Marketing for Trail Tourism

Breaking It Down | Action Plan | What’s Next | Case Studies

Generating Trail-Oriented Destination Marketing

Marketing is at the core of any tourism strategy, and takes on a special role in trail tourism by expanding regional efforts to attract efforts centered on the trail and it’s unique role in bringing to life the story of a place. By integrating regional assets such as trails and broader trail systems  with tourism approaches, promotion evolves from a focus on individual attractions to a place-based ecosystem rooted in outdoor recreation. The trail is infrastructure that physically connects people to interesting attractions and destinations, and it can be the experiential anchor to encourages longer stays, higher visitor spending, and repeat visitation.

Breaking It Down

Communities and trail advocates may feel unprepared or under-resourced when it comes to marketing. Limited staff capacity, uncertainty about the most effective use of marketing resources, and lack of partnership or consistent coordination with tourism agencies are among  the barriers communities be face as they seek to raise the visibility of their trail and market trails as regional destinations.

While these challenges may seem overwhelming, storytelling is truly the heart of effective marketing, and we are all experts in our own stories. The question then becomes, how best to share the story of your trail and its role in the community in a way that attracts visitors and supports local and regional tourism goals. Even in organizations with limited resources, simple, consistent marketing can increase visibility, attract visitors and support local businesses, all while building community pride. 

Tourism partners, including tourism agencies, convention and visitors bureaus (CVBs), and destination marketing organizations (DMOs) are often happy to promote trails as part of a region’s broader outdoor recreation and tourism offerings. While it can help to have clear assets, messaging and visuals to aid this process, these partners can also help you create an effective marketing approach if you can illustrate how the trail supports their goals.

Articulating the story of your trail is paramount, as is understanding how the trail is perceived today compared with how you’d like to see it perceived, which is dependent on the audiences you seek to engage. Defining your audiences, and what you want them to know about the trail, think about the trail, and do in relation to the trail is key to success. It will define the messaging, messengers, outreach channels, and activities that make up your marketing strategy.

Marketing for trail tourism requires clarity about whom you’re trying to reach, what you want to say and which channels will help you say it, and then building a marketing strategy that maximizes investment, partnership and impact.

Not sure where to get started? This communications plan template can help distill your goals and objectives to move your marketing plan forward.

Making It Actionable 

The following outlines a plan of action for developing a marketing strategy that aligns with your organizational capacity while making progress on your trail tourism goals.

1. Work With Local Tourism Partners: Your Most Powerful Marketing Collaborators 

Tourism boards, CVBs and DMOs are the primary entities tasked with promoting destinations within your community. These organizations are typically eager to promote trails and trail networks because they serve as vital tourism assets. Trails not only enhance the regional brand identity—often highlighting natural beauty, history or culture—but also diversify the tourism offerings, attracting niche markets like cyclists, hikers and eco-tourists. Ultimately, promoting trails translates directly into increased visitor spending and substantial economic activity for the region. 

To ensure your trail receives the attention and promotion it deserves, a strategic and prepared approach is essential when engaging with your local DMO, CVB or tourism board. And marketing can begin at any stage in your trail development process. Even if you don’t yet have trail infrastructure on the ground, developing marketing strategy can emphasize the vision you’re building for the region, while helping you make relationships with local and regional tourism and visitor professionals.

The following are a series of actions you can take to kick start your trail tourism marketing efforts. And you can go even further following the guidance in RTC’s TrailNation Playbook for Engagement.

Action: Introduce Your Trail as a Tourism Asset

Provide a comprehensive media kit: Share high-resolution, compelling photos and video clips that showcase the trail’s unique features across different seasons. Include a concise, engaging short description suitable for website copy, detailed maps (digital and printable) and suggested itineraries (e.g., a “three-hour family hike,” a “full-day cycling tour”), and highlight unique seasonal attractions or experiences (fall foliage, spring wildflowers, winter sports access). 

Action: Clarify Your Trail’s Target Audience

Define the visitor profile: Clearly articulate who is most likely to use the trail. Is it built for active families with young children? Highly experienced mountain bikers and adventure seekers? Cultural tourists interested in historical interpretation or art installations along the route? Birdwatchers and nature enthusiasts? Knowing the audience allows your tourism partners to target their marketing dollars and efforts precisely.

Action: Ask What They Need From You

Be a proactive content partner: Tourism agencies constantly require fresh content. Offer to supply high-quality, professional-level images and video (with necessary usage rights granted). Develop and pitch compelling story ideas (e.g., “The History of the Old Rail Line,” “Local Artisans Near the Trailhead”) that can be featured in their blogs, press releases or publications. Provide timely and accurate details about upcoming trail-related events, festivals or guided tours well in advance of the booking season.

Action: Request Inclusion in Marketing Channels

Secure placement in key resources: Explicitly ask that your trail be featured on your local tourism agency’s official website with direct links back to your own site, included in its annual visitor guide and integrated into themed visitor itineraries (e.g., a “Wellness and Nature” itinerary or a “Best Outdoor Adventures” map). Also, ask to be included in relevant email newsletters and social media campaigns.

