Tourism Geography

Regional tourism geographies; Europe

https://www.unwto.org/tourism-data/global-and-regional-tourism-performance
Tourism in Europe
Historically, international tourism has been dominated by Europe, both
as a receiving and as a generating region.
• an established early tradition in domestic tourism that
converts quite readily into international travel
• a mature and developed pattern of tourism infrastructure
• a wealth of tourist attractions
• a large industrial population that is both relatively affluent
and mobile and thus an active market for international
travel
• a range of climatic zones that favour both summer and
winter tourism
• many different countries that have peacefully co-existed in
a concentrated area since the end of the Second World War
Tourism in
Europe –
natural
factors
Tourism in
Europe –
natural factors
Tourism in Europe –
natural factors
Tourism in Europe – natural factors
• The first tour programs for rural tourism started with the return to nature in 19th
century England. Later, rural tourism spread to the industrialized countries of
Europe.
• Research shows that 23% of European travellers choose rural destinations.
Tourism in Europe – natural factors
• The seas and oceans surrounding the European continent and the rivers and lakes on the
continent have an important place in tourism for coastal tourism, sea tourism, river
tourism and nature tourism.
• It has become a general trend to go south to the Mediterranean basin for a sun-sea-sand
holiday in Europe.
• France, Spain and Italy are among the countries that receive the most tourists in the
world.
• The important mountain ranges of Europe are the Pyrenees, the Alps and the
Carpathians.
• Alps have suitable conditions for those who seek coolness in the summer and those who
want to ski in the winter.
Tourism in
Europe –
natural
factors and
the
seasonality
problem

https://www.
unwto.org/to
urism-
data/global-
and-regional-
tourism-
performance
UNESCO World Heritage List – Some of
natural sites
France
• Gulf of Porto: Calanche of Piana, Gulf of Girolata, Scandola Reserve
• Ancient and Primeval Beech Forests of the Carpathians and Other Regions of Europe
• Lagoons of New Caledonia: Reef Diversity and Associated Ecosystems
• Pitons, cirques and remparts of Reunion Island
• Chaîne des Puys - Limagne fault tectonic arena
• French Austral Lands and Seas
Germany
• Messel Pit Fossil Site
• Ancient and Primeval Beech Forests of the Carpathians and Other Regions of Europe
• Wadden Sea
UNESCO World Heritage List – Some of
natural sites
Italy
• Isole Eolie (Aeolian Islands)
• Monte San Giorgio *
• Ancient and Primeval Beech Forests of the Carpathians and Other Regions of Europe *
• The Dolomites
• Mount Etna
Spain
• Garajonay National Park
• Doñana National Park
• Ancient and Primeval Beech Forests of the Carpathians and Other Regions of Europe *
• Teide National Park
UNESCO World Heritage List – Some of
natural sites
Switzerland
• Swiss Alps Jungfrau-Aletsch
• Monte San Giorgio *
• Ancient and Primeval Beech Forests of the Carpathians and Other Regions of
Europe *
• Swiss Tectonic Arena Sardona
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
• Giant's Causeway and Causeway Coast
• Henderson Island
• Gough and Inaccessible Islands
• Dorset and East Devon Coast
UNESCO World Heritage List – Some of
natural sites
Russian Federation Some examples are
• Virgin Komi Forests presented.
• Lake Baikal A total of 49 natural
• Volcanoes of Kamchatka 3 heritage sites are listed in
• Golden Mountains of Altai Europe.
• Western Caucasus https://whc.unesco.org/e
• Central Sikhote-Alin n/list/?search=&id_searc
• Uvs Nuur Basin * h_region=1&type=natural
&order=country
• Natural System of Wrangel Island Reserve
• Putorana Plateau
• Lena Pillars Nature Park
• Landscapes of Dauria *
Tourism in Europe – cultural factors
• As cultural factors affecting tourism in Europe; to traditional architecture works,
religious motifs, settlement, land use, dressing style, handicrafts, food, shopping
opportunities, music, festivals, folklore, theater, exhibitions, fine arts can be
counted.
• Some of the top tourist destinations in major cities include Disneyland and Park
Asterix in Paris, Warner Bros Studios in Spain, and Legoland in Port Aventura,
England.
• European countries are home to many cultures and heritages.
Tourism in Europe – cultural factors
• Artifacts from the prehistoric (stone, bronze and iron age) period in Europe are found in
Britain, Minorca and the Maltese Islands.
• Ancient structures (such as bridges, aqueducts, temples, baths, arenas) of the Roman
Civilization, which are among the works belonging to the Ancient Greek-Roman period,
spread over a wide geography from the Don Valley to the Sahara Desert.
• Monasteries and churches, which are works of medieval Roman architecture, are
widespread in Istanbul, the Eastern Mediterranean, Eastern Europe and Russia in the
Byzantine style.
• There are original Gothic architectural works made during the crusades (12th century) of
the Catholic Church in northern France.
Tourism in Europe – cultural factors
• Starting from the 15th century, the Renaissance-Baroque style, inspired by the
ancient Greek and Roman periods, left its mark on the works in Italy and the
countries around.
• After the industrial revolution in the 17th century, structures and settlements
began to change rapidly.
• The building technology reached in the 19th and 20th centuries, put an end to
the collective periodical architectural appearance in history, individualized the
buildings and caused them to gain a different identity.
Tourism in Europe – cultural factors
Cultural tourism is extremely important for European countries;

