Tourism, Recreation and Trail Impacts - Tourism and Trails: Cultural, Ecological and Management Issues - page 159

bicycle supplies, followed by shoes and clothing (Table 5.11). Their main
soft purchases consisted of beverages, restaurant meals, snacks and sand-
wiches (Table 5.12).

Table 5.11 Use of the D&L Trail infl uenced people's equipment purchases

Which of the following has your use of D&L Trail
infl uenced you to purchase?

Check all that apply %

Bicycle 0.7

Bicycle supplies 20.2

Auto accessories 3.9

Running/walking/hiking shoes 17.1

Clothing 15.6

Nothing 22.6

Source: Compiled from Rails-to-Trails Conservancy (2012).

Table 5.12 Purchases of 'soft goods' while using the D&L Trail

In relation to your most recent visit to the trail,
which items did you purchase?

Check all that apply %

Beverages 21.3

Candy/snacks 11.8

Sandwiches 8.1

Ice cream 5.6

Restaurant meals along the trail 18.2

Bicycle rental 6.7

Other 2.0

None of these 26.4

Source: Compiled from Rails-to-Trails Conservancy (2012).

In a study that projected the financial justification for establishing
another rail-trail in the US state of Georgia, Betz et al. (2003) approximated
that, based on a contingent trip model, rail-trails could earn in excess of $7.5
million per year directly and indirectly with average expenditures being
between $18.46 and $29.23 per user. Cook (2008) similarly estimated that
the Thorsborne Trail in Australia generates some AUS$300 of regional earn-
ings per user each year.
All of these expenditures stimulate entrepreneurialism and job growth in
the services sector. Getting people to think outside the normative box and
become creative in developing and maintaining small-scale enterprises is a