Tourism, Recreation and Trail Impacts - Tourism and Trails: Cultural, Ecological and Management Issues - page 157

longer the duration of the trip. They found that spending was linked to
group size, given that increased group sizes were associated with longer
trips, and hence more spending. Their study also noted that expendi-
tures are positively dependent on group income.
Car-based route travel is a beneficial form of tourism. Scenic byways and
other long-distance routes have salient economic implications because they
encompass many nodes, take longer to finish and generally require more en-
route expenditures, such as gasoline and food. Sipes et al. (1997) recapped the
economic implications of two scenic byways studies. In Oregon, automobile-
based scenic corridor travelers spent upwards of $81 million per year in the
1990s. In Iowa, car route parties spent an average of $105.50 per day, with
one-third of the expenditures going to shopping, $24.80 spent on lodging,
and $24.20 on food and beverages (Sipes et al. , 1997).
Cycle route-based travel is also a lucrative form of tourism for destination
areas and especially important for rural economies (Lumsdon, 1996, 2000).
According to a recent study by the European Cyclists' Federation (2013b), a
visiting cyclist spends on average £25 each day on local food and services,
compared to only £7.30 for a car-based visitor. The Federation's analysis sug-
gests cyclists spend more per person per day because they are unable to carry
with them all the supplies they will need, whereas car travelers can bring
with them the food, snacks and drinks they will consume during the day.
The study also suggests that the exercise involved in cycling makes riders
hungrier and thirstier than car travelers, resulting in higher expenditures for
refreshments. Cope et al. (1998: 211) estimated that the National Cycle
Network in the UK had until 1997 contributed £350 million in direct spend-
ing and upwards of 5000 jobs in network-related services, with average
annual earnings between £1.07 and £1.85 million. When it comes to some
larger trails, economic expenditure is considerable (see the case study on the
D&L Trail below).
Case Study: Economic Expenditure on the D&L Trail,
Pennsylvania, USA
The D&L Trail was used in the last chapter as a case study to show some
of the demographic trends associated with a rail-trail. It is used again
here to illustrate some of the direct economic impacts that can accrue to
areas with trails. The D&L, which follows the remnants of the Lehigh
and Delaware canals in Pennsylvania (USA), saw an estimated 282,796
( Continued )