Page 267 - Volcano and Geothermal Tourism

244 Europe

the broadest spread of audiences an effective media One further initiative under consideration,
strategy connecting to TV, Radio, Internet and aimed at broadening the tourism offer and at the
public meetings additionally needs to be devised. same time assisting in the transmission of
This view is supported by results from a recent information regarding volcanic risk and the
survey of residents living in the municipalities of attempts to alleviate this, is the development of a
the red and yellow emergency zones around new ‘geopark’ linking the three active volcanic
Vesuvius. When asked about the sources from sites around the Bay of Naples: Vesuvius, Campi
which they received the majority of their Flegrei and Ischia (personal communication with
information about volcanic risks, residents of both Legambiente Campania Branch, 2008, 2009).
zones indicated that television and newspapers Geoparks are a framework whereby:
were significantly the first and second most … geological heritage and geological knowledge is
common sources of information, well ahead of shared with the broad public and linked with
sources such as the Vesuvius Observatory or local broader aspects of the natural and cultural
government (Barberi et al, 2008). However, as environment, which are often closely related or
outlined in the disagreements within the scientific determined to geology and landscape.
community that surrounded the publication of the (UNESCO, 2008)
emergency plan in 1995 it should be noted that;
A ‘Volcanoes of Campania’ geopark would not
… contradictory advice (based on differences of just present on the only active volcanoes in
opinion among academics that are often emphasised mainland Europe, but could also enable elements
by the media, at the expense of reporting on where of tangible and intangible heritage plus a rich
opinions agree) can worsen a crisis and cause public natural environment to be interwoven into the
confusion and antagonism against decision makers. overall tourism product. In so doing, information
(Solana et al, 2008)
about the volcanic landscape and how the people
In other words, links to the media have to be occupying that landscape relate to the volcanoes
consistent and ‘on message’ for effective embedding could be more continuously shared with domestic
of information in a population. and international visitors. That process of genera-
The information received by residents and that ting further understanding and engaging with the
received by tourists, naturally have differences in local communities could then lead to self-efficacy
detail as one audience is permanently exposed to and deeper engagement with the emergency plan.
volcanic hazards whilst the other is only temporarily Both factors are identified as encouraging at-risk
at risk. Nonetheless, it is important that knowledge populations, not just to be aware of volcanic
of what to do in case of an emergency is common hazards, but also to be prepared and know how to
and shared amongst all people. This was perfectly act during a crisis (Barberi et al, 2008).
illustrated during the 1999 eruption of Mt
Tungurahua in Ecuador, when scientists and Conclusions
government officials demanded that the residents As documented across volcanic sites throughout
of nearby towns should be evacuated for their own the centuries, a very thin line exists between
safety. But as the local economy was totally natural drama and disaster. Hence a burgeoning
dependent on tourism, this message was opposed body of research has evolved, from the geological
by community leaders who conducted an aggressive understanding of when and how eruptions occur,
campaign countering the official information and to risk management and prevention for the
argued to both locals and tourists that the volcanic populations living around active volcanoes. More
activity was not a threat but an attraction (Lane et recently multi-disciplinary teams have emerged to
al, 2003). Although on that occasion major loss of create bridges between the volcanologists, social
life did not occur, if similar confusion reigned in scientists, emergency managers and community
connection with an eruption of Vesuvius, then representatives to ensure effective transferral of
much of the positive work surrounding the information alongside the construction and
emergency plan might be undone. implementation of robust crisis plans. However,

Ch16.indd 244 3/28/2010 1:30:55 PM