Southern Research Station

Title: Estimating the economic value and impacts of recreational trails: a case study of the Virginia creeper rail trail

Author: Bowker, J. Michael; Bergstrom, John C.; Gill, Joshua

Date: 2007

Source: Tourism Economics, Vol. 13(2): 241-260

Description: Many communities are interested in developing and maintaining recreational trails to benefit trail users and as tourist attractions to stimulate economic growth. In this paper, a study is described which estimates the net economic value to trail users and the local economic impacts of the Virginia Creeper Rail Trail in south-western Virginia, USA. The monetary valuation results suggest that the trail is a highly valuable asset to the people who enjoy using it and to local businesses who benefit from trail-related tourist expenditures. The integrated valuation methodology and results can facilitate quantification of recreational trail economic benefits in other locations.

Keywords: recreational trails, trail user economic value, tourist expenditures, local community economic impacts

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Citation

Bowker, J. Michael; Bergstrom, John C.; Gill, Joshua  2007.  Estimating the economic value and impacts of recreational trails: a case study of the Virginia creeper rail trail.   Tourism Economics, Vol. 13(2): 241-260