Advancing tourism sustainability in show caves
Elena Piano, Stefano Mammola, Giuseppe Nicolosi, Marco Isaia
Abstract
Show caves are important tourism attractions around the world, generating profits of approximately 850 billion dollars per year. However, the touristic use of caves may jeopardize the conservation of these fragile ecosystems. It is therefore crucial to examine the tourism-related impacts on show caves and the management measures needed to preserve subterranean ecosystems. Here, we analyze the literature published over the last 30 years on show caves with a driver-pressure-state-impact-response (DPSIR) approach, which includes 101 papers examining human impacts on the subterranean ecosystem and 67 papers examining management actions. The introduction of allochthonous microorganisms and microclimate alterations emerged as the most concerning impacts, given their cascading effects on all ecosystem components. Our analysis shows that management actions directly address these impacts, but the use of a multidisciplinary approach is overlooked. As a result, we offer a roadmap for a sustainable and scientifically sound usage of show caves.