Trails ~ Current Situation

The competition for trail business is fierce as consumers typically have access to local trails right in their backyards. For a tourist to travel for a trail experience, it must be unlike anything they can get at home. It must be unique and different and show them something new and exciting. BC Hughes Trails and Waterways Study Nov 2010

Trails ~ Current Situation

• 1700 km of trails within RTO4• No DG Trails identified in region (more

than 3 hours travel) BUT see them as a supporting activity to main DG’s specifically:–Heritage towns–Outdoor themes

RTO4 Packaging

• Key tactic• Bundling of experiences = more

compelling product• Trails form a part in that equation

RTO4 Support

• BC Hughes Study Nov 2010• Waterloo Region Trail Symposium Oct 2011– Brought together trail groups, municipal council,

tourism people > start a dialogue• Huron/Perth Counties Trail Symposium Fall

2012• Started dialogue/research on Goderich to

Guelph rail trail

RTO4 Reality

• We are not in the bricks and mortar (capital projects ) business BUT

• We recognize that trail development if done correctly can be a DG and an economic driver

• Our role: facilitate group efforts, seed funding of process, help engage ec. dev. and local Twps. into better recognition of the $ benefit

What Benefit?

Immediate:• Support to keep people longerFuture• Facilitate dialogue, ID assets and quantify

value of jobs, investment and tourism potential (business proposition)

• Grow key assets in DG’s which will result in growth in trips with overnight component etc.