• It ensures that the natural and cultural heritage and traditions unique to the
region are used as a source of cultural tourism.
• Those who participate in cultural tourism provide high added value for the
region due to their high purchasing power.
• It prevents overuse of tourism resources by creating demand diversity.
• It creates new job opportunities.
• It provides additional contributions to traditional tourism activities.
UNESCO World Heritage List – Some of
cultural sites
France
• Palace and Park of Versailles
• Prehistoric Sites and Decorated Caves of the Vézère
Valley
• Chartres Cathedral
• Cathedral of Notre-Dame, Former Abbey of Saint-
Rémi and Palace of Tau, Reims
• Paris, Banks of the Seine
• Historic Site of Lyon
• Roman Theatre and its Surroundings and the
"Triumphal Arch" of Orange
UNESCO World Heritage List – Some of
cultural sites
Greece
• Temple of Apollo Epicurius at Bassae
• Acropolis, Athens
• Archaeological Site of Delphi
• Medieval City of Rhodes
• Paleochristian and Byzantine Monuments of
Thessalonika
• Sanctuary of Asklepios at Epidaurus
• Archaeological Site of Mystras
• Archaeological Site of Olympia
UNESCO World Heritage List – Some of
cultural sites
Italy
• Rock Drawings in Valcamonica
• Church and Dominican Convent of Santa Maria delle
Grazie with “The Last Supper” by Leonardo da Vinci
• Historic Centre of Rome, the Properties of the Holy
See in that City Enjoying Extraterritorial Rights and
San Paolo Fuori le Mura
• Historic Centre of Florence
• Piazza del Duomo, Pisa
• Venice and its Lagoon
• Archaeological Areas of Pompei, Herculaneum and
Torre Annunziata
UNESCO World Heritage List – Some of
cultural sites
Spain
• Alhambra, Generalife and Albayzín, Granada
• Burgos Cathedral
• Historic Centre of Cordoba
• Monastery and Site of the Escurial, Madrid
• Works of Antoni Gaudí
• Cave of Altamira and Paleolithic Cave Art of Northern
Spain
• Cathedral, Alcázar and Archivo de Indias in Seville
• La Lonja de la Seda de Valencia A total of 463 cultural heritage sites are
listed in Europe.
https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/?search=
&id_search_region=1&type=cultural&or
der=country
UNESCO World Heritage List – Some of
intangible cultural heritage
• France – Artisanal know-how and culture of baguette bread
• Beekeeping in Slovenia, a way of life
• Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania - Baltic song and dance celebrations
• Spain – Flamenco
• Romania – Craftsmanship of Horezu ceramics
• Belgium – Shrimp fishing on horseback in Oostduinkerke

276 elements are listed in Europe.

