Page 43 - Volcano and Geothermal Tourism

20 Introduction

accidents and emergencies, sometimes with dire 1 a hazard zone map which highlights areas to
consequences for both the tourist and the host avoid;
community. 2 possible escape routes;
One of the remaining questions is, what and 3 symbols and pictograms to indicate key points
how much is done to prevent accidents? This (shelters, first aid, emergency phones etc);
brings us to the range of initial risk prevention 4 emergency contacts.
measures, both by the volcano tourist and the local
authorities in charge. Whereas local residents in These could be developed as a general template
active volcanic regions are generally made aware and applied to every region – which would also
of any potential dangers and hazards, travellers create familiarity with the use of such information.
rarely have this information and are not always Hazard mapping is considered as one of the most
aware of local safety guidelines, emergency shelters effective ways to reduce hazard exposure and
and evacuation procedures should the need for therefore casualties in high-risk zones (Blong,
them arise. These considerations open the 2000; Calvache, 2001; Chester et al, 2001; Francis
discussion as to whether there should be and Oppenheimer, 2004; Marti and Ernst, 2005;
international standard guidelines about safety on Leonard et al, 2008) and an essential tool in the
volcanoes which can be adapted for individual communication of volcanic risk between scientists,
regions. the local authorities and the public (Felpeto et al,
Despite these sobering thoughts people will 2007; Haynes et al, 2007; Nakamura et al, 2008).
not be stopped by disasters happening in other Japanese authorities, for example, have
areas; on the contrary, catastrophic events developed a number of similar maps and booklets
unfortunately seem to have the opposite effect of for local residents and visitors to volcanic areas.
drawing attention to a certain region. The first These areas have designed individual disaster
objective therefore should be to make tourism in prevention handbooks, available on the Internet,
every volcanic and geothermal area as safe as with only some of them already available in more
possible. The second objective should be to provide than one language (Figure 1.5). In the case of no
essential information to all people who visit imminent danger volcano tourists are more likely
active volcanic environments, and the third to ignore warnings and safety information, if they
objective to develop international guidelines for are given any at all, behavioural patterns which have
visitor safety in active volcanic and geothermal been established through observation of tourist
environments. behaviour as well as personal communication with
volcano tourists in several countries (Erfurt-Cooper
Suggestions for international safety and Heggie, 2008; see also Faulkner, 2001).
By now it is rather obvious that most regions
guidelines for visitors have an individual approach to risk and disaster
While a number of individual regions, national management. Dealing with increased volcanic activity
parks and other designated natural areas have can include the closure of a national park for a period
developed their own strategies for dealing with of time, as has happened in the Volcán Poás National
potential hazards for visitors, it is very important Park in Costa Rica, where the most visited and most
to advance from risk management plans only for economically important park in the country had
local residents to the inclusion of temporary visitation limited for three weeks by the park
visitors. In order to make important information administration (Aguirre and Ahearn, 2007). New
available to every visitor a simple fact sheet of one Zealand is another country where volcanic eruptions
page, printed on both sides, which offers visual have affected tourism in the past. Every time Mt
recognition of signs, maps and symbols to avoid Ruapehu erupts, surrounding communities,
language barriers, may prove sufficient. A fact agricultural land, air and road traffic are affected
sheet (Appendix 3) can be divided into four (Paton et al, 1998), and this of course affects the
sections to display the necessary information on tourism industry through loss of revenue from winter
half a page for each of the following: sports and general sightseeing (Miller et al, 1999).

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