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An investigation into the key factors necessary for the development of iconic touring routes

University of Tasmania, Anne.Hardy{at}utas.edu.au

In recent years, the concept of developing themed touring routes or self-drive trails has been given much attention. Consequently many have been developed, particularly in Australia and the USA. Themed touring routes have been advocated as opportunities to link regional communities together, form partnerships, encourage tourism development along commonly travelled routes, provide a more satisfactory tourism experience and maximise economic benefits to local business people by encouraging longer stays and greater spending in the region. Ultimately, touring routes can develop into tourist icons, such as the Cascade Loop in Washington State and the Great Texas Coastal Birding Trail in the USA. This paper uses these two case studies to determine the key factors for the successful development of touring routes. It proposes that there are ten, including community involvement, an understanding of the drive tourist, the development of attractions, effective interpretation and signage and infrastructure.

Key Words: drive tourism • themed touring routes • self-drive trails

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