ジオツーリズムと地理学発「地域多様性」概念

―「ジオ」の視点を持続的地域社会づくりに生かすために―

抄録

 Arguments on geoparks and geotourism have grown heated in recent years. However, few people can understand what “geo” means. This study considers how to share viewpoints of “geo” to build sustainable regional societies from a geographical perspective. First, the author defines geotourism as a type of ecotourism mainly focusing on the Earth's scientific resources. Second, the author argues that the concept of regional diversity proposed by the Japanese Geographical Union in 2005 is the core of Geography. The author has this concept connect the three existing concepts of the geosphere: biodiversity, cultural diversity, and geodiversity. Then, the author discusses promoting geotourism with the concept of regional diversity and familiar geographical views that are important for building sustainable societies. A geographical approach is inevitable for showing the relationship between our lives and “geo”. Humankind will have a better future by locating the geotourism as the main practice of “Earth Science for Society,” which was the slogan of the International Year of Planet Earth 2007-2009 (IYPE), and sustaining activities to develop ways of looking at “regional diversity”.