Itinerario geoturístico en el geoparque mundial UNESCO de El Hierro (Canarias, España) como estrategia de diversificación de su oferta turística

Abstract

Geoturism, a recent modality focused on the landscapes values of the relief (beaches, gastronomy, festivities, etc.). El Hierro is the youngest island from the Canarian archipelago and it shows a wide geodiversity and geoheritage, reason why it was declared geopark in 2014, becoming the first one in the Canaries. Its main leisure offer is diving and hiking. The main objective of this work is proposing a geotourist itinerary through the geopark according to the socio-economic profile from the visitors, people who practice a responsible and sustainable tourism. As an attempt to do that, the island has been divided into six different geozones, making an inventory and classifying its resources according to the Cicatur-OEA; choosing the most representative ones for the design nine geo-routes. The itinerary proposal synthesizes the wide geodiversity from the island and contributes to diversify its tourist offer