Geodiversity and Tourism Sustainability in the Anthropocene
Round 1
Reviewer 1 Report
I very much appreciate a contribution which focuses on the relationship between geodiversity, the Anthropocene and tourism. However, in my view the authors should have also reviewed the growing (in numbers and importance) body of research in geotourism / geological tourism, which also frequently covers issues in relationship to resource extraction and conservation values, the critical importance of landscape diversity (including geodiversity) as well as the tourism’s contribution to conservation and sustainable management of natural resources. Unfortunately, the authors have largely omitted this body of knowledge from their review paper (despite some references, i.e., 41; 42). I would like to see this addressed in a revised paper.
Author Response
Thank you for your evaluation and for the constructive comments and suggestions. Your suggestion has been incorporated in the revised manuscript.
Specifically two entirely new subsections: "2.2. Geotourism as an emerging paradigm" and "2.3 Geoparks and international protected area management angles regarding geodiversity" have been added with 18 new references, additional discussion points and arguments. Added sections/information/references can be found from the text highlighted in yellow.
Author Response File: 
Author Response.docx
Reviewer 2 Report
The review is comprehensive and informative that highlight the missing part of tourism research. The review claimed that most research in the tourism has been focusing on biocentric and neglecting geological systems and recommends new angle for investigation.
After the implementation of UNESCO global geopark scheme since 1990s, there are more research have been done in geotourism that may also cover the impacts of tourism on geological resources. I think authors should also spend effort on reviewing relevant articles in relation to geotourism and further identify the research gaps. That would be helpful to offer more constructive comments and direction for future research.
Author Response
Thank you very much for your evaluation and constructive comments. Your recommendation has been accepted, and two entirely new subsections: "2.2. Geotourism as an emerging paradigm" and "2.3 Geoparks and international protected area management angles regarding geodiversity" have been added with 18 new references, additional discussion points and arguments.
Added sections/information/references can be found from the text highlighted in yellow.
Author Response File: Author Response.docx
Reviewer 3 Report
This is an interesting and thought provoking piece that I believe has great potential, but only with further work.
At current the point of departure is a claimed lack of research, but at a very general level (see e.g line 56 which I simply do not agree with). A much stronger approach would be simply to fully develop the ideas you have to add to the literature. Geotourism is extensively researched and theorised (see for instance the work of David Newsome, strangely absent, could be added to line 35) geodiversity is also well researched and geoheritage as a tourism attraction. But the key question you pose is how the markers of the Anthropocene could be geoheritage of tourism interest.
Well then how about engaging with those defined markers, for instance in the detailed work of Zalasiewicz et al which you cite. They go at lentgh exploring the credibility and viability of stratigraphic markers and come up with a particular conclusion. How could these markers and the one they decided upon be made visible/visitable as tourism destination?
In answering such a question, the why also becomes important. What would be the gain for the visitor and to our collective consciousness of the planetary state of emergency. Can tourists exposed to them markers of the Anthropocene be ambassadors or stewards of the geos?, the planet or ... ? How would that work? (see lines 250-252) How would you account for deep time? What ideas are there in the literature,... they exists, for instance the work of Hugh Raffles on stones and much more from the environmental humanities on for instance speculative volcanology and political geology.
The geosystem services needs to be defined. Also what earth system processes humanity has actually impacted. It is alluded to but there are a range of earth system processed that actually make for the planet we have had no impact on and arguably the Earth does not care one way or the other where things go in terms of our planetary crisis. so again what would these 'earth system' processes be, we can make sense of and we have impacted that could then resonate with tourism. That needs to be defined and the lit on geotourism is doing that.
As you can see I can read great potential for this paper as a fully developed proposal, but as it stands it add nothing but speculation from an ill construed lack.
Minor comments:
-make the figures presented speak to the text, they are not cited and simply seem to be there for decoration
- what is the Anthropocene earth system, there is a need to carefully define terms - the paper is a bit sloppy in that regard
- -line 218, claim not substantiated nor shown in text
Author Response
Thank you for your comments. The paper has been significantly modified with entirely new subsections and references. Kindly refer to the attached response sheet for detailed information on the changes.
Author Response File: Author Response.docx
Round 2
Reviewer 2 Report
The revised version is significantly improved and included those reviews of the literatures which are related to geotourism and geopark development. I have no further comments and recommend publication of this review article.
Reviewer 3 Report
Thank you for a much improved and clearer paper. The contribution and position proposed is now clear.
The paper could do with a nice once over in terms of honing the wording and style and there are some minor spelling errors present
Acknowledgements mention three reviewers, I only saw responses to my comments, I would be interested in what the other two reviewers added
