Examining the tourism value of geological landscape features: the case of Terme San Giovanni in the Siena clay lands of Tuscany

Abstract

The area of the Siena clay lands is famous for its aesthetic value, acknowledged at a national and international level. Though landscapes may have a strong visual attractiveness, other factors are also relevant in determining the extent to which they are appreciated. In this study, we hypothesized that a deeper knowledge of landscape is ever more required by visitors and also by local citizens, therefore a survey was built and submitted to visitors to the San Giovanni spa, located in one of the geologically richest locations. Though wellness and health are the main attraction, this study confirms that "landscape" still plays an important role in tourism attraction, but that visitors are not generally aware of more specific geological features despite proximity and easy accessibility. Nevertheless, increasing awareness of environmental and cultural significance, by " qualifying " these features, would increase the appreciation and would be decisive in capitalizing on this attraction.

Full text

Acta Geoturistica volume 7 (2016), number 2, 22-35
22
Examining the tourism value of geological landscape features: the
case of Terme San Giovanni in the Siena clay lands of Tuscany
FRANCESCA UGOLINI1, ANNA CHROBAK2, DAVID PEARLMUTTER3
and ANTONIO RASCHI1
1 Institute of Biometeorology, Italian National Research Council, Florence, Italy
(E-mail: f.ugolini@ibimet.cnr.it, a.raschi@ibimet.cnr.it)
2 Department of Geology, Institute of Geography, Pedagogical University of Cracow, Poland
(E-mail: achrobak@up.krakow.pl)
3 Blaustein Institutes for Desert Research, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Israel
(E-mail: pearlmutter@gmail.com)
ABSTRACT
The area of the Siena clay lands is famous for its aesthetic value, acknowledged at a
national and international level. Though landscapes may have a strong visual
attractiveness, other factors are also relevant in determining the extent to which they
are appreciated. In this study, we hypothesized that a deeper knowledge of landscape
is ever more required by visitors and also by local citizens, therefore a survey was
built and submitted to visitors to the San Giovanni spa, located in one of the
geologically richest locations. Though wellness and health are the main attraction,
this study confirms that "landscape" still plays an important role in tourism
attraction, but that visitors are not generally aware of more specific geological
features despite proximity and easy accessibility. Nevertheless, increasing awareness
of environmental and cultural significance, by “qualifying” these features, would
increase the appreciation and would be decisive in capitalizing on this attraction.
Keywords: awareness; faults; CO2 lake; geotourism value; landscape; nature;
survey; thermal tourism
INTRODUCTION
The healthful properties of the thermal
water at Terme San Giovanni are well
known since ancient Roman times, and
natural thermal springs represent a very
important resource for both medicinal value
and tourism attraction. In recent years,
thanks to ongoing social changes and a
more stressful lifestyle, the demand for
relaxation and recreation opportunities has
also increased compared to the need for
treatment of physical illnesses. Potentially
successful thermal facilities that integrate
treatment with wellness are less susceptible
to the effects of the recent economic and
financial crises. In Tuscany, for instance,
many thermal tourism locations are facing a
structural economic crisis due to their
limited tourism income, while others that
have pointed to “health and wellbeing”
have increased their incomes (IRPET,
2014).
Thermal tourism could have a margin for
further improvement if, for example,
services provided in a spa were augmented
by local activities that exploit the
informational value of the natural
surroundings. In other countries, thermal
tourism is increasingly linked to other
forms of tourism, such as sport, recreation
and culture. For instance in Poland, health
spas are located in regions with a diverse
offering of natural attractions, usually
bordering on national parks and reserves
(De Carlo, 2013). In this way they offer the
possibility of spending time outdoors and
taking benefit from the surrounding
environment as well as the spa itself.
One form of tourism that meshes

