Resources 2020, 9, 58; doi:10.3390/resources9050058 www.mdpi.com/journal/resources Article Thermal Tourism and Geoheritage: Examining Visitor Motivations and Perceptions Anna Chrobak 1, *, Francesca Ugolini 2 , David Pearlmutter 2,3 and Antonio Raschi 2 1 Institute of Geography, Pedagogical University of Kracow, ul. Podchorążych 2, 30-084 Kraków, Poland 2 Institute of BioEconomy, Italian National Research Council, via Madonna del Piano 10, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino, Italy, francesca.ugolini@ibe.cnr.it (F.U.), davidp@bgu.ac.il (D.P.); antonio.raschi@ibe.cnr.it (A.R.) 3 Department of Geography, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, P.O. Box 653, Beer-Sheva 84105, Israel * Correspondence: anna.chrobak@up.krakow.pl; Tel: +48 509768507 Received: 25 March 2020; Accepted: 11 May 2020; Published: 13 May 2020 Abstract: Kúpele Vyžne Ružbachy spa and San Giovanni spa are very well known spas located in Slovakia and in Italy. Both spas are surrounded by environmental and historical richness, including geological features that hold considerable potential for geotourism. In order to gauge the promotional value of these geological features, this study investigates: (a) The motivation of tourists for visiting the area, (b) the level of visitors' interest and knowledge regarding the area's geological features, (c) their assessment of the attractiveness and accessibility of these features, (d) their overall opinion about the area for geotourism, and (e) indications for utilizing these features to improve the landscape knowledge of the general public. The data were collected using on-site survey methods and examined by statistical analysis. Results of the survey show that the attraction of tourists to these areas is due not only to health and wellness benefits, but also to social aspects and the desire for exploring new places. It was found that the geological elements in both locations hold significant geotourism potential—and efforts to increase visitors’ awareness of their environmental and cultural significance could be decisive in capitalizing on the attraction of these unique sites. Improvement of the accessibility to the sites would be highly recommended as a way to increase tourism diversity. Keywords: appreciation; landscape awareness; geotourism; geology; thermal tourism 1. Introduction In recent years, due to ongoing social changes and a more stressful lifestyle, the demand for relaxation and recreation opportunities has gained prominence as an alternative to the conventional treatment of physical illness. At the same time, while many nature-based tourism locations are facing a structural economic crisis due to their limited tourism income, others that have promoted the benefits of “health and wellbeing” as part of their appeal have increased their incomes [1]. In particular, tourism facilities such as spas, which integrate thermal treatments with general wellness, are less susceptible to the effects of these recent economic challenges. For instance, in some countries, thermal tourism is increasingly linked to other forms of tourism such as sport, recreation and culture [2]. In this way, they offer the possibility of spending time outdoors and deriving benefit from the surrounding environment as well as the spa itself. One form of tourism that meshes perfectly with both thermal treatments and natural thermal features is geotourism. Hose [3] first defined geotourism as “the provision of interpretive and service facilities to enable tourists to acquire knowledge and understanding of the geology and geomorphology of a site (including its contribution to the development of the Earth sciences) beyond the level of mere