Newfoundland and Labrador Product Development Strategy

- 133-Walking and hiking is one of the most popular activities for tourists visiting the province.Destination Hiking TrailsGros Morne National Park has a number of hiking trails and the area has become a world classdestination in this regard. Its trails are used by both dedicated hikers, many of whom travel tothe province for this purpose, as well as by park visitors more generally. This area is generallymarket ready (although elsewhere we recommend more upscale leisure-style accommodations)and can sustain more trail use. Gros Morne should be a priority for packaging and marketing,working in association with local adventure operators.The new East Coast Trail has terrific long term potential for both dedicated hikers as well astourists more generally, given its outstanding setting and connection to established tourism areas.However, it is not market ready as yet. It needs a strategy involving infrastructure, information,access, traveller services with standards, coordination and marketing. To date the onlyproperties offering accommodations along the trail are six B&Bs. It will be important to getother accommodations involved in the program. There is also a need to get the adventureoperators involved more extensively in providing guiding and outfitting services.The establishment of a trail support group of tourism operators and communities along the EastCoast Trail is a step in the right direction. As with the trail organization itself, this group shouldbe encouraged and supported.An important issue with destination trails is protecting them from encroachment from industry,forestry, etc., which requires at a minimum buffer zones along the route of the trail. Also, thereis a need for protection of the route for recreational use and disallowing people from using it asan access route to their cottage in the woods. Legislation is needed in these regards. This topicis discussed further in Section 10.There may, in time, be opportunities to develop other similar icon status ‘destination’ hikingtrails in the province, but for the present, we recommend that the attention be focussed on theGros Morne area and the East Coast Trail. Unlike Gros Morne where Parks Canada ismaintaining the trails, technical support and funding are needed for the East Coast Trail andother destination trails in future - for trail development and ongoing maintenance, quality andsafety standards, tourism facilities and services development, insurance, packaging andmarketing.Once the East Coast Trail starts to reach maturity, others may be pursued, selectively. Trails aregreat for tourism, but too many only undermines the potential for each one. Invest in a numberof key, strategic ones as demand generators, but don’t make every community a trailsdestination.We have heard of some efforts to establish a trail network in the Terra Nova NationalPark/Eastport Peninsula area that might have destination trail potential.THE ECONOMIC PLANNING GROUP of Canada Newfoundland & Labrador Tourism Product DevelopmentD. W. Knight Associates Strategy and Accommodation Needs Study