18. Geomorphological Resources for Geoeducation and Geotourism

Geodiversity (geological, geomorphological, soil and hydrological features) are considered the main resource for geotourist and geoeducational activities which are (or should be) closely related and should support each other. Geoeducation can help to increase recognition of geodiversity and geoheritage at all the levels, can have a positive effect on the behaviour of visitors to geotouristic attractions, it can help maintain the geotourism activities in a rational scale and it helps to avoid the overexploitation of geoheritage for geotourism purposes. In opposite, sustainable geotourism development can make the geoeducational resources more accessible and available. A specific position within said resources is occupied by geomorphological features. While the geotourist and geoeducational importance of landforms is indisputable, especially thanks to their scientific, aesthetical or cultural values, the geomorphological processes are sometimes considered hazards and not resources for such activities. The example from Kokomeren valley in Kyrgyzstan shows that even an active process can serve geotourist and geoeducationl purposes. Another specific issue of geomorphological resources is represented by anthropogenic landforms: although their position within heritage concept is not clear, their potential for geotourist and geoeducational activities is undeniable which is supported by several examples from all over the world.