https://ich.unesco.org/en/lists?region[]=05&m
ultinational=3&display1=inscriptionID#tabs
Geographical spread of tourism in Europe
• Western Europe: France, United Kingdom, Ireland, Netherlands, Belgium,
Luxembourg and Iceland
• Central Europe: Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Liechtenstein, Hungary, the Czech
Republic and the Slovak Republic
• Northern Europe: (Scandinavia and the Baltic countries) Norway, Sweden,
Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania
• Eastern Europe: Russian Federation, Romania, Poland, Belarus, Moldova and
Ukraine
• Southern Europe: Italy, Spain, France, Portugal and Andorra, Malta, Monaco
Geographical spread of tourism in Europe
Western Europe • Wide plains and plateaus are common in Western Europe,
with the exception of the Alps in France and the mountains
in Scotland.
• In these countries, all seasons except the Mediterranean
part of France have a rainy oceanic climate. The warm water
current, which is part of the North Atlantic Current and
called the Gulf Stream, starts from the Gulf of Mexico and
continues to the north of England, causing mild winters on
the western coasts of Europe.
• Western European countries are among the industrially
developed rich countries of Europe.
• In these countries where population growth is low, most of
the people live in cities and the per capita income is quite
high.
• The rate of participation in tourism in high-GDP countries is
also high.
Western Europe
• The Benelux countries, consisting of Belgium, Luxembourg and the Netherlands,
are among the countries that send the most tourists in Europe.
• In the tourism of Western Europe; France is the most striking country with the
number of tourists and tourism revenues. France attracts tourists every season
with its geographical features and cultural diversity.
• Mont Blanc, on the border with Italy, is the peak of Europe with an altitude of
4807 m. 80% of the ski slopes in France are located in this area alone.
• The cities of Cannes and Monte Carlo (Monaco) in the Cote d'Azur resort area
stand out with their luxury hotels, nightlife and casinos.
 • The countries located in the region extending to the Danube
Central Europe lengths in the middle of the North Sea and Europe constitute the
Central European countries.
• The Swiss and Austrian Alps are the world's leading skiing centers.
• Germany, Switzerland and Austria are developed countries with
high per capita income, purchasing power and living standards.
• Switzerland is the world's leading financial centre. It hosts
important international political, economic and scientific meetings.
• Germany attracts tourists every season of the year with the variety
of regions to visit, festivals, special events and cultural activities.
• Hungary and the Czech and Slovak Republics were previously part
of the Eastern Bloc. These countries adopted a policy of opening up
with the dissolution of the Soviet Union and the abolition of the
Warsaw Pact.
Northern Europe: Scandinavia and the Baltic countries
• The common feature of these countries is that the summer seasons
are cool and short due to their location at high latitudes.
• U-shaped fjords formed by glacial erosion on the coasts of Sweden,
Norway, Finland and Denmark and glacial lakes (cirques) in the interior
are important geographical formations. The region has a great
potential for nature tourism.
• Northern European countries are home to numerous national parks.
• In the north of the Atlantic Ocean, Greenland, which is mostly covered
with glaciers, and the Faeroe Islands, which consists of 28 islands, are
the other countries of Denmark.
• Finland is also called "the land of thousands of lakes" because it has
tens of thousands of lakes.
• Aurora, also known as northern lights, is an important natural
phenomenon for tourism. Sunny and nightless summers also attract
tourists.
Eastern Europe
• Eastern European countries, where continental climate
prevails, send tourists especially to countries on the
Mediterranean coast with attractive climates.
• Poland has more lakes than any other European country
except Finland. The capital, Warsaw, was badly damaged in
World War II and was rebuilt and restored. The historical
center of the city is on the World Heritage List.
• Bulgaria and Romania are among the Eastern European
countries that can offer sun-sea-sand holidays.
• Moscow and Saint Petersburg are important centers of the
Russian Federation for cultural tourism. The country has
many opportunities for winter tourism.
Southern Europe
• Spain is the leading country in tourism in Southern Europe. Tourism regions of Spain can be
examined in three parts as coasts, inland parts and islands.
• Italy, the last stop of the Grand Tour, is an important destination that has hosted tourists for
many years. It has many different tourism attractions from its coasts to winter sports centers
and historical cities. Most of the tourists come from neighboring countries. Visitors from
Switzerland, Germany, France and Austria make up close to 70% of all tourists.
• Portugal also draws attention with its historical and natural beauties. Lisbon, Porto and Algarve
are among the places preferred by foreign tourists.
The development of tourist places: a conceptual perspective