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perfectly with thermal features is
geotourism. Hose (1995) first defined
geotourism as “the provision of interpretive
and service facilities to enable tourists to
acquire knowledge and understanding of
the geology and geomorphology of a site
(including its contribution to the
development of the Earth sciences) beyond
the level of mere aesthetic appreciation”.
Several other definitions followed, though
all share a focus on landscape and geology,
and on promoting knowledge and
conservation of Earth features
(Newsome & Dowling, 2010) for future
generations (Hose, 2012).
The area of the Siena clay lands is famous
for its charming landscape, with gentle clay
hills crested by lines of cypresses, patterned
by wheat fields, olive orchards and
vineyards or Mediterranean woods. The
area, however, is also rich in thermal water
springs that have been exploited for health
and well-being purposes, particularly in the
form of spas such as in Rapolano Terme.
Rapolano Terme, located at the North-
East border of this area (Martini & Sagri,
1993), on a slope alongside the Chianti
Hills and Mount Cetona (Bertini et al.,
1991), faces the clay lands and it is rich in
natural resources connected to the geology
of the area, that strongly mark the economy
of the region.
An important geological feature known as
Rapolano fault (Bambini et al., 2010) –
which interfered during the Pliocene with
the formation of the Siena-Radicofani basin
(Brogi, 2004; Bambini et al., 2010) – runs
north-south and is interrupted by smaller
orthogonal faults that generated travertine
depositions and thermal water springs
during the Late Pleistocene (Brogi, 2004;
Brogi et al., 2010).
A natural hot-water spring (located to the
south-west from Rapolano Terme)
replenishes the San Giovanni spa which,
besides the daily entrance, also offers
wellbeing and health care packages for
visits of varying duration. However, in the
same area there are many peculiar features
that deserve tourist attention and may offer
an alternative cultural offering to visitors.
The objective of this study was to assess the
receptiveness of tourists for a better
knowledge of the natural area regarding
aspects complementary to the primary
reason for their visit to the spa (mostly
recreation and wellness). In particular, we
investigate 1) visitor interest in landscape
aspects; 2) type of tourists and their
curiosity for landscape features; 3) their
assessment of local services; 4) their
assessment of the landscape and geological
features in the area around the spa as tourist
attraction; and 5) suggestions for improved
tourist offerings regarding landscape
knowledge and geotourism.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
The area and its natural features
The study was conducted at the San
Giovanni spa, close to the village of
Rapolano Terme. The spa exploits the
thermal water originating from the
hydrological water circulation of secondary
faults at a temperature of 40°C, often
associated with CO2 emissions (Minissale
et al., 2002; Minissale, 2004). A number of
significant geological features can be found
in the surrounding area (Figs. 1, 2):
 The Campo Muri Archaeological
Excavations (AE) bear witness to
Etruscan and Roman thermal baths (3rd
century B.C.) (Brogi & Capezzuoli,
2009). They were identified in the
1970s, during the first opening of the
local quarry at Campo Muri, about 200
m east of San Giovanni spa, and they
extend along two sides of the travertine
quarry, covering 8000 square meters. At
that time, the mineral waters were
believed to have holy (evidenced by a
votive element identified in Buca delle
Fate) as well as therapeutic worth. A
large spa pool surrounded by stone
terraces, paved with regular overlapping
slabs of travertine, was identified as
typical of Roman baths. The area was
also considered a votive area, since

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Fig. 1 Map of the geological features around the spa Terme San Giovanni worthy of tourist promotion and
awareness
Fig. 2 Environmental, cultural and geological features that are located in proximity of the San Giovanni spa, in
the Siena clay lands. AE) Archaeological excavations; Q) Campo Muri quarry; M) Montagnola fissure ridge; B)
Bossoleto mofette; G) Geyser – artesian well

