Regulating car travel is fundamental to the principles of sustainable tourism and reducing tourism impacts upon a holiday destination. However motorists are unlikely to explore an area without their car if the alternatives are poorly promoted, hard to use or simply not there. A major challenge is to encourage visitors to use alternative modes of travel such as through the promotion of public transport, and the provision of new bus, cycle and walking routes. However, successful schemes around the UK have shown that with the right services, drivers can be persuaded to leave their cars at home. This study, being undertaken by the Wales Transport Research Centre, aims to provide new insights into the link between transport, tourism and the rural economy of Wales. The key question to be answered by this research is whether transport investment, excluding road construction, in rural areas can stimulate the local economy through increased tourist trade? The objective is, through a series of case studies, to assess what impact transport investment in rural areas can have on tourism and consequently on: job creation; tourist expenditure; accommodation providers, tourist attraction and other service providers; local transport service sustainability; and destination choice and tourist destination satisfaction. This study is based on the development of a number of case studies centred on existing transport projects undertaken in Wales that have been shown to impact on the rural economy in which they are located. The case studies cover all modes of transport including bus and train, as well as non-motorised forms of travel such as cycling. The research is concerned with transport provision within a tourist area or services linking tourist / visitor attractions. Throughout the research the focus is on identifying economic impacts such as the creation of jobs, tourist expenditure in the area, and the impacts on accommodation providers, tourist attractions and other service providers. While the economic impacts will be the main consideration, other social and environmental impacts will also be identified. For the covering abstract see ITRD E137145.
Samenvatting