EXPLORING THE POTENTIAL FOR SPELEOTOURISM DEVELOPMENT IN GREECE promotion and development of tourism in areas of geological interest. A first attempt at determining geotourism as “geological tourism” was made by Hose (1995), who identified it as a form of tourism that focuses on geology and landscape. It promotes tourism in geotopes (volcanoes, caves, canyons, fossil sites, major geological faults, ancient, historical and some inactive mines and quarries, geoforms and landscapes created by nature during geological ages) and strives to keep geodiversity and understand earth science through learning and assessment. This is achieved through visits to areas with geological characteristics, the use of the geotopes’ geo – routes and points of pleasure, with tours, geo activities and management of geotopes’ visitors’ centers (Dowling & Newsome, 2006). Dowling (2013) points that the term “geological” views geotourism as a type or form of tourism, while the term “geographical” views it more as an approach to tourism, like sustainable tourism. According to National Geographic (2005), geotourism is the tourism that preserves or enhances the geographical character of a place and its environment, culture, aesthetics, heritage and the well-being of its residents. Geotourism nowadays helps travelers enhance their knowledge of natural resources and the cultural identity of host societies (Farsani, Coelho & Costa, 2011). Individuals traveling individually or in groups and visiting natural areas or areas where there is a geological attraction are considered Geotourists. Geotourism was also studied to identify the characteristics of tourists visiting mining sites as cultural resources, but also the industrial heritage as a tourist resource (Ballesteros & Ramirez, 2007; Chon & Evans, 1989; Edwards & Liurdes, 1996; Wanhill, 2000). The concept of geotourism includes visiting caves, as leisure, discovering wonders of nature and learning, all being referred to as speleotourism (from the Greek word σπήλαιον=cave) or cave tourism. Every natural underground cavity, large or small, horizontal or vertical, opened by various causes (mainly by the effect of water) that communicate with the surface is characterized as a cave (Πετροχείλου, 2006). Since natural caves have, by nature, inherent beauty and intense mystery, particularly as regards the way they were created, they are considered potential tourist resources. Thus, the governing bodies in areas where there are natural caves with geomorphological features, show great interest in exploiting and preserving them, targeting at attracting more visitors in the future. The tourist resources of speleotourism are based on scientific, aesthetic and cultural values as well as recreational values (Tongkul, 2005). The scientific value
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