Economic and Social Impact of the UNESCO Global Geopark Thüringen Inselsberg-Drei Gleichen and its related projects on the regional development

The UNESCO Global Geoparks were established in 2015 and developed alongside a corresponding increase in the demand for geotourism. The UGGps are also developing their own strategies to enhance environmental education and to actively improve the economic and social conditions of the regions where they are located. Despite this, the lack of dedicated personnel and projects to evaluate the Geoparks' impact represents a challenge for all Geoparks worldwide.

To address this challenge, the UGGp Thuringia Inselsberg Drei Gleichen has already developed several surveys to improve its offerings. For example, the Bromacker fossil site, despite its scientific importance, accessibility, and central role in obtaining UNESCO Geopark recognition, was found to be almost unknown among locals and tourists in the region. By leveraging the potential of the Bromacker and other Geopark-related projects, interviews and surveys with citizens and tour operators were carried out and evaluated. Furthermore, the opinions of companies cooperating with the Geopark were included. Among the preliminary results, the interviews with companies highlighted the Geopark-related project as a significant economic opportunity, and the visibility of the Bromacker fossil site has increased dramatically.