Butler’s (1980) Tourism Area Life Cycle (TALC)

Overtourism in European destinations
How to achieve rejuvenation
• Diversification (f.e. cultural tourism)
• To strengh the primary product
• Developing secondary products
• Attention to the rest of the region: cultural and natural visits

Rejuvenation is a never ending exercise

 Tourism Geography

Regional tourism geographies; ; the Middle East and Africa

Tourism
in Africa

https://www.unwto.org/tourism-data/global-and-regional-tourism-performance
Tourism
in
Middle
East

https://www.unwto.org/tourism-data/global-and-regional-tourism-performance
 Tourism in
Africa and
Middle East
• Geographical proximity to European
countries
• Cultural distance
• Crises (economic downturns,
oil/energy issues, political issues,
health issues and natural disasters)
• Growth in visitor numbers
natural factors –
climate zones
natural factors –
vegetation zones
natural factors
– rivers
natural factors – fauna
 historic
overlook
Tourism in Africa
• The biodiversity of Africa is emerging as a great
value in the tourism development of the continent.
Deserts and savannas covered with a rich natural
vegetation is home to unique wildlife.
• Africa has many touristic attractions such as
equatorial forests, savannas and endemic animals
such as gorilla, giraffe and hippopotamus.
• The continent has a competitive position in
ecotourism.
Tourism in Africa
• There is a high number of different ethnic groups
live in African continent. Their art, traditions, living
styles, languages, and religion are rich as a source
for intangible cultural heritage.
• Mesopotamia and Northern Africa hosted many
ancient civilizations. Pyramids can only be seen in
Africa. The Valley of the Kings and statues of
pharaohs are great attractions in Egypt.
 North Africa • Tourism is an important economic sector for North African
countries.
• Factors such as staying close to Europe politically and
cooperating since the colonial period, especially with France,
have been influential in the development of tourism.
• Communication is possible in European languages.
• Although North African countries are among the
Mediterranean destinations, their share of the tourism
market is very low.
• In general, North African countries receive one-third of
African tourism revenues.
• The region has been the cradle of many civilizations
Filling nearly all of northern Africa,
throughout history. Romans, Arabs and Ottomans ruled this
Sahara has a total area of
region for a long time and left many historical monuments.
8,600,000 square km.
 • The landscapes of Central Africa are most often wide plateaus,
Central Africa which are smooth in the central part and etched at the periphery.
• Central Africa is characterized by hot and wet climates on both
sides of the Equator. The mean annual temperatures in the region
vary from 25 to 28 °C, and monthly means vary only a few degrees
throughout the year.
• Equatorial Central Africa is covered by an evergreen forest. The
rainforest is surrounded by a patchwork of savannas and other
forests.
• Central Africa’s most famous national park, Virunga National Park in
Congo (Kinshasa), is home to elephants, lions, hippopotamuses,
warthogs, forest hogs, okapis, and mountain gorillas on the volcano
slopes.
• Despite the great potential, the region cannot attract many visitors
because of conflicts and civil wars.
 • Southernmost region of the African continent, comprising the
Southern Africa countries of Angola, Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique,
Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.
• The interior of Southern Africa consists of a series of plateaus.
• Southern Zimbabwe and much of South Africa are within a
region of scrublands and grasslands.
• In Namibia, the coastal margin includes the extremely dry Namib
desert, which, in the south, merges eastward into the great
sandy expanse of the Kalahari.
• Southern African climates are seasonal, ranging from arid to
semiarid and from temperate to tropical.
• Four main types of vegetation are found: savanna woodlands
(known as miombo forest) in the north, a series of dry
woodlands to the south of these, arid and semiarid grassland,
scrubland, and bushland in the Namib and Kalahari deserts and
their environs, and Mediterranean vegetation along the southern
coast.
 • The lands around the southern and eastern shores of the
Middle East Mediterranean Sea, encompassing at least the Arabian Peninsula
and, by some definitions, Iran, North Africa, and sometimes beyond.
• The term came into widespread usage as a replacement of the term
Near East (as opposed to the Far East) beginning in the early 20th
century. Use of the term Middle East nonetheless remains unsettled,
and some agencies (notably the United States State Department and
certain bodies of the United Nations) still employ the term Near
East.
• The Middle East generally has a hot, arid climate.
• Countries with significant oil and natural gas reserves have a high
level of prosperity and are also tourist-sending countries.
• Nile Delta in Egypt, the Tigris and Euphrates watersheds of
Mesopotamia, and the basin of the Jordan are collectively known as
the Fertile Crescent, and comprise the core of the cradle of
civilization.
• In the region, Saudi Arabia stands out with its pilgrimage tourism.
UNESCO World Heritage List –
Some of natural sites
W-Arly-Pendjari Complex (Niger, Benin, Burkina
Faso)
cover a major expanse of intact Sudano-Sahelian
savannah, with vegetation types including grasslands,
shrub lands, wooded savannah and extensive gallery
forests. The property is a refuge for wildlife species that
have disappeared elsewhere in West Africa or are
highly threatened. It is home to the largest population
of elephants in West Africa and most of the large
mammals typical of the region, such as the African
Manatee, cheetah, lion and leopard. It also harbours
the only viable population of lions in the region.
UNESCO World Heritage List – Some of natural sites
Sangha Trinational (Congo, Cameroon, Central African
Republic)
encompasses three contiguous national parks totalling around
750,000 ha. Much of the site is unaffected by human activity and
features a wide range of humid tropical forest ecosystems with
rich flora and fauna, including Nile crocodiles and goliath
tigerfish, a large predator. Forest clearings support herbaceous
species and Sangha is home to considerable populations of forest
elephants, critically endangered western lowland gorilla, and
endangered chimpanzee. The site’s environment has preserved
the continuation of ecological and evolutionary processes on a
huge scale and great biodiversity, including many endangered
animal species.
UNESCO World Heritage List – Some of natural sites

