TFgeotourism: A Project to Quantify, Highlight, and Promote the Volcanic Geoheritage and Geotourism in Tenerife (Canary Islands, Spain)

Abstract

Volcanic landscapes offer a multitude of resources to the communities that live within them. However, the main attraction that volcanoes offer is associated with volcanic heritage and geotourism. The scope of this project is to create and promote emerging geotouristic products through the empowerment of volcano tourism and thus contribute to strengthening the economic and business fabric of the volcanic island of Tenerife (Spain). In Tenerife, this great geodiversity includes the stravolcanoes, shield volcanoes, calderas, cinder cones, maars, tuff cones and rings, and lava fields, all exposed beautifully in cliffs, ravines, beaches, deposits, etc. The main activities of the project associated with the documentation and quantification of the conservation values of the volcanic heritage are the following: production of a documentary on the volcanic geoheritage of Teide volcano, selection of the top 50 sites of geotouristic interest, creation of urban geotourism itineraries, recreation of the itinerary of Alexander von Humboldt, and creation of a web page for the project. This project will deliver an essential resource needed to diversify the leisure activities offered in Tenerife through the volcanic heritage and geotourism. It quantifies the best that Tenerife can uniquely offer and highlights it in a globally accessible and perpetual manner.