that the geopark visitors were motivated by four factors: 'novelty seeking', 'enjoyment', 'social interaction' and 'escaping'. Three of these motivational factors were found to be significantly associated with visitors' WTP. The empirical study reveals a number of unexplored areas in the field of geotourism research, and the findings could be used by geotour operators to evaluate their pricing policies and to identify potential geopark visitors who would be interested in and willing to pay for accredited geo-guided tours. In addition, the results could be important for organisations implementing an accreditation system to facilitate the evaluation of the role of such a system in geopark visitors' choice of geotourism services or products.

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Section: Resultssupporting

confidence: 72%

The Effect of Geopark Visitors’ Travel Motivations on their Willingness to pay for Accredited Geo-guided Tours

Cheung

2015

Geoheritage

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“…While the cultural landscape offers rich potential to engage a wider audience, there remains a need to evaluate the cross-cultural expectations of visitors [200,255] and the kinds of desired activities and meaningful and memorable experiences that will best connect people to geoheritage in a way that will influence their attitudes and increase support for geoconservation [113,198,254]. Visitor demand for, and success of different approaches to interpretation merit further investigation linked with the broader heritage and nature-based tourism research agenda and detailed analysis of: (1) what geotourists actually want [161,162,256]; (2) destination image and reality [257]; and (3) management options and the effectiveness of geotourism in raising visitors' awareness of geoheritage and changing their behavior [258].…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Such an approach to interpretation can bring together Western and Eastern cultural traditions. For example, studies of interpretation in some Chinese geoparks reveal that the traditional Western-style didactic approach, involving presentation of overly technical information, is ineffective and ignored by a majority of visitors [162,198]. On the other hand, for many visitors, geoheritage is more likely to be appreciated through guided tours and involving stories, art and poetry.…”

Section: Enhancing the Visitor Experiencementioning

confidence: 99%

“…On the other hand, for many visitors, geoheritage is more likely to be appreciated through guided tours and involving stories, art and poetry. Such media can make cultural and aesthetic connections and emotionally engage visitors with the landscape and its geoheritage, reflecting the principle that interpretation should relate to the audience and be culturally relevant [161,162,[198][199][200]. Providing it is done well, such engagement with the cultural landscape is not "dumbing down" the geology, but involves the enrichment of knowledge.…”

Section: Enhancing the Visitor Experiencementioning

confidence: 99%

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Geoheritage, Geotourism and the Cultural Landscape: Enhancing the Visitor Experience and Promoting Geoconservation

2018

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Geotourism spans a range of visitor interests, from the specialist geotourist to the more general visitor. As well as supporting geoconservation outcomes, it provides economic, cultural, relational and social benefits for both visitors and host communities. The interconnections between geoheritage and the cultural components of the landscape have antecedents in concepts of landscape aesthetics in different cultures. These interconnections provide a range of opportunities for enhancing the geotourist experience and promoting geoconservation and geoeducation by means of activities that involve aesthetic and emotional experiences and interpretation through different cultural filters that encourage the rediscovery of a sense of wonder both about the geological stories in the landscape and the human interactions. A cultural ecosystem services framework provides a holistic approach for informing conservation policy, management and planning for geotourism, enabling assessment of multiple benefits and trade-offs for visitors and communities based on the values of the geoheritage assets. Geotourism studies could also benefit from integration of existing theory, conceptual analysis and practice from broader heritage and nature-based tourism and closer collaboration with relevant social sciences. Adhering to sound geoethical practice is an essential part of geotourism, which can also play a role in the promotion of geoethics among the public and professionals.3 of 25 cultural elements of the landscape (e.g., as features celebrated in art, sculpture, music, poetry and literature or that are revered as sacred places), or may provide the essential context in which cultural features (e.g., settlements, castles and archaeological sites) are located. Geology and geomorphology are also a fundamental part of the distinctive character of many rural landscapes and the built environment and contribute to the aesthetic qualities of these landscapes. As described below, there are many connections between geoheritage and cultural heritage that provide a basis for geotourism activities. The value of these connections is now acknowledged within the UNESCO Global Geoparks framework [9]. Likewise, many cultural World Heritage Sites benefit from strong supporting geoheritage interests [38], while many existing natural properties are also cultural landscapes that have potential for re-inscription as mixed properties, recognizing their cultural and spiritual associations as well as their outstanding geoheritage features, as happened in the case of Tongariro National Park (New Zealand) (1992) and Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park (Australia) (1994) [39].The World Heritage Committee of UNESCO defined cultural landscapes as representing the "combined works of nature and of man" and "illustrative of the evolution of human society and settlement over time, under the influence of the physical constraints and/or opportunities presented by their natural environment and of successive social, economic and cultural forces, both external and internal" [40] (p...

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“…According to Farsani et al (2014) geotourism ensures an economic and environmental sustainability, geological education and reinforcement of local livelihood and culture. The Global Network of National Geoparks (GGN) prerequisite these visions in the guidelines for the application for membership (Fung and Jim, 2015b). According to the criteria developed by UNESCO, a geopark should have the following characteristics (Vdovets et al, 2010):…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Exploitation of Palaeontological and Hydrogeological Features for Geotourism in Mesopotamia - Oinoi, Kastoria, Northern Greece

2017

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Unraveling Hong Kong Geopark experience with visitor-employed photography method

Cited by 37 publications

References 35 publications

The Effect of Geopark Visitors’ Travel Motivations on their Willingness to pay for Accredited Geo-guided Tours

The Effect of Geopark Visitors’ Travel Motivations on their Willingness to pay for Accredited Geo-guided Tours

Geoheritage, Geotourism and the Cultural Landscape: Enhancing the Visitor Experience and Promoting Geoconservation

Exploitation of Palaeontological and Hydrogeological Features for Geotourism in Mesopotamia - Oinoi, Kastoria, Northern Greece

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