ABSTRACT
Geoparks have been promoted in Germany since the beginning of the 1990s, especially in the Vulkaneifel region. Their institution is a direct result of geological public relations work. Under this general heading a new sector called ‘geotourism’ developed gradually in the Eifel region, out of the link between geological knowledge transfer activities and the tourist industry (Frey et al., 2002). The key geopark elements are especially evident in this sector and they form the basis for the local strategy, which can be applied at a range of levels – regional, national, international and global. This strategy is explained in the following sections, using exemplary data and results as well as perspectives for a sustainable future from the Geopark Gerolstein, and concept and projects realized within the Geopark Vulkaneifel.
