FY2022 1st Izu Peninsula Geopark Visitor Centers Information Exchange Meeting

2022.06.10

Izu Peninsula Geopark and Tourism Bureau (Chairperson: Takeshi Toyooka) held the first information exchange meeting of the Izu Peninsula Geopark Visitor Centers.

With the aim of coordinating and operating all the visitor centers (corners) of the Izu Peninsula Geoparks set up in the 15 cities and towns of the Izu Peninsula in a more cohesive manner, this event was held to make discussion between the staffs of the visitor centers and administrative officials of each city and town.
On January 25th, we were planning to hold a similar event, but due to the re-expansion of the COVID-19, we were forced to cancel it again.
This year, with some participants involved in the Geopark Visitor Centers for the first time, we conducted a tour of the Geopark museum "Georia," and a workshop for reporting the activities of each visitor center, and discussing "how to raise awareness of the Izu Peninsula Geopark".

Some visitor centers have guide stations besides information desks, while others are unattended and open to the public with only exhibitions. One of the roles of each visitor center is to encourage visitors to tour Izu starting from there. The consistency in terms of facilities and functions among the centres is to be pursued.
At the workshop, the participants expressed the following proposals.
・Let the mayor and city council deepen their understanding of the geopark, and ask them to provide the related budgets.
・Edit common PR materials
・Authorize “ Geopark Ambassadors”
・Deliver lectures and guided tours for local residents.
・Hold events such as outdoor activities like rogaining competitions that utilize natural resources.
・Promote geo-education and geo-certification exams in elementary and junior high schools.
・Create immersive images using 3D and 4D.
・Creating a Geo-calendar.
(Other opinions are summarized on the attached sheet.)

We plan to continue this information exchange meeting on a regular basis, and from the next time onwards, we plan to use each visitor center as a venue and strengthen mutual cooperation while maintaining a common awareness.