Global Network of National Geoparks

Annual Conference 2009 of China's GGN Members closed successfully

Source :http://www.globalgeopark.org Published :January 18, 2010



The Annual Conference 2009 of China’s GGN Members was sponsored jointly by the Department of Geological Environment - the Ministry of Land and Resources, P. R. China and the Global Geoparks Network Office on January 15 to 16, 2010 in the Haikou Sub-park of Leiqiong Geopark, in which more than 120 representatives from 22 GGN members and their regional authorities were present. In the Conference, what China’s GGN members did in 2009 was reported; the completed revalidation of GGN members in recent two years was summarized; the work requirements for next step were raised; and such topics as the geotourism development, the promotion of local economy development and the exchange and cooperation among GGN members were discussed. At last, all representatives proposed and discussed the annual action plan of China’s GGN members; meanwhile, they concluded the “Haikou Proposal of China’s Geotourism”. After the Conference was closed, the representatives made a field investigation on the status of geoheritage conservation and eco-environmental protection in the Haikou Sub-park as well as on the positive role of the Geopark played in local economy.

Appendix:

Haikou Proposal of China’s Geotourism

In order to develop geotourism extensively, representatives from 22 China’s GGN members summarized their achievements in 2009, discussed geotourism development, promotion of local economy development, exchange and cooperation among GGN members and other matters and offered the following proposals in the Annual Conference 2009 of China’s GGN Members held on January 15 to 16, 2010 in Haikou City, Hainan Province.

1. To conserve the geoheritage resources, develop the geotourism and promote the sustainable development of local economy
2. To intensify the research of geosciences, advance the scientific connotation of geotourism, popularize the knowledge of geosciences and improve the scientific literacy of the whole people;
3. To perfect the facilities of geotourism, strengthen the promotion and marketing of geotourism and create the favorable conditions for geotourism development; and
4. To bring forth new ideas of the mechanism of exchange and cooperation among geoparks, explore new approaches of geopark construction, establish a new platform of geotourism and set up a new image of China-specific geotourism.