Page 247 - Volcano and Geothermal Tourism

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Stromboli is also one of the most tourist few months to several years), nearly one million
friendly volcanoes in the world. It is the only people live in the area exposed to the direct effects
permanently active volcano that tourists can climb of eruptions. The lower southern and south-
up and watch eruptions from only 150m away. eastern flanks are among the most densely
Stromboli gained worldwide fame in the year urbanized areas of southern Italy and therefore are
1949 from the movie Stromboli – God’s Land, highly vulnerable in case of major flank eruptions
directed by Roberto Rossellini and starring at low altitude (Behnke and Struck, 2005).
Ingrid Bergmann. The film aroused the interest of The summit region is not inhabited and is not
tourists in the early 1950s and has strongly used for agricultural purposes, therefore the long-
influenced tourism on this island until today. Since term volcanic activity of the summit is not seen as
1950 there has been a considerable increase in the a danger to the local population. Only tourists,
number of visitors – during the late 1960s and photographers, scientists and other visitors to the
early 1970s, the island became attractive for immediate summit area take a moderate volcanic
hippies and dropouts. Since the late 1970s, however, risk. The main danger of paroxysmal summit
the island has become one of the major tourist eruptions comes from strong tephra ejection
attractions of southern Italy and tourism the main (Behnke and Struck, 2005). Bombs and blocks
source of economic activity in the region. The provide an unpredictable threat to visitors in the
majority of visitors come especially to see the summit region. Increased gas concentrations occur
volcano. Usually, they arrive during the day by at the summit but visitors without breathing
ship, climb to the summit, return to their holiday- masks can leave in time. Also these subterminal
homes or stay at the summit (which is dangerous eruptions are generally regarded as dangerous for
and officially forbidden) and leave the island the visitors outside the summit area, although the
next morning or a few days later. The dramatic visitor stations are not greatly exposed to explosive
influx of tourists especially during the high season activity due to distance.
(July–August) sometimes causes an almost Lava flows in flank eruptions primarily cause
complete breakdown of municipal organization. infrastructural damage. Though Stromboli’s activity
On the other hand, tourism is virtually the only is not of this type normally, the volcano has a
economic resource of the island. significant hazard potential. Most of the activity is
of a moderate size, consisting of short and small
Assessment of the volcanic abrupt ejections of glowing lava fragments to
hazard potential and its heights of rarely more than 150m above the vents.
impact on tourism However, there are periods of stronger, more
continuous activity with fountaining lasting several
The fertility of the soil, the aesthetic value of the hours, violent ejection of blocks and large bombs.
landscape, a fundamental development of Furthermore, the volcano is capable of larger and
infrastructure and the growth of tourist-offers in potentially disastrous eruptions. While these events
recent decades led to an increase in the flow of with significant effects are restricted to the
visitors and the population density on the slopes. immediate summit area at the Sciara del Fuoco
Mt Etna is a mountainous and volcanic massif and they occur about once per year (Behnke, 2005).
this means that tourism to it is accompanied by Moreover, twice during the last century (in 1919
certain risks not solely related to the volcano itself. and 1930) there have been large eruptions that
For example, while lava flows represent the most caused significant damage and killed visitors even
typical hazard in the Etna area and can destroy at considerable distance from the craters.
entire population centres, adventure tourism based Bigger eruptions occur every few decades and
on climbing and other activities can impact far should be expected in the future at any time.
more on tourists unless an eruption occurs. In When tourists climb to the summit, they expose
spite of these hazards and the frequent eruptions themselves to the risk of being surprised by a
(summit activity occurs nearly continuously and ‘larger-than-normal’ explosion. Such eruptions
the intervals between flank eruptions vary from a may occur without any premonitory signs. Several

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