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Tourist Routes and Trails
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Tourist Routes and Trails

A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Tourism, Culture, and Heritage".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (15 May 2019) | Viewed by 14815

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Nicola MacLeod

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Faculty of Business, University of Greenwich, UK
Interests: tourist trails and routes; literary tourism

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Despite being a popular offering in many tourism destinations, trails and themed routes have for many years been an under-researched area within the tourism academy although some recent publications have sought to address this, for example Timothy and Boyd (2015) and the Journal of Heritage Tourism special edition on Heritage Routes and Trails (2017).  

Trails are defined as ‘a visible linear pathway of many varieties which is evident on the ground and which may have at its roots an original and historical linear transport or travel function’ (Timothy & Boyd, 2015:3-4). Routes are somewhat differentiated in that they are often a more abstract concept created by the contemporary clustering of ‘similar natural or cultural features together into a thematic linear corridor’ (Ibid: 4). What unites routes and trails is the idea of a purposeful journey which explores themes that are connected both spatially and imaginatively and which provide the visitor with a satisfying experience of a story interpreted through the act of travelling through the landscape. These linear visitor experiences differ vastly in terms of scale - we can find site-based trails around a museum or historic building exploring different collections or historic periods; urban trails exploring local industries, historic events or famous inhabitants; regional food and wine trails or more long-distance, themed journeys following in the footsteps of famous travellers. International routes such as the Silk Road or the Council of Europe Viking Route offer a long-distance journey which can also be experienced in sections. Despite their differing scales these tourism products offer the same potential benefits to both users and host communities. The visitor is offered a purposeful, interactive and engaging experience of place whilst the host community benefit from the creation of the partnerships/networks that underpin trails, the visitor management function of many routes and their promotion of walking or cycling and their integration with sustainable transport.

In this special edition of Sustainability we seek to explore these popular linear attractions from the perspective of their potential to promote sustainable local economies, environments and experiences using a range of case-study based and more theoretical studies of the concept of the route or trail and their functions and impacts within their wider social, cultural, economic and ecological environment. A particularly under-researched area is the experience of trail and route users and so we would welcome papers that address this area or any other related fields as above. 

Dr. Nicola MacLeod
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Sustainability is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

References

Journal of Heritage Tourism – special edition on Heritage trails and tourism,12:5, 2017.

Timothy, D.J. and Boyd, S.W., 2015. Tourism and trails: Cultural, ecological and management issues (Vol. 64). Channel View Publications.

Keywords

  • Tourist trail
  • Themed route
  • Sustainable routes and trails
  • Trails development
  • Trail and route users’ experience
  • Routes trails and their communities
  • Impacts of tourist routes and trails

Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

23 pages, 3040 KiB  
Article
Thematic Tourist Trails: Sustainability Assessment Methodology. The Case of Land Flowing with Milk and Honey
by Krzysztof Widawski and Piotr Oleśniewicz
Sustainability 2019, 11(14), 3841; https://doi.org/10.3390/su11143841 - 14 Jul 2019
Cited by 11 | Viewed by 2640
Abstract
The aim of the paper was to examine the sustainable character of a thematic tourist trail, using the example of the Land Flowing with Milk and Honey trail in south-western Poland, whose creators emphasize their commitment to the idea of sustainable development. The [...] Read more.
The aim of the paper was to examine the sustainable character of a thematic tourist trail, using the example of the Land Flowing with Milk and Honey trail in south-western Poland, whose creators emphasize their commitment to the idea of sustainable development. The trail elements that determine its character were indicated. On the basis of the point grading method modified by the authors, tourist and sustainable attractiveness was analysed both for particular elements and the whole trail. For this purpose, several indices were applied: the product regionality index, thematic trail tourism index, and stay attractiveness index. The final effect was the determination of the thematic trail potential, expressed by the quality and uniqueness of products on the trail and by utilizing trail elements in creating a tourist product of trail character. The results clearly point at high sustainable value of the products that were the basis for the trail design. On the other hand, shortcomings are indicated in terms of translating these resources into an attractive tourist offer, which would keep tourists in the region of the trail for a longer time. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Tourist Routes and Trails)
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13 pages, 785 KiB  
Article
Hiking Tourism in Spain: Origins, Issues and Transformations
by María Belén Gómez-Martín
Sustainability 2019, 11(13), 3619; https://doi.org/10.3390/su11133619 - 1 Jul 2019
Cited by 25 | Viewed by 4138
Abstract
In Spain, hiking is an activity that involves following paths, which may or may not be signposted, on foot, for sporting and cultural purposes. In the country as a whole, although with important regional variations, hiking has traditionally been linked to mountaineering and [...] Read more.
In Spain, hiking is an activity that involves following paths, which may or may not be signposted, on foot, for sporting and cultural purposes. In the country as a whole, although with important regional variations, hiking has traditionally been linked to mountaineering and rambling clubs. However, at the beginning of the 1990s this activity became much more widely popular, reaching beyond the more limited sphere within which the pioneers of hiking in Spain had acted. Hiking stopped being just a sporting and cultural activity and also became a form of tourism and leisure, coinciding with the emergence and consolidation of what have become known as alternative forms of tourism. In this context of change, hiking tourism has gradually evolved over the years into a strategic option for development in many territories. This article presents the most important aspects of this transformation: the changes in the territorial model for the management of the paths on which the creation of hiking tourism products is based; the fact that in the design of routes more consideration is being given to the differential characteristics of tourist demand for hiking; the adaptation of the accommodation, restaurant facilities and the main specific services associated with it; and the emergence and engagement of new stakeholders in the processes of planning, distribution and communication of this activity. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Tourist Routes and Trails)
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20 pages, 461 KiB  
Article
Motivational Landscape and Evolving Identity of a Route-Based Religious Tourism Space: A Case of Camino de Santiago
by Hany Kim, Semih Yilmaz and Soyoun Ahn
Sustainability 2019, 11(13), 3547; https://doi.org/10.3390/su11133547 - 27 Jun 2019
Cited by 28 | Viewed by 4151
Abstract
Religious destinations today are visited by a large number of tourists, whose travel motives may vary from purely religious to purely secular. Diverse motives and on-site experiences are, in turn, causing a shift in the identity perception of these destinations. However, research is [...] Read more.
Religious destinations today are visited by a large number of tourists, whose travel motives may vary from purely religious to purely secular. Diverse motives and on-site experiences are, in turn, causing a shift in the identity perception of these destinations. However, research is still limited regarding the dynamic relationship between travelers’ motivation and the perceived identity of a religious space. Using a theoretical–thematic analysis, this study analyzes the online written accounts of visitors to Camino de Santiago (a route-based pilgrimage site) to understand (i) the motivational and experiential differences among religious versus non-religious travelers, and (ii) the perceived identity of Camino with respect to Smith’s “pilgrimage–tourism continuum”. Despite the increase in secular motives, the majority of travelers showed some form of spiritual connection with Camino. Concurrent with the contemporary shifts in the idea of “religion”, Camino continues to be a religious place driven by inner goals, albeit in a more personal, interpretive, and “spiritual” way. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Tourist Routes and Trails)
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21 pages, 1050 KiB  
Article
Negotiating Improved Multifunctional Landscape Use: Trails as Facilitators for Collaboration Among Stakeholders
by Kristin Godtman Kling, Annika Dahlberg and Sandra Wall-Reinius
Sustainability 2019, 11(13), 3511; https://doi.org/10.3390/su11133511 - 26 Jun 2019
Cited by 15 | Viewed by 3456
Abstract
Trails are significant features in landscapes, and many ancient pathways have developed into routes of great importance for recreation and tourism in contemporary societies. Nevertheless, international research on recreational trails has hitherto mainly focused on managerial and environmental aspects of trails and less [...] Read more.
Trails are significant features in landscapes, and many ancient pathways have developed into routes of great importance for recreation and tourism in contemporary societies. Nevertheless, international research on recreational trails has hitherto mainly focused on managerial and environmental aspects of trails and less on trails from a social science perspective, such as conflict management. This study explores the role of recreational trails as a potential tool for managing conflicts in a multifunctional landscape. The findings originate from a case study of the southern Jämtland mountain region in Sweden, an area where land-use conflicts exist and where tourism is a major concern. The study examines the recreational trail as an applied example where actors in the mountain landscape “negotiate” and collaborate. through the recreational trail, dialogue and discussions are made possible among stakeholders. Findings show that trails can function as facilitators for communication and can thus enhance the possibilities of building trust and promoting collaboration between actors. This research contributes to the existing literature on handling multiple land-use interests and adds to previous knowledge by taking on a rather new approach, where the recreational trail becomes a facilitator for communication. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Tourist Routes and Trails)
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