enable people to go further, do more, and ultimately connect to nature in new ways.
Many people are seeking an escape from the pressures of modern life, and what better way to do that than by exploring nature via the trails that make natureconnection possible?
THE ECONOMIC VALUE OF TRAILS There are many benefits for communities from well-designed and sustainablymanaged trails, including physical and mental wellbeing, environmental benefits such as better management of pests and weeds in natural ecosystems, and of course, economic benefits, including that trails:
• Attract visitors and their expenditure, providing a reason to visit and to stay longer
• Add to the experience that visitors have in a destination even if the trail is not the main reason for visiting
• Broaden a destination’ s appeal to new markets
• Attract repeat visitation
• Inspire recommendations of a destination
• Provide an impetus for new business start-ups, business innovation and expansion, and business retention and attraction
• Enable more regional jobs, including jobs for youth, and on-Country ranger jobs for Aboriginal people
• Provide liveability benefits that attract residents and workers.
In Australia, domestic overnight bushwalkers spend $ 863 per trip while cyclists spend $ 998, compared the average spend of $ 851 per trip for domestic overnight visitors. 11 Mountain bikers’ expenditure on intrastate holidays per trip is $ 1,412, and they spend $ 2,305 on interstate holidays. 12 Visitor to Brisbane Valley Rail Trail, who are mainly cyclists, spend just over $ 376 per trip. 13
Together these present destination managers with opportunities to deliver new economic growth and community benefits.
As an example of the value of recreational trails, the 161kmlong Brisbane Valley Rail Trail in Queensland is estimated to have increased economic output in its rural region by $ 2.2 million per year, and supports 58 jobs. 6
Visiting users of Narooma’ s 88km-long mountain bike trails in southeast NSW spent $ 69.5 million in 2024. This equates to an annual return on the $ 4.1 million development 14 investment of over 1,500 %. 15
The trail expansion was funded by a bushfire recovery grant after the small town of Narooma was economically and socially devastated by the Black Summer bushfires.
The direct benefits of the trail to local businesses are impressive. For example, tour operator Southbound Escapes added a café and shuttle service for cyclists, and grew from employing two part-time staff to three full-time staff and eight casuals. The café and shuttle now provide 3 / 4 of the business’ income. 16
Building on this success, the trails have also attracted the world’ s premier cycling festival and Australia’ s largest cycle festival and expo, SeaOtter, to deliver economic value in Narooma’ s low season as well as international brand exposure for Narooma amongst mountain bikers. 17
Coot-tha Mountain Bike Club. Photo Credit: Mike Farrelly
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT JOURNAL VOL 18 NO 2 2025 33