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many votive statues have been found
around. In the woodland next to the
archaeological excavations, natural
travertine channels that used to discharge
the waters from the ancient baths are
now covered by vegetation.
 The travertine quarry of Campo Muri
(Q) is an active quarry that employs
residents of the nearby villages. The
travertine dates to the Late Pleistocene-
Olocene (Carrara et al., 1998) and its
extraction dates back to the medieval
period. The quarry is visible from the
spa and the ancient Etruscan cut, visible
from the archaeological excavations,
shows the deposition system with
angular unconformities and colluvial
deposits and paleosols of different
periods.
 The Montagnola active travertine fissure
ridge (M) (Guo & Riding, 1998; Brogi
& Capezzuoli, 2009), is about 250 m
long and located 50-100 m from the spa.
From the geological point of view, the
ridge is located on the Eastern side of an
alluvial terrace formed during the
Pleistocene by the evolution of the
Ombrone river. A height difference of
about10 m between the east and west
sides likely suggests that Montagnola is
the fault line along which the alluvial
terrace has been displaced. The fissure
on top varies in width from 1-2 mm up
to 30 cm and in SE extremity still emits
water and forms calcium carbonate
deposits. On the smooth parts of the
slope, macro and micro-carbonate
terraces can be observed. Along the
fissure, a transversal cut made for
research purposes allows the observation
of the travertine stratification and hear
the bobbling water underneath.
 The Bossoleto mofette (B) is a round-
shaped doline (80 meters in diameter and
6 meters in depth) where naturally every
night a CO2 lake is formed. William
Jervis was the first to describe the doline
in 1868. Its origin is likely due to the
rock collapse of the travertine rock by
acid water (CO2 of volcanic origin
reacting with the water table, beside the
rain water acidified by atmospheric
CO2). Recent studies have monitored,
more or less continuously, the CO2
concentration inside the doline and
proved the formation of a CO2 lake
especially at night time, reaching the
concentration of 80% at 1 m from the
bottom (vs. 0.04% of ambient
concentration) (Kies et al., 2014).
During the daytime on sunny days
(especially in the summer), thermal
convection generated by solar radiation
lowers the concentration to levels around
2000 ppm (0.2%). This site is very
interesting, being a natural science
laboratory for studying the effects and
responses of high CO2 on the
ecosystem’s abiotic and biotic
components (Osborne et al., 1997;
Miglietta et al., 1998; Selvi & Bettarini,
1999). The Bossoleto is not accessible to
the general public, but guided tours can
be organised on demand to the scientific
community or in public events like
“Settimana del Pianeta Terra”.
 The geyser (G) located in the spa garden,
which is easily accessible by visitors,
was generated by an artesian well (20 m
deep) drilled in 1950. This provoked the
outflow of water and gases: water
emerges at temperatures between 38-
39°C, with a flow rate of about 1 m3/min
(Guerra & Raschi, 2004).
The questionnaire
The questionnaire was 15 minutes long
with 13 questions gathered in four parts, as
shown in Table 1.
Most of the questions (those relative to
personal details. awareness of landscape
context, information means used and
features noticed around the spa) were
multiple choice questions with a possibility
to choose one or two options.
Some other questions (e.g. assessment of
attractiveness and accessibility, information
source; factors important for tourism
promotion) asked for the level of agreement

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Tab. 1 Structure of the questionnaire
Personal details and
staying
Gender (Q1),
Age (Q2),
Country and Town of provenience (Q3),
Interest in geography and earth/landscape knowledge (Q4)
Travelling with (Q5),
Staying length (Q6),
Reason for staying (Q7),
Practiced activities (Q8)
Awareness of the
landscape context
Landscape forms noticed traveling across the clay lands (Q9),
Landscape aspects of interest (Q10)
Assessment of local
services and information
sources
Roads and public transport (Q11),
Information means used (Q12) and assessment (Q13)
Geological features
awareness in the area
nearby San Giovanni
spa
Features noticed around the spa (Q14),
Attractiveness and accessibility of the feature (Q15, Q16)
Suggested improvements
for the tourist offer
Suggested information means (Q17)
What to improve in Terme San Giovanni (Q18)
of respondents to certain items according to
a five-point Likert scale (ranging from
“Totally agree” to “Totally disagree”).
Sample
The sample was composed of clients of
the San Giovanni spa, generally staying for
curative or wellness purposes. The hotel
accommodates averagely about 80 guests
and the volume of daily visitors to the spa is
about 50 in the week whilst on weekends
typically reaches the double. Clients are in
prevalence Italians in the age range between
30 and 60 years. Therefore, it was decided
to build a sample as much as proportional
to the clients’ typology regarding age and
length of staying. Due to cost limitations,
data collection was during the tourist
season of September-October 2015, with
submissions made during three week-days
and three weekends, mostly at lunch time
for not bothering tourists. Author’s
assistance was provided in filling out the
questionnaire, also to make additional
interviews.
Statistical analysis
The analysis was carried out using the
statistical analysis using Statistica (data
analysis software system) version 12
(StatSoft, Inc. 2014). Data from the
completed questionnaires were analyzed
using descriptive statistics. ANOVA,
followed by LSD test for post hoc
comparison of means at P<0.05, was
applied to observe any difference in
responses regarding travel typology (Q5;
Q6; Q7), respondents’ age groups (Q2) or
travel distance (Q3).
Frequencies and percentages were
calculated for all multiple choice questions
(Q1-Q6; Q8; Q9; Q10; Q13; Q14) and
mean scores were calculated for questions
with Likert-scale selection modality (Q7;
Q11; Q17; Q18), followed by a T-test for
independent variables to observe significant
differences between the items.
Correlation analysis was also performed
between items treated as separate
independent variables to find out any
relation between age (Q2), travel distance
(Q3), traveller typology (Q5), length of stay
(Q6) and activities (other than thermal
baths) during the visit (Q8), land forms
observed travelling across the clay lands
(Q9) or between respondent suggestions
regarding what they would like to know
more about (Q10) and what they have seen
around the spa (Q14).

