Reflections and Futures - Tourism and Trails: Cultural, Ecological and Management Issues - page 251

the trails context. Again, a lengthy classification is presented for nature trails
to include wilderness tracks, ski trails, water trails, geology trails, forest
canopy walks and long-distance multi-day nature paths. We have been delib-
erately descriptive in this taxonomy, drawing together the disparate litera-
ture on each type. When culture and nature overlap, a number of mixed
routes also result, namely bicycle trails, borderland greenways and green-
belts, scenic byways, self-drive scenic roads and rails-to-trails. To this end,
detailed case studies are presented to illustrate real-world examples of the
issues and concepts discussed in each chapter. Another model was developed
which suggests that where nature trails exist they either do so as original
tracks developed specifically as tourism resources, or where the nature trail
is modified as a result of its use for a certain form of recreation. In these
instances recreational activities are undertaken by tourists. In contrast, we
have argued that where mixed routes are concerned, conceptually what has
taken place is a transformation of natural space - wherein cultural assets
exist - into a designed track or route that positions cultural and heritage
features within a natural geographic setting.
Demand was examined primarily from the perspective of participation,
in particular the characteristics of trail users, how often they participate
and the reasons why they participate, including motivations such as the
desire to seek enjoyment and have meaningful experiences. We argue that a
population that is active in outdoor pursuits facilitates greater use of trails,
suggesting that in some cases certain types of routes (e.g. cycleways) were
deliberately designed to accommodate sections of a population that lead an
active lifestyle. As well, some people's connections to religion are mani-
fested in route-related travel. In this situation people may make use of
known pilgrimage ways, such as the Camino de Santiago in northern Spain,
to manifest their devotion to their deity physically by engaging in religious
rituals and showing humility by traversing the Camino. For pilgrims this
may be a life-altering experience and a one-chance opportunity.
As pertains to trail consumers' characteristics, research reveals similar
patterns that are found for general cultural heritage tourists, namely they
tend to be well-educated, of a higher socio-economic status, and relatively
young to middle aged. The latter generalization breaks down as recreation-
focused trails are used predominantly by younger males, whereas scenic
drives appeal to older cohorts with few real gender differences. Lacking from
the current research, however, is knowledge about ethnicity and race, as
most research in North America and Europe focuses on mainstream and
white populations rather than trying to understand trail uses and experi-
ences of immigrants and racial/ethnic minorities (see Omar et al. , 2012).
The current research literature on demand reveals the importance of
having legal and physical access to trails and routes, where patterns of
demand are linked to setting type (greater use of trails in urban versus rural
areas) and proximity to people's homes. Reasons for participation focus on