Geotourism Versus Mass Tourism Illustrative Comparison
Approach
Geotourism
Sustains geographical character of place
Mass Tourism
Popular, standardized attractions, focussed on volume
Experience
Geotourism
Authentic placed-based adventures, immersive, educational, personal
Mass Tourism
Standardized, high volume, entertainment activities
Community Impact
Geotourism
Supports local businesses with 80% of economic benefits remaining
Mass Tourism
Benefits larger corporations, less local effect with 10% of economic benefits remaining
Cultural/Community Contact
Geotourism
Deep interaction with local culture/community
Mass Tourism
Superficial contact, chain venues, resulting negative social impacts
Sustainability
Geotourism
Focus on conservation of environmental heritage and preservation of cultural heritage
Mass Tourism
Can lead to overtourism, environmental strain, hidden burden on local residents
Scale
Geotourism
Smaller groups, lower impact higher spend/yield
Mass Tourism
Large groups, intensive impact
Accommodation
Geotourism
Locally owned character accommodation
Mass Tourism
Often all-inclusive and chain properties
Food Service
Geotourism
Locally owned with locally sourced products and unique food and beverage
Mass Tourism
Often uses chains, big brands and imported foods and beverages
Planning
Geotourism
Local communities have equal involvement as the hosts alongside government, business and civil society
Mass Tourism
Often dominated by local or regional government, destination marketing orgs and marketing agencies
Discover the DEEP TIME geology of the Georgian Bay Geopark
DEEP TIME’ is the themed expression of how exploring and understanding the past helps create a better future. The unique DEEP TIME story and its eight geological chapters encourages both visitors and residents to know the past, celebrate the present and help create a more resilient future for the Bay and its many communities.
DEEP TIME Zone 1
The Huronian
Ocean
2.7 billion years
Sault Ste Marie to Serpent River
The ancient mineral-rich rocks of the North Channel record the breakup of the planet’s oldest supercontinent – and the birth of the Huronian Ocean.
DEEP TIME Zone 2
Continents
Collide
1.8 billion years
Serpent River to Killarney
The Group of Seven’s white rolling quartzite hills are the stumps of mountains formed when landmasses collided to form supercontinent Nuna
DEEP TIME Zone 3
The Ancient
Himalayas
1.3 billion years
Killarney to Honey Harbour
The waterscape of the 30,000 Islands exposes the deep crustal roots of the immense Grenville Mountains formed when North and South America collided.
DEEP TIME Zone 4
Tropical
Seas
500 million years
Manitoulin Island
Much of North America was covered by warm shallow seas, teeming with early marine life that left fossil-rich limestones on Manitoulin Island.
DEEP TIME Zone 5
The Limestone
Coast
350 million years
Tobermory to Wiarton
Within the last 2 million years, the Bruce/Saugeen peninsula was scoured by Ice Age ice sheets that cut deep valleys into the face of the Niagara Escarpment such as at Owen Sound.
DEEP TIME Zone 6
Ice Ages &
Early
Cultures
13,000 years
Collingwood to Wiarton
The raised beaches of glacial Lake Algonquin surround the coast of southern Georgian Bay like staircases and hosted the camps of caribou-hunting Paleo-Indians 11,000 years ago.
DEEP TIME Zone 7
The Meeting
Place
Last 10,000 years
Collingwood to Honey Harbour
The ancient hard rocks of the Canadian Shield meet the softer limestones of the ancient seas creating a stark contrast in landscapes, ecosystems, and a diverse cultural history unique in North America.
DEEP TIME Zone 8
Mindo Gami Great
Spirit Lake
4,000 years to today
Waters of Georgian Bay
In 1615 Samuel de Champlain called Georgian Bay ‘La Mer Douce’ (the sweet water sea). An early map also portrays it as Karegnondi, derived from ‘lake’ in the language of the Petun First Nation.