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Overview:
Geotourism has been described in a nutshell as "traveling without trampling," but the term really means more than that. Coined by Jonathan Tourtellot, geotourism editor of National Geographic Traveler magazine, geotourism is "tourism that sustains or enhances the geographical character of a place—its environment, heritage, aesthetics, culture, and the well-being of its residents."
In this lesson, students will learn about a partnership between the government of Honduras and the National Geographic Society to highlight the concept of geotourism and its benefits. Students will study the opportunities for geotourism available in Honduras, and then extend their understanding of those concepts by planning a geotourism expedition to Honduras.
Connections to the Curriculum:
Geography, social studies, science
Connections to the National Geography Standards:
Standard 6: "How culture and experience influence people's perceptions of places and regions"
Standard 10: "The characteristics, distribution, and complexity of Earth's cultural mosaics"
Standard 15: "How human actions modify the physical environment"
Standard 16: "How physical systems affect human systems"
Time:
Two to three hours
Materials Required:
- Computer with Internet access
- World map
- Maps of North America and Honduras
- Chart paper or chalk/white board
- Travel brochures for a variety of locations around the world (not necessary if Internet access is available for students)
Objectives:
Students will
- describe the characteristics of geotourism, including its challenges and benefits;
- learn about the culture, physical geography, history, and economics of Honduras;
- explain how countries that practice the principles of geotourism can attract more visitors; and
- plan an itinerary for a Honduran geotourism expedition.
Geographic Skills:
Acquiring Geographic Information
Organizing Geographic Information
Answering Geographic Questions
Analyzing Geographic Information
S u g g e s t e d P r o c e d u r e
Opening:
Using a map of the world, ask students to briefly describe places they have visited. Mark each place on the map with a push pin. Next, ask students to name places in the world they would like to visit and why. Make a chart of the countries or regions students identify, and list students' reasons for wanting to visit the various places they've suggested in that column.
Ask students who have traveled to different places to describe the people they encountered. Were the people who lived in the places they visited happy or unhappy to see them? How did they know? Ask students to make a list of reasons local residents of popular tourist locations would like to have visitors and a list of reasons they would not like them.
Tell students that tourism is a huge world industry, but that people don't always consider the negative effects tourism can have on the locations visited. Tell students they will be learning about a concept called "geotourism" that describes ways in which locals and tourists can structure tourism activities responsibly (i.e., in ways that are actually beneficial to the target countries beyond just economics, and beneficial to the visitors beyond just relaxation).
Development:
Activity 1:
Have students read the following articles describing geotourism, and lead a brief discussion about how these concepts may have been or could have been applied during the trips they’ve taken.
"Geotourism" Survey Shows Millions of Travelers Care
"Geotourism": Tips for Traveling Without Trampling
Ask students to do some more research into the benefits of geotourism by finding articles at National Geographic News sites. [They can do this by searching for terms such as "geotourism," "sustainable tourism," and "biodiversity and travel."]
Draw students' attention back to the discussion about whether local residents might like or dislike visits from tourists. Ask students whether they can add to the ideas that were shared.
Have students create a list of "rules" for tourists and residents that can make tourism both geo-friendly from a conservation standpoint and more appealing to local residents of tourist destinations.
Activity 2:
Show students a map of North America and point out the country of Honduras, located in Central America. Tell students that Honduras has partnered with National Geographic to make a specific effort to draw visitors by developing projects and programs based on the principles of geotourism (PDF, Adobe Acrobat Reader required). Ask students to compare the rules they created with the principles of geotourism they just read. Lead a discussion about the areas on which students focused in their rules, and areas they may not have considered.
Activity 3:
Have students explore the ways tourism in Honduras can adhere to the principles of geotourism (PDF, Adobe Acrobat Reader required) by visiting the Honduras information pages below and identifying opportunities for the application of the various principles. [You can provide assistance to students by suggesting that they think about the types of places a particular tourist population might want to visit. For example, a scientist might want to study land animals at La Tigra National Park or the underwater animals of the Bay Islands. Someone interested in visual arts, such as architecture, may enjoy a visit to Tegucigalpa or the Copan Ruins.]
National Geographic: MapMachine—Country Profiles: Honduras (Includes CIA World Factbook Entry)
Honduras Tips
Lonely Planet: Destination Honduras
National Geographic Traveler Magazine: Honduras TravelWise
Honduras/Central America at About.com
Remind students that one of the principles of geotourism is to market your destinations selectively. Have each group pick one audience (scientists, students, etc.) and make a list of the locations, sights, and cultural activities that group would most enjoy. Students should summarize with at least one paragraph describing Honduras as a highly desirable location for visits by their selected group.
Activity 4:
Have students revisit the list of rules they created for geo-friendly tourism, and then work in small groups to create a travel brochure for a trip to Honduras. Direct students to incorporate their rules and the principles of geotourism in a brochure that highlights the benefits of visiting their locales while giving travelers "tips" on how to visit in a geo-friendly way. Have students use this interactive print press to create their travel brochures. Have students use information from the previous activity as well as new information they can get by clicking the "help" button of the print press interactive.
Closing:
Have students present their tourism brochures to the class, and explain how they incorporated the geotourism principles into their review and promotion of their home town, city, or region. As they present, ask students to highlight the specific elements of geotourism they considered in constructing their responses.
Suggested Student Assessment:
Student brochures should clearly reflect their understanding of the geotourism principles. Work with students to add or revise information as needed.
Extending the Lesson:
Have students look again at the list of places they said they'd like to visit at the beginning of the lesson and, in partners or small groups, select one country for further study from a geotourist perspective. Have them conduct Internet research (or use travel brochures and external research) to plan an itinerary for a chosen target audience (scientists, ecologists, college students). Students can use the resources below to find information about their selected locations. Travel itineraries should be typewritten, with brief explanations of what each selected location will provide, and information for tourists on how they should take steps of their own to sustain and enhance the well-being of the land and people of their destination.
National Geographic Traveler Magazine: TravelWise
Lonely Planet Destinations
About.com: Travel Pages
Library of Congress Country Studies
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