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RESULTS
The results of the survey are divided into
five parts according the structure of the
questionnaire.
Personal details and visitation
The sample was made up of 50
respondents, whose 45% was made up of
daily visitors, and 55% of those of longer
staying. Regarding the age, 42% was
between 31 and 45 years old, 27% between
46 and 60 and 17% between 61 and 75.
Nearly all were Italian (98%) and the
majority of these were female (66%). Most
of the visitors were from the central and
northern parts of the country, with 17% of
respondents coming from towns nearby
(less than 50 km), 28% from middle
distances (51-100 km), 26% from large
distances (101-200 km) and 23% from
farther away (over 201 km). Their ages
ranged mostly between 30 and 60, with
42% of respondents between 31 and 45
years old, 27% between 46 and 60 and 17%
between 61 and 75.
Regarding their interest in the topic of the
questionnaire, “Earth knowledge and
geography”, a large majority of
respondents, 80% of the sample, confirmed
having an interest while 20% did not
express such interest. The majority
indicated that they were traveling with
family (58%) or friends (26%), and this
correlated with the length of their stay:
those with family mostly stayed at the spa
for two days (r2=0.09, P=0.04) or even up
to a week (r2=0.17, P=0.006), whereas
respondents traveling with friends stayed
just for one day (r2=0.12, P=0.01).
When asked to rank their reasons for
being at the spa in order of importance (Fig.
3), all respondents except for foreigners
considered ‘relaxation’ and ‘health’ to be
significantly more important than other
options (P<0.001); both items were highly
prioritized regardless of age. Other
important reasons given were ‘escaping
from the routine of the daily life’ and
‘travelling with friends or family’,
particularly linked to youth (<25 years old)
and adults up to 45, especially compared to
elders (more than 76 years old) (P<0.05).
“Learning new things” and “exploring
new places” were considered more
important by those coming from farther
distances (201-500 km), than by those
coming from nearby towns (51-100 km)
(P<0.01). Italians seemed to reach
happiness more than foreigners did
(P<0.01), whilst “fun”, which is also rather
important, was of very little importance for
youth (younger than 25) compared to all the
other age groups (P<0.01).
In order to assess their interest and
awareness for landscape in practice,
respondents were asked about the kind of
activities they engaged in during their
staying in the whole area of the Siena clay
lands. Most reported (Fig. 4) visiting the
nearby towns (58%) and cultural
monuments (32%), but many also listed
hiking (32%) and excursions to natural sites
(28%) – and quite a few spent time in
“observation” activities like birdwatching
(8%) and nature photography (14%), or
nature-based sports like horse riding (4%)
or biking (12%).
The percentage of respondents engaging
in different activities was not significantly
correlated with the length of their stay in
the region, with exception of local residents
living in Rapolano Terme (corresponding to
a length of stay of “other”) – who
demonstrated a preference for hiking and
biking (r2= 0.13, r2=0.18 respectively,
P<0.01).
Awareness of the landscape context
All respondents were asked if they
noticed particular geomorphological and
geological features across the area of the
clay lands (Fig. 5 A). The great majority
affirmed seeing thermal water springs
(92%), though significant numbers reported
also quarries (50%) and badlands (44%).
Other features such as faults and hillocks
were seen by only 8% of respondents, and
these were mostly visitors who stayed in the
area for more than one week) (r2=0.3,

