Assessment of Online and Onsite Information on Heritage and Its Presentation in Slovak Geoparks
Abstract
:1. Introduction
- Characteristics of the heritage information provided;
- Online and onsite methods used to present heritage information;
- Differences in approaches to heritage information and presentation;
- Assessment of online and onsite information on heritage and its presentation.
2. Materials and Methods
2.1. Heritage and Its Presentation
2.2. Interpretation of Heritage in Geoparks
- Permanently installed interpretation equipment in the field of (geo)objects, which are available to visitors at any time, e.g., information boards.
- Portable devices, e.g., mobile applications, promotional and educational materials.
- Built infrastructure outside of (geo)locations, e.g., tourist visitor centres, museums.
- Direct contact with the guide.
- Information boards supplemented with interesting graphic elements, pictures, and maps with an adequate amount of information;
- Linking hard-to-understand information with real-life facts and examples;
- Involving children in heritage presentation processes;
- Use of interactive elements;
- Active visitor involvement;
- Linking several methods of interpretation and personal and impersonal presentation.
2.3. Geoparks in Slovakia
2.3.1. Banská Štiavnica Geopark
2.3.2. Banská Bystrica Geopark
2.3.3. Novohrad-Nógrád UNESCO Global Geopark
2.3.4. Malé Karpaty Geopark
2.4. Methods
- Content quality: accuracy, completeness, depth, and relevance of information;
- Presentation quality: clarity, readability, visual appeal, and user-friendliness;
- Accessibility: availability in different languages, accessibility for people with disabilities, and/or different visitor groups;
- Innovation: use of interactive elements, multimedia, and innovative presentation techniques.
3. Results
3.1. Banská Štiavnica Geopark
3.2. Banská Bystrica Geopark
3.3. Novohrad-Nógrád UNESCO Global Geopark
3.4. Malé Karpaty Geopark
3.5. Assessment Results and Comparison of Geoparks
- Relatively strong online presence of Malé Karpaty Geopark.
- Active social media use of the majority of Slovak geoparks.
- Good onsite use of information panels and maps, providing visitors with relatively straightforward and informative guidance in the Novohrad-Nógrád UNESCO Global Geopark.
- Well-developed educational trails and a variety of guided tours in the Novohrad-Nógrád UNESCO Global Geopark and Malé Karpaty Geopark.
- Most online and onsite information is primarily available in Slovak, hindering accessibility for international visitors.
- The absence of mobile applications for most geoparks significantly limits accessibility and the ability to provide interactive or location-based experiences.
- Most Slovak geoparks offer limited educational activities and guide services for visitors. This presents a missed opportunity to engage audiences and contribute to a deeper understanding and appreciation of the natural and cultural heritage located in the geopark’s territory.
- Lack of modern interactive elements and digital storytelling using virtual reality, augmented reality, digital timelines, or 360-degree videos.
4. Discussion
4.1. Website
4.2. Social Networks
4.3. Mobile Application
4.4. Information Panels
4.5. Presentation of Natural and Cultural Heritage Focusing on Children
4.6. Cooperation
5. Conclusions
- The research primarily focuses on the existence of information and its presentation, not its effectiveness or impact on visitors.
- Despite the relatively complex definition of the assessment scoring system within individual categories, some degree of subjectivity is still present. Different researchers may assign slightly different scores for the same category. Additionally, research focused on the importance of individual assessment categories may result in different results if weights are applied. However, this would require input from visitors, which was not the subject of this study.
- The results of this study reflect publicly available information and data collected during geopark visits. Thus, some aspects of heritage presentation within the geoparks might be overlooked and not taken into account.