Air and Ténéré Natural Reserves (Niger)

This is the largest protected area in Africa, covering
some 7.7 million ha, though the area considered a
protected sanctuary constitutes only one-sixth of the
total area. It includes the volcanic rock mass of the Aïr,
a small Sahelian pocket, isolated as regards its climate
and flora and fauna, and situated in the Saharan desert
of Ténéré. The reserves boast an outstanding variety of
landscapes, plant species and wild animals.
UNESCO World Heritage List –
Some of natural sites
Kilimanjaro National Park (United Republic of
Tanzania)
At 5,895 m, Kilimanjaro is the highest point in
Africa. This volcanic massif stands in splendid
isolation above the surrounding plains, with its
snowy peak looming over the savannah. The
mountain is encircled by mountain forest.
Numerous mammals, many of them endangered
species, live in the park.
UNESCO World Heritage List – Some of natural sites
Wadi Al-Hitan (Whale Valley) (Egypt)
in the Western Desert of Egypt, contains
invaluable fossil remains of the earliest, and now
extinct, suborder of whales, Archaeoceti. These
fossils represent one of the major stories of
evolution: the emergence of the whale as an
ocean-going mammal from a previous life as a
land-based animal. This is the most important
site in the world for the demonstration of this
stage of evolution. It portrays vividly the form
and life of these whales during their transition.
UNESCO World Heritage List - natural sites

• 42 natural sites listed in Africa.

