EARTH SCIENCE COMMUNICATION BY SUSTAINABLE VISITOR MANAGEMENT AT UNESCO-WORLD HERITAGE SITE MESSEL PIT AND NEW VISITOR CENTRE

Geological phenomena and processes: the fascination on earth sciences in our society is blooming. This is based on recognizing geotopes in our landscapes and on a demand for sustainable earth education on landscape’s formation as residents have noticed the value of earth for our modern life quality. This demands professional behaviour together with the tourism sector for “tourism products”. It means to link up geological heritage, geotopes, service quality and exciting experiences combined to relax and have a good day off within a premium tourism offer at a location of unique outstanding value and image with UNESCO label.

How to generate it at this UNESCO-World Heritage site? Will a high quality level of education parallel too increasing numbers of visitors be possible? Can sustainable earth education and geotourism together work with the geoparks philosophy created in the year 2000 work?

The author presents a management model on today visitor’s demands linked up with basic education, administration and service quality generating also economic benefit. Data from 7 years development at the World Heritage Site Messel Pit have way marked the strategy which can be followed for a site with an infrastructure now with its new visitor centre to develop a successful visitor management with economic benefit.

Frey, M.-L. (1996): Anforderungen, Grundlagen und Methoden für eine geowissenschaftliche Umweltbildung. Zbl. Geol. Pal. Teil 1 Heft 7/8, Januar 1995. pp. 703-712

Frey, M.-L. (2001). Geopark Vulkaneifel: Geo-potential, touristic valorization and sustainable development. 2^nd European Geoparks Network Meeting: Sigri-Lesvos, Proceedings of the Intern. Symposium on geological heritage protection and local development, 3- October, Greece, pp29-44.

Frey, M.-L., Schäfer, K., Büchel, G. & M. Patzak (2006). Geoparks – a regional european and global policy. Eds. Dowling, R. & D. Newsome. Geotourism. Pp. 95-117. Elsevier, Amsterdam, Boston, Tokyo. 260 p.