During tough economic times everyone is looking for new ways to generate extra income, and that includes local governments. At the Nanaimo Daily News (British Columbia) one writer suggests developing world-class hiking trails would attract tourists who could in turn pump up the local economy (and tax receipts as well).

There seems to be a growing sense that recreational travel can be a savior and even a lifeblood for struggling local economies. In the past year we’ve read countless articles about municipalities developing mountain bike trails and hosting marathons, all in the name of developing a local tourism economy where none previously existed. This is the first time we’ve heard of trails for hiking being specifically pitched to revive an economy but we’re sure it won’t be the last.

Most hikers do generally travel to scenic locations to hike but in my experience most prefer to stick to National Parks and government-owned recreation and wilderness areas. Runners travel to big city marathons to see new places and run with the crowds while mountain bikers will ride just about anywhere with trails, though many prefer lift-serviced terrain The point is, these types of trips generally require overnight accommodations, meals in restaurants, and ground transportation while many overnight hiking trips involve sleeping in tents, cooking under the stars, and keeping car trips to a minimum. So how much impact do hikers really have on a local economy?

It’s an interesting question and I’m anxious to see how things work out in communities that choose to develop hiking trails to attract tourists. Perhaps these planners should at least hedge their bets and keep the new trails open to mountain bikers and trail runners too