Geotourism as an alternative for sustainable development

Geotourism is a tourism modality that has gained relevance due to its connection with sustainable tourism, offering a wide range of recreational and cognitively enriching experiences. In Cuba, although the government stimulates this type of tourism, and studies are being conducted to identify and highlight the heritage value of geosites, its visibility as a sustainable alternative remains insufficient to achieve a significant boost within the country´s tourism offering. Reversing this situation and promoting the broad and sustainable use of geosites on the island is a task that must be grounded in scientific foundations. Accordingly, a literature review was carried out to demonstrate the role geotourism plays in sustainable development, from an integrative perspective of science, technology, and society. The analysis conducted showed that geotourism can be an effective tool to preserve a region's natural and cultural resources and generate economic benefits. However, for it to be truly sustainable, it must responsibly consider the environmental, social and cultural impacts it can generate. In addition, scientific activity linked to geotourism must evaluate the current conditions and social perceptions of the environment, while promoting an ethic of preservation shared between tourism providers and consumers. It is concluded that it is essential to develop studies aimed at analyzing the role of science, technology and society in the implementation of geotourism, in order to identify the key factors that have an impact on its consolidation as a sustainable development strategy.