Leisure time and its quality use is becoming increasingly important in society. We can spend it primarily on physical activity, which offer many options, as it provides an entertainment and has a complex effect on our physical and mental health. Walking as a basis for hiking is the most accessible form of physical activity. Hiking is known as a low-level adventure activity, making it popular, and therefore, it presents an important tourism product around the world. The aim of hiking is the improvement of spiritual wealth, physical capabilities, mental resilience, and the general health of a person. An essential activity of hiking is the exploration of natural beauties and monuments. The tourist chooses a certain attractive place based on the route by which he can arrive there. The aim of this study is to provide a better understanding of the motivations of mountain hikers and to discuss the issue in wider contexts. This study examines the individual components comprising the decision-making process when choosing a hiking trail, such as slope of a terrain, relief, hiking trail surface, difficulty level of hiking trail, natural monuments, environmental attractiveness, and hiker’s internal motivation. The study contributes to contemporary literature on soft adventure hiking. Definitively, the findings provide important data in the creation of attractive and sustainable tourism products tailored to and planning for sustainable development of the territory in terms of tourism.

This study analyzes the issue of mining brownfields (sites abandoned after the extraction of minerals) in terms of their secondary use after revitalization as potential new sites of mining tourism. In the first part of the paper, we deal with the theoretical basis of the study, the conceptualization of mining brownfields, possibilities for their revitalization, and their sustainability for mining tourism. In the second part, we analyze mining brownfields as devastated mining sites using a questionnaire survey conducted among students of geotourism and geography at three Slovak universities in Košice, Banská Bystrica, and Prešov. The result of our several years of field research was a database of mining brownfields in Slovakia. According to our findings and the latest theoretical and methodological literature about other types of brownfields, we compiled a comprehensive definition of mining brownfields. The questionnaire survey confirmed that mining brownfields are interesting destinations for (mining) tourism with long-term sustainability. The equipment of the services did not directly determine the number of visitors, who did not perceive the risk and danger of visiting mining brownfields.

Rural tourism, traditionally a niche sector, has gained significance due to changes in societal conditions, emerging as one of the most resilient forms of tourism. This article uses bibliometric analysis to explore the development and current trends in rural tourism research. Data were sourced from the Web of Science, yielding 1675 articles published between 1967 and 2023. Results reveal an average annual significant growth between 2008 and 2015, when 54.4% of all articles were published. Notable peaks include 142 publications in 2014 and a record 1230 citations in 2023, averaging 20.42 citations per article. Key contributions include identifying highly cited works, prolific authors, and leading institutions. Influential researchers such as Hall C. Michael, with 602 publications and an h-index of 67, and Carvalho Celia, a prominent European author, have shaped the field. The Universidad de Extremadura and the Chinese Academy of Sciences are among the top institutions, while journals like Sustainability and Tourism Management stand out for their influence. Six core research themes emerged: (a) the impact of rural tourism on agriculture and the environment, (b) the role of nature conservation and ecotourism in sustainable development, (c) ecological and sustainable approaches in biodiversity conservation, (d) biotechnological innovations in rural tourism, (e) demographic and social factors shaping outdoor recreation, and (f) the impact of rural tourism on sustainable development and community life. The study highlights the need for ongoing innovation to support sustainability goals and emphasizes the importance of understanding historical development and long-term trends in rural tourism research while offering insights into future research directions and practical applications.

The study provides a methodology for 3D model processing of historic mining landscape, and its features as mining digital cultural heritage with the possibility of using new visualization means in mining tourism. Historic mining landscapes around the towns of Gelnica (eastern Slovakia) had been chosen for the case study. The underground mining spaces around Gelnica, which are currently inaccessible to clients of mining tourism, were processed using 3D modeling. Historically, correctly processed 3D models of mining spaces enable customers of mining tourism to virtually travel not only in space, but what is most important, in time as well. The up-to-date computer-generated virtual mining heritage in the form of 3D models can be viewed via the Internet from different perspectives and angles. The models created this way are currently the latest trend in developing mining tourism.

Geoparks, as sustainable tourism products, embody a range of values and functions aimed at mitigating the negative impacts of tourism on the landscape. The current increasing trend in establishing and supporting geoparks has extended to the territory of the Slovak Republic, which possesses valuable natural potential. However, effectively harnessing this potential requires a clearly defined management structure aligned with the goals and mission of each geopark. The paper presents the operational aspects of geoparks in Slovakia, providing a comprehensive overview of geopark management followed by a subsequent evaluation. Assessing the management approach yields valuable insights into the ongoing development of Slovak geoparks, serving as a stepping stone for their further advancement. These geoparks are in a state of continual evolution, demanding significant support to ensure their efficient functioning. The study establishes clear quality management criteria for optimal staffing. The main objective of the paper is to demonstrate the need for the professionalization of human resources in geopark management. Additionally, the article concludes with a model for a strategic approach to human resources management, covering all its areas. Geoparks, as a modern product of geotourism and territorial management, represent innovative strategies for protecting and conserving geodiversity. They are closely intertwined with knowledge dissemination, education, and fostering a broader appreciation for the Earth’s value. Moreover, they play a vital role in the sustainable development and preservation of territories.

Historical maps represent a unique and irreplaceable source of information about the history of a country, be it large (historical) regions, individual geomorphological units or specifically defined sites. Using a methodologically correct, critical historical analysis, old maps provide both the horizontal and vertical analysis of a landscape and its transformation in different time periods. These maps represent some of the oldest, but relatively easily accessible, historical pictorial documents (plausibly) depicting historical landscapes. This study provides the methodology for processing and georeferencing old mine maps with the possibility of their further use for the purposes of mining tourism. The 1696 Marsigli mine map has been chosen for the case study in question. It depicts a cross-section of the copper mines in Smolník and shows in detail the process of cementation water mining. Through an analysis and a detailed study, two-dimensional parts of a georeferenced historical map have been plotted in Google Earth’s three-dimensional space.