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Fig. 3 Relative importance of the suggested reasons for staying at the spa.
Fig. 4 Activities engaged in by respondents during their stay in the region (percentage reporting "yes" for each
item).
P<0.001).
Respondents were also asked about those
aspects of the territory which they would
appreciate knowing more about (Fig. 5 B).
Most of them would like to know more
about history (46%) and food (40%),
though other topics were of interest as well,
including geology and landforms (selected
by 34%), specifics and characteristics of
thermal water (30%) and flora and fauna
(28%). In contrast, less interest (only by
14%) was given to agriculture – which is, in
fact, the primary land use in the area and
which strongly affects food-related
traditions. Again, respondents staying in the
area for at least two days were also those
most willing to get further information,
especially about thermal waters (r2=0.4,

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Fig. 5 Land forms seen by the respondents (A) and what they would like to know about the territory (B).
P<0.001) but also about the history of the
area (r2=0.11, P=0.023). To the extent that
landscape features were noticed, they did
indeed generate interest in further
information (r2=0.08, P=0.46 for thermal
waters; r2=0.1, P=0.03 for hillocks and
faults; and r2=0.14, P<0.009 for quarries).
Assessment of local services and
information sources
In order to verify whether the knowledge
of the territory has some connection to the
means of transport across the area and
information sources, the respondents were
asked to assess these means.
About means and ways of transport
(Fig. 6), respondents considered hiking and
biking routes very important to improve,
compared to local transport and roads
(P<0.001).
The source of information used by
tourists and the quality of this information
were also investigated (Fig. 7). Information
conveyed by friends and family (word of
mouth) and through the internet (25% and
26% respectively) were the main sources of
knowledge on the area in general and the
spa in particular. Personal experience was
also an important source of knowledge for
18% of respondents, while direct forms of
information (onsite material, maps, books
and magazines or hotel or tourist info
points) were less used.
These results are not related to the age of
respondents, with exception of the personal
Fig. 6 Level of importance for the improvement of
transport means.
experience which is positively correlated to
age (r2=0.297, P=0.04). Only 44% of
respondents evaluated the quality of the
information acquired from information
points or hotel receptionists. The level of
quality, calculated as a weighted average,
was mainly quite basic (considered
excellent by 17%, brief and concise by
23%, basic by 37% and poor by 23%).
Regarding the services connected to the
knowledge of the territory (Fig. 8),
informative panels and leaflets in tourist
places were valued as important means
compared to guided tours (P=0.016) or
scenic flights (P<0.001) and apps (P<0.01).
Apps and virtual tours were seen as
somewhat important, though guided tours

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Fig. 7 Distribution of the selection of information sources used by the tourists at the spa.
onsite were appreciated more than virtual
ones (P=0.03). The types of information
preferred were correlated to age – with
more adults suggesting panels (r2=0.17,
P=0.028) and leaflets (r2=0.398, P=0.0003)
– but also to the length of staying. For
instance, people staying for one day and
less than a week preferred technological
tools like apps and virtual tours (r2~0.2,
P<0.05).
Fig. 8 Level of importance for the improvement of
transport means and information means.
Geological features awareness in the area
nearby San Giovanni spa
Relating more specifically to the area
around San Giovanni spa, which is
especially rich in geological features,
respondents were asked if they had noticed
5 key geological or landscape features
located within a distance of 100 m from the
spa: Montagnola fissure ridge, the Campo
Muri quarry, the geyser, the Campo Muri
archaeological excavations and the
Bossoleto mofette (Fig. 9).
Surprisingly, 46% of respondents (21/50)
reported to have not seen any of the
geological features around the spa. Despite
their vicinity to the swimming pools (the
most frequented place), only 22% declared
to note at least one feature, generally the
quarry or the geyser. Only 9% of
respondents (4) had seen all the features,
among which the fissure ridge, the geyser
and the quarry are easily visible around the
spa. The archaeological excavations, in
contrast, were the most unvisited especially
compared to the quarry and the geyser
(P<0.001). There are only a few
correlations between length of staying and
features noticed around the spa. For shorter
staying there is less chance or interest to
look around, whilst for longer staying
(usually less than a week), the geyser only
has the most chance to be seen (r2=0.094,
P<0.034) (let’s remind that the geyser is

