The paper deals with the topic of sustainable development of tourism. First it concentrates on the theoretical aspects of environmental impact of tourism, specifically on natural and cultural environment and suggests the instruments that could help to solve the situation. Then the article provides information about geoparks, their basic principles and the experience with them. It stresses mainly the active approach to the preservation of natural and cultural heritage in the particular destination and implementation of geo-tourism as a way of achieving the sustainable regional development. On a specific example of the Czech Paradise Geopark the paper shows the institutional framework and criteria, that an area has to fulfil in order to get on the list of national geoparks. Eventually, it identifies the key factors that are crucial if a successful implementation of geoparks in an area is to be accomplished