Active Tourism
Active tourism is an annual $345 billion industry growing at over 65% a year and is defined as containing two of these three elements:
1) interaction with a vibrant local culture
2) connections with nature
3) physical activity
Average per-day spending for active tourists-- $100-200. Average per-trip spending increased from $593 in 2009 to $947 in 2012 (2013 Adventure Tourism Market Study – a consumer report by The George Washington University (GW) conducted in partnership with the Adventure Travel Trade Association)
Kingston (and Ulster County), with the addition of the physical activity of the rail trail network, has all three elements of active tourism in abundance.
One of the most complete studies of multi-use recreational trail economic impact was done recently by a team of researchers from the State University of New York at Geneseo for the Erie Canalway Trail (ECT). The graph shows per-visit spending, including local use and active tourism, to be $135 (ETC Aggregate). However, the per-visit use jumps dramatically when visitors from contiguous counties include one or more overnight stays in their visits (ETC Overnight), and increases even more dramatically when visitors come from longer distances, presumably to do multi-day tours and events (ETC Non Local). The data confirms that overnight stays have a dramatic effect on overall spending, in fact: “While overnight visitors to the trail constitute only 18.25% of the total volume of visits, they generate 84% of overall spending.” (The Economic Impact of the Erie Canalway Trail, pages 8 and 9). The Erie Canal Trail’s most conservative estimate of the non-local visitor spending is $55.8 million. The Walkway already generates nearly $24 million.
The Great Alleghany Passage, as a another comparable example generates over $24 million in economic activity anually and its marketing website takes full advantage of the potential by including information about tours, bike shops, events, trail towns , lodging, restaurants, and sites of interest along the way.
By contrast, theme train events, with tourists coming for short 30-45 minute rides would seem to be mainly day-visitors. The Superintendent of even as key a tourist train attraction as Steamtown, notes that…. “The thing you have to keep in mind is that we’re not a big Yellowstone or one of those big national parks where people are going to stay multiple days….People do look at this as more of a destination for their day trip…”. The above per-day Steamtown spending figure reflects that day-use modality of train tourism.
The implications for active tourism for the Ulster Trail system in general and for the Kingston Greenline and Gateway are clear. A potent, marketing and branding program to draw multi-day active tourists has the potential for significant economic impact. The Camoin Group economic study projects over 34,000 new visitors a year in increased tourism from the Kingston-Ashokan trail, matching or exceeding Kingston tourist train ridership, even with events. The Ulster Trail Network when completed, stretching from east of the Walkway through the Rosendale Trestle to the Ashokan and possibly beyond, and south to Ellenville, will be, at over 100 miles, at or near one of the top 10 longest trail networks in the country and one of the most scenic. The Wallkill Valley Rail Trail, as just one link in that network, has already been named one of top 10 most iconic in U.S (out of 1600—RTC Trail Travel Magazine). Increased visitors will presumably include a significant percentage projected to come for multi-day cycling visits and tours–for instance long weekends or week long vacations, spending a day each exploring Kingston, riding around the Ashokan, traveling to New Paltz via the Rosendale Trestle, traveling to Accord, traveling to the Walkway.
There are 22 million residents of the NY-NJ metropolitan area. 30,000 riders a day utilize the Manhattan bike-sharing program. The NY DEP has agreed to market the Ashokan Trail section of the U&D corridor to all of its metropolitan water customers through their water bills. Kingston, with its Greenline, its potential connection to Ashokan, and the Gateway as a hub for the Ulster Trail network, and taking full advantage of a dynamic marketing and promotion program is poised to see active tourism as a major economic contributor.