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Fig. 9 Number of persons having noticed a certain number of geological and historical features around the spa.
Fig. 10 Interest and accessibility of the geological features around the spa. Letters indicate the significant
differences between geological features in each item, identified by the ANOVA followed by LSD test at P<0.05.
Items on the top represent the weighted average from selections for each geological feature.
placed in the garden of the spa.
Almost 50% respondents declared to have
not idea about the features and not be able
to assess their interest toward them,
therefore, the following results are based on
the remaining sample. Respondents
evaluated the popularity and accessibility of
each feature to public.
For all of them, the most selected option
about popularity was “it is known to a few
public” (Fig. 10). Apparently, despite the
objective visibility of most of the features,
only the travertine quarry did not match the
interest of the general public compared to
the other elements (P=0.014), and the
Montagnola fissure ridge and the geyser (by
the way easily “visible and accessible”)
were considered inconsistently “well
known but not popular” and “accessible in
special occasions” respectively.
Suggested improvements for tourist
offerings
When asked about the most important
aspects (among landscape, information for
tourists, recreation activities, traditional
food, proximity to cities, and local
transport) that are needed to attract tourists,
we can affirm that just a few aspects are of
added importance relative to the others. For
instance, landscape is more important than
the proximity to cities (P<0.05) or local
transport efficiency (P<0.01), and offering
recreation activities is also more important
than local transport efficiency (P<0.05).
Focusing attention on the information
offered for a better knowledge of the
territory, the respondents of San Giovanni
spa agreed that information panels and
leaflets would be very appreciated,
especially compared to guided or virtual
tours (P<0.05 and P<0.001 respectively).
DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS
The area of the Siena clay lands is famous
for its aesthetic value, acknowledged at a
national and even international level.
Though landscapes may have a strong
visual attractiveness, other factors are also

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Tab. 2 Importance of information means in the area of the spa. T test for independent samples by suggested
items at P<0.05
PANELS
Very important
a
APPS
Somewhat important
ab
VRTUAL TOURS
Somewhat important
b
GUIDED TOURS
Somewhat important
b
LEAFLETS
Very important
a
relevant in determining the extent to which
they are appreciated – such as built
heritage, other stimuli like sounds and
tastes, and contact with people and nature
(Carmeiro et al., 2015). Despite the
prevalence of studies which show rising
public awareness of geodiversity stemming
from the need for rediscovering a sense of
wonder and reconnecting with the
landscape (Gordon & Baker, 2015), it
appears that in this case people are not
particularly aware of Crete Senesi's visible
environmental features when they travel in
the region. In this study, our premise was
that a deeper knowledge of landscape (in its
wider meaning) is ever more required by
visitors and sometimes also by local
citizens. This was reinforced by the survey,
in which 80% of visitors expressed interest
in earth and geography knowledge.
By gauging the extent to which visitors
are aware of – and potentially interested in
– the geological features surrounding the
San Giovanni spa, we aimed to gain insight
into ways of increasing the attractiveness of
such geologically rich locations. Our
analysis of a sample population of visitors
showed firstly that the main purpose for
visitation is fairly homogenous, and
focused on relaxation, health, and respite
from the routine of the daily life. It was
clear that most visitors are coming from
distant locations (between 200 and 500 km
away) and express an interest in learning
about environmental features and exploring
new places, in addition to enjoying the spa.
In fact, a high percentage of visitors took
time to visit the main towns or cultural
monuments nearby, and many hiked and
visited natural sites nearby – most likely in
connection to personal hobbies and skills
like photography.
Focusing on visitors' recognition of
geologically significant features, the survey
firstly inquired as to whether the respondent
had seen those features which are typical of
the Siena clay lands region in general.
Excluding thermal water features, which are
well known and accessed by nearly all
visitors to the spa in the form of the
constructed pools, the most widely visible
geological features were quarries and
badlands (reportedly seen by about half of
all respondents). It was found that visitors
were not generally aware of more specific
geological features like faults and hillocks,
which are localized in an area about 20 km
from the spa and were reportedly seen by
only 8% of respondents, mostly those
staying in the area for longer periods of
time.
At the same time, some of these features
– like the Montagnola fissure ridge – are
remarkably unique and immediately
accessible from the spa, but remain nearly
invisible to most visitors. Survey results
showed that the percentage of those who
had not noticed the geological features
located within several hundred meters of
the spa (montagnola, quarry, geyser,
archeological excavations, bossoleto
mofette) was even higher than for those
features located at farther distances. In fact,
despite their close proximity to the
swimming pools, only 22% of respondents
reported having seen at least one of these
features (mainly the quarry, which is visible
at a distance, or the geyser, which is located
in the garden of the spa). It is quite clear
that the attention of spa visitors is not being
adequately drawn to these features, with a
lack of visual indications or information
panels.
Therefore, many of these features, which

