1. Geoparks Professor Ross Dowling OAM Edith Cowan University
A powerful new development vehicle for regional Australia
Professor Ross Dowling OAM
Edith Cowan University
Western Australia
Spotlight 7 – Regional Tourism
and Geotourism
Thursday 27 October

2. UNESCO Founded in 1945 - 193 member states World Heritage
Man and the Biosphere
UNESCO Global Geoparks

4. UNESCO Programs Program Sites Countries 1052 165 Biosphere 669 120 33
World Heritage
1052
165
Man and the
Biosphere
669
120
UNESCO Global
Geoparks 33

5. Australia’s UNESCO Sites
Program
Sites
World Heritage 22
Man and the Biosphere 14
UNESCO Global Geoparks

6. Geoparks
A Geopark is an area with a geological heritage of significance, with a coherent and strong management structure and where a sustainable economic development strategy is in place
They are either national or global
There are 120 global geoparks in 33 countries on five continents
Europe - 69 North America - 2
Asia [China has 33] South America - 2
Africa - 1 Australia - 0

7. Global Geoparks

8. European Geoparks

9. China’s Global Geoparks33

10. Are Geoparks only about Geology?

11. Geopark are not the same as National Parks
Geoparks vs National Parks
Geopark are not the same as National Parks
Instead they are vehicles for fostering community-based, sustainable, regional economic development

12. UNESCO Global Geoparks
UNESCO Global Geoparks are single, unified geographical areas where sites and landscapes of international geological significance are managed with a holistic concept of protection, education and sustainable development

13. Geoparks
Geoparks are both a development concept as well as a branding tool. They achieve these goals through:
Conservation
Education
Geotourism

14. Geoparks Geoparks are sites of significant geological heritage with:
Geo-conservation activities
Sustainable tourism activities
Educational activities
Community involvement
Strong management structures
A secure financial basis

20. Levels of Geoparks No Level Appellation 1 Local Aspiring 2 National 3
Regional
eg. European 4
Global 20

21. The Geoparks Brand
In China in the first decade there were over 1.1 billion visitors to geoparks (over 100 million visitors per annum)
Entry fees were RMB 7 Billion ($1.5B)
The geoparks generated permanent full time jobs and part time jobs
In the United Kingdom the contribution of seven geoparks is £18.84m ($37m)

22. Yuntaishan Geopark, China
Economic Benefits
The total income brought about by tourism is RMB 2291 million (AUD$470 million)
This accounts for 32% of the local GDP
The number of jobs generated by the geopark is
The geopark has lifted the county out of poverty to become relatively well off

23. Conclusions Geoparks are the new National Landscapes
They have a well established global network
Chinese and European visitors know geoparks
Geoparks foster community-based, sustainable, regional, economic development
Australia needs geoparks – they are the only continent without them

24. Geoparks
A powerful new development vehicle for regional Australia
THE END
Professor Ross Dowling OAM
Edith Cowan University