Creating a web-based 3D virtual field trip geotourism platform

Nowadays, geotourism is a more and more widely known branch of tourism. Owing to this, it is organically connected to modern science communication solutions, since one of its main goals is to protect geoscience values ​​and present them sustainably to the general public. In recent years, in the scientific community, we have been able to come across easy-to-interpret geocommunication applications, mainly at various conferences. Through these events and methods, a larger group of researchers can get in touch with geoheritage scientific results that apply the possibilities of new IT developments, field data collection, and GIS.

However, the most important is the opening effect of the various virtual opportunities that make field-based scientific visual content available to a larger audience using the Internet: spectacular and important geosites sometimes cannot be enjoyed by everyone due to various restrictions, limitations, or even distance. The 3D visualisation method in the case of geoheritage has not been used widely in Hungary yet, but some applications are available in other countries: e.g. in some Spanish (Martínez-Graña et al., 2019) and Greek (Papadopoulou et al., 2022) areas and geoparks, there are already communication and educational platforms working on this basis.

To introduce this practice in Hungary, a 3D-based, freely available web platform was created using an open-source mapping software about the most important geosites of the Balaton Uplands (which have already been selected based on a geosite evaluation - Pál & Albert, 2021). The basis of the models is the toolbox of UAV photogrammetry, which I used during my work to generate the data. The drone survey of the 6 designated geosites took place over several field days. The compiled models – based on the photos taken in the field – were then uploaded to a web environment. Visitors can access the web interface from anywhere without any temporal and physical restrictions. With the help of additional interactive scientific descriptive materials, we can more easily communicate the scientific information that can be connected to the presented geosite. Planning future tourism activities, looking through the geoscientific wonders of the Balaton Uplands and effective science interpretation are the most important designated aims. This way, this digital form of communication can become more widely known in Hungary as well, and the concept of protecting geoheritage could reach the general public. Hopefully, this application may generate more visitor numbers for the presented geosites too.

Martínez-Graña, A., Goy, J., González-Delgado, J., Cruz, R., Sanz, J., Cimarra, C., & de Bustamante, I. (2018). 3D Virtual Itinerary in the Geological Heritage from Natural Areas in Salamanca-Ávila-Cáceres, Spain. Sustainability, 11(1), 144. MDPI AG. DOI: 10.3390/su11010144.

Pál, M. & Albert, G. (2021). Examining the Spatial Variability of Geosite Assessment and Its Relevance in Geosite Management. Geoheritage 13(8). DOI: 10.1007/s12371-020-00528-6.

Papadopoulou, E. E., Papakonstantinou, A., Vasilakos, C., Zouros, N., Tataris, G., Proestakis, S. & Soulakellis, N. (2022). Scale issues for geoheritage 3D mapping: The case of Lesvos Geopark, Greece. International Journal of Geoheritage and Parks, 10(3). DOI: 10.1016/j.ijgeop.2022.08.006.