Structure of Sustainable Management of Geoparks through Multi-Criteria Methods

Enikő Kornecká, Mário Molokáč, Bohuslava Gregorová (), Vladimír Čech, Pavel Hronček and Miriama Javorská
Additional contact information
Enikő Kornecká: Department of Geo and Mining Tourism, Institute of Earth Resources, Faculty of Mining, Ecology, Process Control and Geotechnologies, Technical University of Košice, 04200 Košice, Slovakia
Mário Molokáč: Department of Geo and Mining Tourism, Institute of Earth Resources, Faculty of Mining, Ecology, Process Control and Geotechnologies, Technical University of Košice, 04200 Košice, Slovakia
Bohuslava Gregorová: Department of Geography and Geology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Matej Bel University in Banská Bystrica, 97401 Banská Bystrica, Slovakia
Vladimír Čech: Department of Geography and Applied Geoinformatics, Faculty of Humanities and Natural Sciences, University of Prešov, 08116 Prešov, Slovakia
Pavel Hronček: Department of Geography and Geology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Matej Bel University in Banská Bystrica, 97401 Banská Bystrica, Slovakia
Miriama Javorská: Department of Geo and Mining Tourism, Institute of Earth Resources, Faculty of Mining, Ecology, Process Control and Geotechnologies, Technical University of Košice, 04200 Košice, Slovakia

Sustainability, 2024, vol. 16, issue 3, 1-22

Abstract: Geoparks, as a modern product of geotourism and territorial management, currently represent a new way of protecting and preserving geoheritage, which is closely related to knowledge and education. They increase general awareness of the value of the Earth and, on the other hand, represent the support and development of the territory. The fulfillment of geopark goals, together with their purpose and activities, emphasizes the need for an effective management structure and function of the whole. This research aimed at clarifying the management issues of geoparks, and defined management areas derived from essential geopark functions. Based on determining management areas and their specifics, the task is to define a suitable management structure applicable in geoparks, representing a supporting link in creating plans and management methods. The task involves a multi-criteria decision-making method to define an appropriate management structure for the geopark. This method helped to define three key areas of management, such as marketing management, cooperation management and, last but not least, destination management. Of course, this does not mean that other areas of management are not important, as they represent an inseparable support structure in management. The usability of the results of this article can serve as support in the creation of management plans, and also indicates priorities in deciding which way to proceed in the management of geoparks as specific entities.

Keywords: geotourism; geopark; management; effectivity; management structure; multi-criterial methods (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/16/3/983/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/16/3/983/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:16:y:2024:i:3:p:983-:d:1324928

Access Statistics for this article

Sustainability is currently edited by Ms. Alexandra Wu

More articles in Sustainability from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().