ABSTRACT
This book presents a first collection of chapters looking more closely at a tourism sector that includes travelling to volcanic and geothermal destinations as part of the new quest for sustainable tourism. Volcano tourism is particularly popular in combination with recreational activities such as skiing, hiking, trekking, climbing and visiting hot springs, as well as many other outdoor activities (Erfurt-Cooper and Cooper, 2009), and with the need for the strengthening of attitudes and practices relating to environmentally sound tourism. Volcano and geothermal tourism as a whole are under-reported in the literature as yet, but the tourist numbers for this special interest area are rising, with study tours and field trips being offered to volcanic destinations worldwide. While in fact volcano tourism has been widespread in European countries such as Italy, Greece and Iceland for centuries, greater mobility and a personal desire for more information about these unique and active landforms are key motivations behind the growing interest of 21st century tourists in volcanic and geothermal environments.