• 12 of these sites in Africa inscribed
on the List of World Heritage in
Danger
• 6 properties listed as Arab states, in
addition.
UNESCO World Heritage List – Some of cultural sites
Memphis and its Necropolis – the Pyramid Fields
from Giza to Dahshur (Egypt)
Memphis is located in the center of the floodplain of the
western side of the Nile. Its fame comes from its being the
first Capital of Ancient Egypt. The site contains many
archaeological remains, reflecting what life was like in the
ancient Egyptian city, has some extraordinary funerary
monuments, including rock tombs, ornate mastabas,
temples and pyramids. In ancient times, the site was
considered one of the Seven Wonders of the World.
UNESCO World Heritage List – Some of cultural sites
Site of Palmyra (Syrian Arab Republic)
An oasis in the Syrian desert, north-east of
Damascus, Palmyra contains the monumental ruins
of a great city that was one of the most important
cultural centres of the ancient world. From the 1st to
the 2nd century, the art and architecture of Palmyra,
standing at the crossroads of several civilizations,
married Graeco-Roman techniques with local
traditions and Persian influences.
UNESCO World Heritage List – Some of cultural sites
Birthplace of Jesus: Church of the Nativity
and the Pilgrimage Route, Bethlehem
(Palestine)
Bethlehem lies 10 kilometres south of the city of
Jerusalem, in the fertile limestone hill country of the
Holy Land. Since at least the 2nd century AD people
have believed that the place where the Church of
the Nativity, Bethlehem, now stands is where Jesus
was born. One particular cave, over which the first
Church was built, is traditionally believed to be the
Birthplace itself. In locating the Nativity, the place
both marks the beginnings of Christianity and is one
of the holiest spots in Christendom.
UNESCO World Heritage List – Some of cultural sites
Petra (Jordan)
Inhabited since prehistoric times, this
Nabataean caravan-city, situated between the
Red Sea and the Dead Sea, was an important
crossroads between Arabia, Egypt and Syria-
Phoenicia. Petra is half-built, half-carved into
the rock, and is surrounded by mountains
riddled with passages and gorges. It is one of
the world's most famous archaeological sites,
where ancient Eastern traditions blend with
Hellenistic architecture.
UNESCO World Heritage List –cultural sites

• 140 cultural properties listed in

Africa and Arab States.
• The region also has 8 mixed
properties.
• 151 elements in 81 countries listed
in intangible cultural heritage list.
Tourism Geography

Regional tourism geographies; Americas

https://www.unwto.org/tourism-data/global-and-regional-tourism-performance
Tourism in Americas
Statistics show that both tourist sending
and receiving countries are in the Americas.