Author Contributions
Funding
Data Availability Statement
Conflicts of Interest
References
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Category | Score | Description |
---|---|---|
Website | 0 | None/unavailable. |
1 | The website exists but is inactive. | |
2 | The website exists but it is outdated, links do not work, the availability of information is minimal, and it does not offer a foreign language translation. | |
3 | Only basic information, with an absence of more extensive and/or up-to-date information, limited photos, and broken links. | |
4 | Incomplete information (e.g., only some localities described), but it is up to date, a wide range of focus (several age categories), photos and videos included, educational programmes, and absence of foreign language translations. | |
5 | Complete information, offers foreign language translations, up-to-date information, interactive elements, external links (e.g., accommodation and catering facilities), suitable for all ages, and includes photos and videos, educational programmes, and promotional material. | |
Social networks | 0 | No social network platforms. |
1 | Social network account on one platform only, inactive (the information is old), absence of audience involvement, and no language translations. | |
2 | Only one social network account, basic information, posts every month, absence of audience involvement, and no language translations. | |
3 | Multiple social network accounts, posts at least twice a month, posts supplemented with photos, absence of audience involvement, and no language translations. | |
4 | Active social network accounts, regularly published posts (including photos, videos), a wide range of topics presented, the audience is not engaged, and choices of social networks are nationally oriented. | |
5 | Active social network accounts, regularly published posts, up-to-date information, the audience is involved (e.g., competitions, quizzes), available translations to different languages where necessary, and all posts managed by the geopark. | |
Mobile application | 0 | No mobile application is available. |
1 | The mobile application includes only partial information, is processed at a basic level, and has low awareness, some aspects of the application do not even work, and only one language is available. | |
2 | The application works, but has limited information, is oriented toward domestic visitors, awareness of the application is raised through the website, information boards, etc., and only one language is available. | |
3 | The range of information is larger, including a map, and visitors are aware of the application from various sources. | |
4 | Complete information, but it is not up to date, lack of interactive elements, and not all parts of the application are translated into a foreign language correctly. | |
5 | Complete and up-to-date information in the application, various language versions available, interactive elements (e.g., interactive map, virtual tours), includes itineraries, and has an offline version. | |
Promotional material | 0 | No promotional materials. |
1 | Minimal proper materials, information is outdated, and lacks high informative value. | |
2 | Basic leaflets only for selected locations, without a general leaflet on what is in the geopark, and information does not include contact details or options to find out more detailed information. | |
3 | Basic leaflets and a map for some localities, written in professional terminology, with some leaflets available in different language(s). | |
4 | Basic promotional material supplemented by a wider range of brochures, maps, and photographs, uses comprehensible terminology for several age categories, all materials available in the tourist information centre, and available in various languages. | |
5 | A wide range of promotional materials available in tourist information centres and websites, as well as directly on the sites, available in foreign languages, involving a modern interpretive element (e.g., QR code), and including a map. | |
Information panels and maps | 0 | No panels and maps. |
1 | There are minimal information boards, most of them do not even appear under the auspices of the geopark, some sites are not even marked, and the boards are destroyed/neglected. | |
2 | Availability of basic information boards only at selected locations, heritage presented using professional terminology, and absence of a foreign language translation. | |
3 | Information boards located in most localities, but many are not under the auspices of the geopark, availability of basic information, interactive elements not functional, and the terminology is scientific or professional. | |
4 | Information boards are at each locality, are available in a foreign language, and there is scientific or professional presentation of the heritage at some localities. | |
5 | Information boards and maps are all over the territory of the geopark, information boards are available in a foreign language, they contain interactive elements (e.g., OR code), and the information is written using terminology accessible to the general public. | |
Educational trails | 0 | No educational trails. |
1 | Low awareness of educational trails, educational panels on trails do not appear under the auspices of the geopark, and professional terminology is used. | |
2 | Low awareness of nature trails, trails are groomed, educational panels contain basic information, and not all of them are created and/or managed by the geopark. | |
