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  • Trail-related tourism and sustainable territorial development
    Publication . Lukoseviciute, Goda; Panagopoulos, Thomas; Pereira, Luís Nobre; Ramsey, Elaine
    Trail-related tourism (TRT) is major niche of nature-based tourism (NBT) that allows one to experience nature using a trail as the main recreation tool. The fundamental paradigm underlying contemporary TRT development is its sustainable development, which has been widely addressed in the literature. Sustainability comprises of three main pillars (environmental, socio-cultural, and economic), but the economic pillar in TRT has not been addressed from either theoretical or practical perspectives. The research gap on the economic performance of TRT is evident, raising doubts regarding the whole sustainability of TRT. Consequently, this thesis aims to develop a foundation for assessment of TRT economic impact and incorporate the economic dimension into the trail development and management framework, thus proposing optimization indications for a sustainable trail destination development and management plans. Applying a mixed method, stemming from inductive and deductive reasoning, the objectives of this thesis were achieved through conduction of six studies, which are presented as six separate scientific papers. The main outcomes of this thesis are: i) a roadmap of the most suitable theoretical approaches to study the economic impact of trails; ii) pioneering estimation of the income multiplier of TRT; iii) the first examination of the relationship between the stage of trail development and the income multiplier; iv) assessment of local trail-related business perceptions; v) development of a strategic management plan for trails developed in eco-cultural destinations. The major contributions of this thesis are providing the first comprehensive examination of the economic dimension of TRT and enrichment of the theoretical foundation of TRT development. The findings of this thesis provide trail-related stakeholders with theoretical, methodological and practical tools to design, implement and manage trails, which are economically successful, yet socially just and ecologically restorative, for a sustainable territorial development.
    2024-02-08Doctoral thesis Embargoed access Show more