• The USA ranks first in domestic tourism revenues. It is

also one of the leading countries in international
tourism revenues.
• The USA and Canada also have an important place
among the countries sending tourists.
• The continent is home to a variety of cultures.
• It has a high number of natural and cultural attractions.
• For the Americas, intra-regional tourism comes first
(75% on average). This is followed by European and
Asian Pacific countries.
• The tourism sector continues to grow in the countries
of the region.
Tourism in the
Americas –
natural factors
Tourism in
the
Americas –
natural
factors
Tourism in the Americas – natural factors
Tourism in the Americas – natural factors
Tourism in the Americas
• The American continent stretches from the north pole to the south pole with
Cape Horn in the southern hemisphere.
• South America has hot and humid Equatorial and Tropical climate characteristics.
The population decreases in the tropical rainforest region and inland plains, and
gathers in the inner plateaus within the temperate climate zones.
• North America, third largest of the world’s continents, lying for the most part
between the Arctic Circle and the Tropic of Cancer and the greater part of North
America falls within the temperate zone. The population mostly resides in the
east and northeast, especially in urban settlements.
• Astek, Inca and Maya civilizations were settled in the south, and Indian tribes in
the north.
Tourism in the Americas
• North America is divided into two parts as “Anglo-America” and “Latin America”
in terms of physical, human and economic geography characteristics. This region,
which is in in North America, is also called Central America.
• Central America consists of a narrow strip of land connecting North and South
America, with most of the land being mountainous.
• Two countries in North America; The United States of America (USA) and Canada
are economically developed and the leading countries of the world. Countries
further south, including Mexico, and those in the neighboring Caribbean are
developing countries at different stages of the development process.
• Participation rates in tourism are also increasing in developped countries such as
the USA and Canada, where per capita income is high.
Tourism in the Americas
• The region with the largest national parks among the world's tourism regions is
North America.
• Its natural beauties, lakes, waterfalls, vegetation and wildlife are among the most
attractive features of the continent's tourism.
• the Caribbean; It has attractive features with its islands, climate, beaches, coral
reefs, diving and water sports.
• South America; It draws attention in tourism with its natural beauties such as
lakes, waterfalls, savannas, rain forests (Amazon), deserts, different landforms
(cliffs, rias) on its shores and countries with different cultural characteristics.
Tourism in the Americas
• Theme parks and amusement centers are among the
important tourism attractions in America. Parks attract
millions of people every year.
• Developed city centers offer opportunities for tourism
activities such as business trips, city tourism, congresses,
sports and art events.
• The Americas attract a large number of visitors with the
events. For example, the Rio Carnival, held in Rio de Janeiro,
Brazil, is the world's most famous festival and largest
carnival.
 • According to World Tourism Organization, North America countries
North America are USA, Canada and Mexico.
• Being a New World continent, historical buildings are very few in
the continent. However, there are many natural areas worth
seeing for tourists, such as national parks, mountains, lakes,
streams, canyons and valleys.
• The most suitable areas for sea tourism on the continent is the
coast of the Gulf of Mexico due to its hot and arid climate
characteristics and smooth waters compared to the ocean coasts.
• Mexico is rich in tradition and culture, having hosted ancient
civilizations such as the Mayans, Aztecs and Olmecs.
• Art galleries, museums and theaters have an important place in
the cultural life of big cities in the USA and Canada.
• There are many theme parks on the continent that attract the
attention of tourists.
 • The Caribbean consists of the Caribbean Sea, the islands and island
the Caribbean countries in this sea. The Caribbean Sea is also called the Antilles Sea.
This is a sea located southeast of the Gulf of Mexico and an extension
of the Atlantic Ocean.
• The Caribbean Sea, which gained great economic importance after the
Panama Canal was opened, is on an important trade route between
the Atlantic Ocean and the Pacific Ocean.
• The most attractive features of the islands for tourists; climate and
coastal-related resources. Beach tourism, fishing, diving and water
sports, boat and cruise are the most preferred activities of tourists.
• The language, architectural style, political organization of each island
reflects a result of its colonial past.
• Tourism has an important place in the economy of island countries.
The region is mostly preferred by American tourists.
• Socialist government was established in Cuba with the revolution in
1959.
Central • Central America includes Belize, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras,
Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Panama.
America
• It’s location stretching from the Rocky Mountains to the Andes,
forming a bridge between North and South America.
• Central America, which is geographically in North America, is also
seen as a part of South America, starting from Mexico, with the
influence of Latin culture.
• In the east, the Caribbean Sea coast has a warm tropical climate,
tropical rainforests and long coral reefs.
• The ancient Mayan Empire was founded in the lands of what is now
known as Belize, Guatemala, and Honduras between 300-800 AD
and spread to the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico. That is why many
magnificent temples, stepped pyramids and other buildings still
stand.
 • High mountains, moist forests and warm plains are seen in the north
South America of the continent, while the south is in the form of a narrow cone. To
the west of this cone is an arid desert (the Atacama Desert in
northern Chile), and to the south is giant glaciers.
• Tourism is seen as an important opportunity for the South American
Continent, where social and economic inequalities are experienced.
• In South America, which has a large surface area; It is possible to see
different geographical features such as lakes, streams, savannas, rain
forests and deserts together.
• The Andes Mountains constitute the most defining physical feature of
the western part of South America.
• The world's richest plant and animal diversity and rare natural
wonders in the world are in the region of the Amazon Basin and the
Andes Mountains.
• Culturally, its museums, historical colonial settlements and Inca ruins,
such as Peru's Machu Picchu Ancient City, attract the attention of
tourists.
UNESCO World Heritage List –
Some of natural sites
Dinosaur Provincial Park (Canada)
In addition to its particularly beautiful scenery,
Dinosaur Provincial Park – located at the heart of
the province of Alberta – contains some of the
most important fossil discoveries ever made from
the 'Age of Reptiles', in particular about 35 species
of dinosaur, dating back some 75 million years.
UNESCO World Heritage List – Some of natural sites
Grand Canyon National Park (USA)
Carved out by the Colorado River, the Grand Canyon
(nearly 1,500 m deep) is the most spectacular gorge in
the world. Located in the state of Arizona, it cuts across
the Grand Canyon National Park. Its horizontal strata
retrace the geological history of the past 2 billion years.
There are also prehistoric traces of human adaptation
to a particularly harsh environment.
UNESCO World Heritage List – Some of natural sites
Galápagos Islands (Ecuador)
Situated in the Pacific Ocean some 1,000 km from the South
American continent, these 19 islands and the surrounding
marine reserve have been called a unique ‘living museum
and showcase of evolution’. Located at the confluence of
three ocean currents, the Galápagos are a ‘melting pot’ of
marine species. Ongoing seismic and volcanic activity reflects
the processes that formed the islands. These processes,
together with the extreme isolation of the islands, led to the
development of unusual animal life – such as the land
iguana, the giant tortoise and the many types of finch – that
inspired Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution by natural
selection following his visit in 1835.
UNESCO World Heritage List – Some of natural sites

