Part III The Pacific Ring of Fire Fig. 1 The Pacific Ring of Fire. Source World Databank The Pacific ‘Ring of Fire’ (RoF) is an interlinked system of northern edge of the RoF, Alaska’s outlying Aleutian Island volcanic arcs (Fig. 1), that overlies crustal plate boundaries Arc (27 active volcanoes) connects to the Russian Kam- (Fig. 2). Movement of these plates either through spreading chatka Peninsula (29 active volcanoes) and the Kuril Islands or by subduction is the cause of earthquakes and volcanic (between 40 and 50 active volcanoes, figures vary). Heading activity. From Chile on South America’s west coast a long further south Japan (108 active volcanoes) and the Philip- chain of volcanoes follows the Pacific Basin. Through pines (23 active volcanoes listed by the Philippine Institute Central America, Mexico and North America the RoF of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) are part of follows the west coast of the United States, where the the western section of the RoF, together with Indonesia (127 Cascade Arc alone stretches over a distance of 1,250 km active volcanoes, figures vary), Papua New Guinea (67 from northern California to the south of British Columbia active volcanoes) and New Zealand including the Kermadic and includes well-known volcanoes such as Mount St. Islands (20 active volcanoes, figures vary). Located in Helens, Crater Lake, Mt Shasta, Mt Rainier and Lassen between are many volcanic islands, either active or Peak among others (Lockwoood and Hazlett 2010). On the currently dormant. 152 Part III: The Pacific Ring of Fire Fig. 2 Tectonic plates of the world. Map courtesy of USGS Volcano tourism in Asian countries is frequently com- spring spas and health resorts play a major part in the bined with health and wellness tourism based on mineral- tourism industry. The recent addition of several Global rich volcanic hot springs. The benefits of the ‘medicinal Geoparks (Toya Caldera and Usu Volcano Geopark, Unzen waters’ are a valuable natural resource and play a significant Volcanic Area Geopark, Itoigawa Geopark, San’in Kaigan role in tourism. Especially in Japan, the common practice of Geopark, Muroto Geopark) further promotes the volcanic onsen tourism is due to the abundance of volcanic hot landscapes of Japan, which include active as well as springs (onsen) throughout the country and is discussed in dormant environments. more detail in the chapter covering volcano tourism in Volcano tourism in active areas is not without personal Japan. The majority of Japanese geoparks, national parks, risk with the occasional tragic example as evidence. In 1991 and other protected sites have access to volcanic hot springs on the Indonesian island of Sulawesi a tourist from and generally cater for their visitors’ demand for authentic Switzerland hiking on Mt Lokon (1,750 m) was killed in natural hot spring water. Hokkaido’s national parks Akan, an eruption (Associated Press 2011; Earthweek 2011; Shikotsu-Toya and Daisetsusan would be unimaginable Jakarta Post1 2011). In 2011 Mt Soputan (Sulawesi) without hot spring resorts, where visitors can combine erupted and caused the closure of the airport in Sulawesi’s exploring the volcanic landscape with healthy relaxation in capital Manado (Jakarta Post2 2011). Also in 2011 Mt hot springs followed by special regional cuisine. On the Lokon’s activity caused the evacuation of more than 5,000 island of Honshu it is not any different; the volcanic people on the island of Sulawesi. On the island of Java, Mt national parks and geoparks are surrounded by hot spring Merapi is one of Indonesia’s most active volcanoes which resorts, which attract millions of visitors annually, who erupted in 2010, resulting in an official death toll of 353 spend their time hiking the volcanic mountains and enjoy people with nearly 400,000 local residents evacuated from their onsen in the company of family, friends and the affected area. Despite the potential danger, Merapi colleagues. Mt Fuji, a volcano that is expected to erupt continues to be frequented by tourists (activity permitting) again in the future, is surrounded by onsen towns, where hot with the developing trend towards ‘disaster tourism’ or Part III: The Pacific Ring of Fire 153 ‘dark tourism’, showcasing villages, rivers and valleys Erfurt-Cooper. David Newsome and Richard Field take a buried in volcanic debris (Lies 2010). Other volcanic closer look in Chap. 17 at tourism close to the infamous destinations in Indonesia such as the new Global Geopark Krakatau volcano located in the Sunda Strait between the featuring the Batur Caldera seem to be comparatively safe. Indonesian islands of Sumatra and Java. The following two The following Chaps. 12–19 are interpretations of vol- chapters explore volcano tourism in Japanese National canic geosites in countries which are located along the Pa- Parks and other protected sites (Chap. 18 by Malcolm cific Ring of Fire with its high tectonic activity that extends Cooper) and the problems for tourism of Papua New Gui- along the Pacific Ocean basin. One exemption is the Galá- nea’s Rabaul (Chap. 19 by Bruce Prideaux) based on active pagos archipelago, which is located over a mantle plume-fed volcanism. hot-spot inside the Nazca Plate about 1,000 km offshore Ecuador. Technically this locates the Galápagos Islands, which are a UNESCO World Heritage area and known for their unique natural environment, outside the RoF. However, References for in depth clarification of plate tectonics and volcanism, Lockwood and Hazlett’s (2010) book ‘Volcanoes—Global Associated Press (2011). Indonesian Volcano Erupts. Thousands of Perspectives’, the ‘Encyclopedia of Volcanoes’ by Sig- Residents Evacuated from Slopes of Mount Lokon in Sulawesi urdsson et al. (2000, 2014) as well as Schmincke’s (2006) Province. Online Document: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/ 2011/jul/15/indonesian-volcano-erupts. Accessed 14 March 2013. title ‘Volcanism’ are highly recommended. Earthweek (2011). Thousands Flee Exploding Indonesian Volcano. In Chap. 12 Harry Keys and Karen Williams share details Online: http://www.earthweek.com/2011/ew110722/ew110722d. of the most recent eruption events which involved important html. Accessed 14 March 2013. volcanic geosites of the Tongariro National Park, New Jakarta Post1 (2011). Evacuated After Mt. Lokon Eruptions. Zealand. Taiwan’s volcanic geoheritage is introduced by Online: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2011/07/17/ 4889-evacuated-after-mt-lokon-eruptions.html 889(4) .Accessed Angus Robinson and Jiun-Chuan Lin in Chap. 13. The 14 March 2013. volcanic islands of the Galápagos Archipelago off the Jakarta Post (2011). Sam Ratulangi Airport Closed After Volcanic Ecuadorian coast are analysed for their geotourism potential Eruption. Online: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2011/07/ by Ross Dowling in a special case study in Chap. 14. The 03/sam-ratulangi-airport-closed-after-volcanic-eruption.html. well-known Mount St. Helens on the west coast of North Accessed 14 March 2013. Lies, E. and Oblo, D. (2010). After Eruption, Indonesia Turns to America is another important destination located in the Disaster Tourism. Online: http://www.reuters.com/article/2010/12/ Ring of Fire with its past and present reviewed in Chap. 15 16/uk-indonesia-tourism-disaster-idUSLNE6BF02620101216. by Chris Newhall, Peter Frenzen and Carolyn Driedger. In Accessed 25 July 2011. Chap. 16 a typical volcano tour to the Mount Batur caldera Lockwood, J. P., and Hazlett, R. W., (2010). Volcanoes: Global on the Indonesian island Bali is discussed by Patricia Perspectives. Chicester, UK: Wiley-Blackwell..