3 | Awareness is increased, educational trails are mainly oriented towards adults and the professional public, and interpretive tools (e.g., panels) are managed by the geopark. | |
4 | The level of awareness is high, the educational trails are aimed at several age categories and are also available in various languages, but do not include interactive elements or innovations. | |
5 | Easy-to-find information about educational trails, well managed by the geopark and periodically checked, presentation and interpretation primarily aimed at the general public, information available in different languages, and includes interactive elements. | |
Guide services | 0 | No guide services. |
1 | Awareness is low, information about guide services is almost unavailable, and guide services are provided by other entities. | |
2 | Information is available, low number of guide services, and they are oriented only to the presentation of one heritage type or location. | |
3 | Basic knowledge of the sites of the guides, guide services available in a few locations, guides do not have knowledge of a foreign language, and guide services are aimed only at certain age categories. | |
4 | A wider range of guide services, knowledge of several spheres in the geopark area, guide services available in domestic and one other language, and no audience involvement. | |
5 | A wide range of guide services, guides are highly qualified, guides involve the audience, audience participation in various activities, provide detailed and accurate information, guide services designed for all ages and different groups (e.g., schools, teambuilding), and guide services available in several foreign languages. | |
Tourist information centres | 0 | No tourist information centre. |
1 | The tourist information centre exists, but it is not active. | |
2 | The tourist information centre is open but does not present as such, does not focus on the geopark itself, and does not have promotional and educational material related to the geopark. | |
3 | The tourist information centre provides basic information about the geopark and has basic promotional material related to the geopark, but does not offer the possibility of guide services or any educational activities. | |
4 | The tourist information centre provides a wider range of information for several age categories, provides guide activities, is internationally oriented, and offers basic educational activities. | |
5 | Modern tourist information centre, promotional materials and items available, internationally oriented, includes interactive elements, presents geopark heritage for all age categories, and offers guided activities, educational programmes, and activities. | |
Educational activities | 0 | No educational activities. |
1 | Educational activities limited in number, intended for one age category only, and available only in the domestic language. | |
2 | Passive-learning activities without audience involvement (e.g., lectures on the exhibition without interaction with visitors), only in domestic language. | |
3 | Several educational activities, some activities are interactive, there is a focus on different age categories in limited numbers, but are only available in the domestic language. | |
4 | Various educational activities available and educational activities are aimed at several age categories, but activities are only available in the domestic language and one foreign language. | |
5 | Diverse learning activities, educational activities aimed at all ages, and educational activities available in different languages. |
Category | BSG | BBG | NN UGGp | MKG |
---|---|---|---|---|
Official website | no | yes | yes | yes |
Social networks | no | yes | yes | yes |
Mobile application | no | no | yes | no |
Promotional material | yes | yes | yes | yes |
Information panels and maps | yes | yes | yes | yes |
Educational trails | yes | yes | yes | yes |
Guide services | yes | yes | yes | yes |
Tourist information centre(s) | yes | yes | yes | no |
Educational activities | no | no | no | yes |
Category | BSG | BBG | NN UGGp | MKG |
---|---|---|---|---|
Official website | 0 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
Social networks | 0 | 3 | 2 | 4 |
Mobile application | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
Promotional material | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
Information panels and maps | 1 | 1 | 3 | 2 |
Educational trails | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 |
Guide services | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
Tourist information centre(s) | 2 | 3 | 3 | 0 |
Educational activities | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
Total score | 7 | 14 | 18 | 21 |
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© 2025 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
Share and Cite
Pramuková, K.; Štrba, Ľ. Assessment of Online and Onsite Information on Heritage and Its Presentation in Slovak Geoparks. Heritage 2025, 8, 47. https://doi.org/10.3390/heritage8020047
Pramuková K, Štrba Ľ. Assessment of Online and Onsite Information on Heritage and Its Presentation in Slovak Geoparks. Heritage. 2025; 8(2):47. https://doi.org/10.3390/heritage8020047
Chicago/Turabian StylePramuková, Kristína, and Ľubomír Štrba. 2025. "Assessment of Online and Onsite Information on Heritage and Its Presentation in Slovak Geoparks" Heritage 8, no. 2: 47. https://doi.org/10.3390/heritage8020047
APA StylePramuková, K., & Štrba, Ľ. (2025). Assessment of Online and Onsite Information on Heritage and Its Presentation in Slovak Geoparks. Heritage, 8(2), 47. https://doi.org/10.3390/heritage8020047