Introduction - Tourism and Trails: Cultural, Ecological and Management Issues - page 1

1 Introduction

Introduction

Trails and routes have been indispensable to travel and tourism over the
centuries, helping to form the basis of mobility patterns of the past and the
present. While they have been recognized elements of human landscapes,
the contribution they have brought to tourism and recreation has been
understated, hence the rationale for this topic. Humans throughout history
have blazed and utilized trails in their hunting, gathering, herding and trad-
ing pursuits, among which were built established routes that would see
explorers, traders, migrants, pilgrims and later tourists. In some geographic
settings, certain defined trails and routes would become well-trodden and
utilized by many subsequent generations, providing a foundation on which
a distinct tourism product would emerge (Moore & Shafer, 2001).
Many of these original pathways became the foundations for the multi-
tudes of modern recreation and tourist trails of today (Hogan, 1998;
Mulvaney, 2003). As well, some of the vast networks of contemporary
highway systems are based upon footpaths and trails that were established
centuries or millennia ago. Today, it would be hard to identify a region of the
world which does not boast of a trail or route that is sold as part of a wider
tourism or recreation experience. And yet, the attention given to this type of
attraction has been, to date, minimal, except for some tangential mentions
in broader studies or focused and descriptive case studies of either supply or
demand. In short, there has not been a concerted attempt to bring together
what is a rather disparate body of work by scholars on trails and routes; the
book's central aim is to address this lacuna. A useful starting point for
the discussion is to examine the role that linear systems (e.g. paths, routes
and trails) have played in assisting people to move around, including for
purposes of leisure and pleasure.
Linear paths have long been an important tool for human mobility, and
much of their appeal was associated as much with the pathway as it was
with the destination to which it led. Hunting parties and traders were not
required to reach a geographical goal. Instead, they often met the purpose

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