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their breath while they visit the hot springs seven are natural heritage sites, and four are
scattered around Tengchong’. Earthquakes, cultural and natural (mixed) sites. There are 28
rockslides (Changbaishan), and other risks common biosphere reserves and 44 Geoparks (of which 20
to extreme environments are present as well as are on UNESCO’s world Geopark list).
those relating to visitor activity and tourism’s For a Geopark to qualify as a global Geopark
impact on the environment. it needs to have:
Tourism • a management plan designed to foster socio-
China is currently the world’s fourth largest economic development that is sustainable
inbound tourism market (55 million visitors and (most likely to be based on agritourism and
foreign exchange income of USD41.9 billion in geotourism);
2007) and is ranked fifth in terms of total • demonstrate methods for conserving and
outbound expenditure (UNWTO, 2008). In 2007 enhancing geological heritage and provide
the number of domestic tourists reached 1.61 means for teaching geoscientific disciplines
billion, distributing 777 billion Yuan to domestic and broader environmental issues; and
destinations. By 2020, according to the UNWTO, • joint proposals submitted by public authorities,
China will become the top ranked tourist country local communities and private interests acting
in the world. This is a long way from the situation together, which demonstrate the best practices
in the late 1970s when only 230,000 foreign with respect to Earth heritage conservation
visitors were allowed to enter, or for domestic and its integration into sustainable development
tourism before local travel restrictions were lifted strategies.
in the early 1980s. The volcanoes of China feature
strongly in both inbound and domestic tourism, Thus the risk management associated with this
Changbaishan is, for example, listed as a ‘famous form of tourist attraction is similar to that
natural site’ as well as an important home to the practised in relation to biosphere reserves and
rare Siberian Tiger, and Hainan is referred to as world heritage sites, and the forms of extreme
the ‘Hawai‘i of the Orient’, complete with volcano, tourism that do occur are those relating in the
but this is mainly due to the existence of hot main to mountain climbing. Nevertheless, these
springs and spectacular scenery rather than the areas are volcanic in origin and remain prone to
potential for more dangerous activity on the part earthquakes, as well as having hot springs and
of the volcanoes. other activities that need to be managed for their

Risk management risk. For example, as noted above, in the Tongcheng
(Rehai geothermal area) volcano field the main
Risk management in the Chinese volcano tourism attraction is Dagunguo (Big Boiling Bowl), a large
context is, accordingly, more about conserving spring that reaches a temperature of 97°C (China
biodiversity through Geopark, World Heritage Culture Center, 2008). Locals offer visitors eggs
and National Park status. Changbaishan Biosphere cooked in the spring’s heat, and hot water is
Reserve (designated 1979) is a case in point, ejected intermittently into the nearby streams.
where vegetation diversity and the fauna generate Among the numerous smaller springs and geysers,
management issues, mapping, planning and zoning the park also has cooler springs suitable for
measures and the fact of the volcano is limited to bathing, including the Frog Mouth, Lion Head,
preserving visual amenity from the lookouts, Pearl and Drum-beat Springs. All these assets are
preserving the biological status of the caldera lake, included in and controlled by the Park
and preserving/utilizing the hot springs found Management Plan.
within the river beds that flank the mountains. Risk management is also enhanced by the
Since joining the International Convention Concerning conversion of nature parks into fully fledged
the Protection of World Cultural and Natural Heritage geoparks. A further two parks in China, Qinling
in 1985, China has had 38 world heritage sites Geopark in Shannxi Province and Aixa Geopark
listed to date; of these 27 are cultural heritage sites, in Inner Mongolia were designated during August

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