Historical Viewpoints on the Geotourism Concept in the 21st Century

Geotourism is a late 20^th century recognized form of niche or special interest tourism with considerable global growth potential in the 21^st century. Initially researched and defined in the UK and Europe, it is an emerging and growing field of academic study and publication. It is focused on the usage of geosites and geomorphosites, often subsumed within the concept of natural landscapes, for tourism purposes. As such, it is also a form of natural heritage marketing. Although relatively recently defined, the paradigm is already undergoing redefinition and refinement, sometimes departing from the original earth science basis, and this benefits from a new appreciation of its historical roots. Its resource base includes geosites and geomorphosites, museum collections and exhibitions, and library archives and artistic outputs. Although the term passed into general usage only in the early 1990s, its antecedents can be traced to at least the 17^th century in Europe and possibly earlier elsewhere. It has significant underpinnings within social history and industrial archeology. Its recognition, recent development, and history can and should be placed within a broader, if niche, tourism history context.