Central Amazon Conservation Complex (Brazil)

makes up the largest protected area in the Amazon
Basin and is one of the planet’s richest regions in
terms of biodiversity. It also includes an important
sample of ecosystems, igapó forests, lakes and
channels which take the form of a constantly
evolving aquatic mosaic that is home to the largest
array of electric fish in the world. The site protects
key threatened species, including giant arapaima
fish, the Amazonian manatee, the black caiman and
two species of river dolphin.
UNESCO World Heritage List – Some of natural sites
Iguazu National Park (Argentina)
The semicircular waterfall at the heart of this site
is some 80 m high and 2,700 m in diameter and is
situated on the border between Argentina and
Brazil. Made up of many cascades producing vast
sprays of water, it is one of the most spectacular
waterfalls in the world. The surrounding
subtropical rainforest has over 2,000 species of
plants and is home to the typical wildlife of the
region: tapirs, giant anteaters, howler monkeys,
ocelots, jaguars and caymans.
UNESCO World Heritage List – natural sites

• A total of 61 natural areas are listed in the Americas.

• Of these, 23 are located in the United States and Canada.
 UNESCO World Heritage List – Some of cultural sites
Independence Hall (USA)
The Declaration of Independence (1776) and the
Constitution of the United States (1787) were both
signed in this building in Philadelphia. The universal
principles of freedom and democracy set forth in
these documents are of fundamental importance to
American history and have also had a profound
impact on law-makers around the world.
 UNESCO World Heritage List – Some of cultural sites
Statue of Liberty (USA)
Made in Paris by the French sculptor Bartholdi, in
collaboration with Gustave Eiffel (who was
responsible for the steel framework), this towering
monument to liberty was a gift from France on the
centenary of American independence. Inaugurated
in 1886, the sculpture stands at the entrance to New
York Harbour and has welcomed millions of
immigrants to the United States ever since.
 UNESCO World Heritage List – Some of cultural sites
Old Havana and its Fortification System
(Cuba)
Havana was founded in 1519 by the Spanish. By the
17th century, it had become one of the Caribbean's
main centres for ship-building. Although it is today a
sprawling metropolis of 2 million inhabitants, its old
centre retains an interesting mix of Baroque and
neoclassical monuments, and a homogeneous
ensemble of private houses with arcades, balconies,
wrought-iron gates and internal courtyards.
 UNESCO World Heritage List – Some of cultural sites
Pre-Hispanic City of Chichen-Itza (Mexico)
This sacred site was one of the greatest Mayan
centres of the Yucatán peninsula. Throughout its
nearly 1,000-year history, different peoples have
left their mark on the city. The Maya and Toltec
vision of the world and the universe is revealed in
their stone monuments and artistic works. The
fusion of Mayan construction techniques with new
elements from central Mexico make Chichen-Itza
one of the most important examples of the Mayan-
Toltec civilization in Yucatán. Several buildings have
survived, such as the Warriors’ Temple, El Castillo
and the circular observatory known as El Caracol.
 UNESCO World Heritage List – Some of mixed sites
Historic Sanctuary of Machu Picchu (Peru)
Machu Picchu stands 2,430 m above sea-level, in
the middle of a tropical mountain forest, in an
extraordinarily beautiful setting. It was probably the
most amazing urban creation of the Inca Empire at
its height; its giant walls, terraces and ramps seem
as if they have been cut naturally in the continuous
rock escarpments. The natural setting, on the
eastern slopes of the Andes, encompasses the
upper Amazon basin with its rich diversity of flora
and fauna.
UNESCO World Heritage List

• A total of 126 cultural sites are listed in

the Americas. 22 of these are found in
the United States and Canada.
• There are 10 mixed heritage sites on the
continent.
• All of 99 intangible cultural heritage
elements are listed in Latin American
countries and the Caribbean.