Acta Geoturistica volume 7 (2016), number 2, 22-35
33
are easily accessible and appear to be of
genuine interest for visitors, are not well
visited – because satisfying this interest
requires informational support that is not
being provided. Previous studies have
recognized that environmental amenities,
whether their value is primarily cultural,
traditional or naturalistic, are a determinant
force in tourism development (Talandier,
2009; Banski & Wesolowska, 2010;
Klepeis et al., 2009; Lokocz et al. 2011). A
crucial insight is that even when these
natural amenities go relatively unnoticed by
the casual observer, they can be "re-
qualified" to increase the appreciation of
landscapes and to derive eco-tourism value
from the inherent environmental qualities of
a place (Domon, 2011). Ultimately, the
attractiveness of such areas is dependent not
only on their visual aesthetics, but on the
capacity of tourism service providers to
bring their aesthetic and informational
value to interested visitors. The fact that
many such providers are unaware of the
"geo-tourism" potential embodied in such
places only underscores the importance of
matching the interests and needs of visitors
with the tourism services offered, using
integrated measures for marketing, product
development and conservation purposes
(Carneiro et al., 2015).
With respect to the needs of tourists, this
study has identified a number of instructive
relationships between visitors’ priorities
and the nature of their visit. For short-term
visits, a predominant motivating interest is
the history of the place, particularly in
terms of food and other cultural aspects
which tourists can get a “quick taste” of
while visiting the area. Geology and
landforms, characteristics of thermal water
and flora and fauna are also of importance
to many visitors, especially if the duration
of their stay is medium- to long-term
(several days or more).
The assessment of local services by
tourists represents an important source of
informational-feedback which can
decisively contribute to the improvement of
touristic offerings and visitor experience.
For instance, a common sentiment voiced
by respondents is that the enhancement of
hiking and biking routes should not be
under-prioritized compared with motorized
transport and roads. Regarding information
sources, it is interesting to note how
traditional information tools such as on-site
informative panels and leaflets are still
favoured even when more innovative digital
tools like apps and virtual tours are
available. Utilizing the potential of various
means of communication requires
collaborative relationships between tourism
service providers and the providers of
informational content (including academic
and applied research institutions),
especially regarding the relation between
landscape attributes, their scientific
explanation, and their economic valuation.
There is an increasing need among
visitors for localized site knowledge, and
this represents an implicit awareness of the
importance of high-quality information
delivery in sustaining local tourism. This
study adds to a growing body of empirical
findings (Murphy et al., 2007;
Sotiradis & van Zyl, 2013) which has
demonstrated that along with the internet,
word of mouth communication – and
therefore personal experience – is still the
most common and widely-used source of
information. Therefore, a more
comprehensive knowledge base, embracing
landscape interpretation and science-based
information, might be the key to increasing
tourists’ awareness of a site's natural
context.
In conclusion, this study has evidenced
that tourists may be familiar with the most
popular landscape features in an area, but at
the same remain unaware of particularly
unique geological elements in the closest
proximity of their destination (such as the
spa in the case described above). Though
wellness and health are the main attraction,
there is a significant portion of tourists
(especially those coming from far-away
locations) that would also be interested in a
deeper knowledge of the environmental
context and landscape features. This study

Acta Geoturistica volume 7 (2016), number 2, 22-35
34
confirms that "landscape" still plays an
important role in tourism attraction, but that
knowledge and awareness of its
environmental and cultural significance can
be decisive in capitalizing on this attraction.
The informational content that is necessary
to transfer this knowledge and raise this
awareness may be conveyed by
increasingly innovative technological tools
– but at the same time, a useful role can still
be played even by the most traditional
forms of communication, as long as they
succeed at tapping into the natural curiosity
possessed by so many travellers.
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