Action: Coordinate Messaging and Branding

Align with the regional brand: Successful marketing relies on consistency. Align your trail’s promotional materials and language with the regional branding and messaging established by the DMO (e.g., if the region markets itself as “The Adventure Capital of the Midwest,” frame your trail to fit that narrative). This way, your efforts amplify the DMO’s overall reach and vice versa, creating a more cohesive and powerful message for potential visitors.

2. Start Small: Market Your Trail With the Resources You Have 

Marketing doesn’t have to be overwhelming. While it can scale to regional and national advertising campaigns, if marketing approaches are designed with a strategic focus on audiences and outcomes, even small investments and more “do it yourself” or “DIY” approaches can have meaningful impact.

Here are some ways you can get started with marketing to build awareness and generate interest among visitors in your trail:

• Update or create a basic landing page with a map, hours, parking information and photos. 
• Post regularly on just one or two social media platforms instead of trying to be everywhere. 
• Reuse content—a single trail photo can be included in a social post, a press pitch and a website banner. 
• Co-market with partners—ask local businesses or chambers of commerce to share your posts or mention trail events. 
• Use templates for press releases, itineraries and social media to streamline your work. 
• Recruit volunteers or ambassadors to help with content collection (photos, event updates, etc.). 

Remember—consistency beats complexity. Even one social media post per week builds awareness over time. 

3. Understand Your Media Mix: Paid, Owned, Shared and Earned

When marketing professionals talk about “paid, owned, shared and earned media” they’re referring to a framework that encourages repetition of messages in the many spaces where people consume information. The greatest marketing impact comes integrating messaging across all media channels because it reinforces the information you want your audience to understand.

In an attention economy, where people are consistently receiving thousands of pieces of information every day, having a presence in the spaces that matter to the audiences you are trying to reach matters. This media framework is a straightforward tool for making informed decisions about where to concentrate marketing efforts by identifying potential channels. 

Shared media: Content that you want people to share on your behalf
Purpose: Amplifies message through individual voices
Examples: Social media content, partner messaging, viral campaigns
Why it matters: Gets others to champion your message, demonstrates public interest

Owned media: Content you create and control
Purpose: Authoritative information and storytelling, high control
Examples: Website, newsletters, maps, kiosks
Why it matters: Can be low cost, builds your brand, you have control over the message

Earned media: Coverage generated by others
Purpose: Third-party validation which brings authority and credibility
Examples: Journalist-authored articles, DMO features, user-generated content
Why it matters: More credible and often more impactful than anything you could buy

Paid media: Content you pay to promote
Purpose: Expands reach of organizations content to new or targeted audiences
Examples: Digital ads, billboards, print ads, paid influencer partnerships. 
Why it matters: Helps when launching new amenities or targeting specific visitor groups, amplifies your message

While each of these media channels is important, not all are created equal. When building your marketing strategy, it is important to consider how each channel might play a role, while recognizing that you may need to prioritize resources and investment. Consider the effect that each will have on your audience and the goals you’re trying to achieve.

4. Craft Simple, Compelling Messages Driven by Audience 

Your marketing is only as effective as the clarity of your message, and its relevance to your audience. It is important to spend time assessing who the most important audiences are to your efforts, and how they already engage with the trail. The relationship between how you want them to engage and how they are engaging already will provide insight to your messaging approach and your marketing strategy. (Explore audience-driven message development in the audiences and messaging section of the toolkit.)

Some elements of strong trail messaging to consider include having a clear, short description of the experience (“A scenic multiuse trail connecting historic neighborhoods and downtown”); a few key selling points (views, amenities, history, family-friendliness); and a call to action— “Plan your visit,” “Explore the trail,” “Join us for Celebrate Trails Day!” Don’t forget the importance of audience-specific messages. For example, visitors care about experiences: “Looking for adventure? Join us for a monthly moonlit ride and discover the trail in a whole new way.” Residents care about quality of life: “Calling all walkers, runners, cyclists and families—your trail is calling! Enjoy a safe, beautiful place to stay active close to home.” Businesses care about customers: “Join our Trail Passport Program to showcase your business to the 1,000+ visitors who enjoy our trail each week.” 

5. Try Creative, Low-Cost Marketing Ideas That Make Your Trail Stand Out 

Marketing doesn’t have to be complicated—or expensive—to be effective. Even with limited staff or budget, you can spark interest and generate shareable moments that amplify your trail far beyond your own networks and communication channels. Creative marketing is about giving visitors something worth talking about, whether that’s a unique visual, a fun experience, or a memorable story. Here are some creative ideas to inspire your promotion efforts:  

• Create a simple branded trail hashtag and encourage visitors to use it. Like #TrailMoments, designed to encourage national storytelling among people using the trail; #ProudToTrail and #OnTheCircuit to align with the Greater Philadelphia area’s Circuit Trails network; and #BMOREConnected, that emphasizes efforts in the Baltimore area to create a connected trail network.
• Develop themed itineraries that direct people to activities, destinations and businesses near the trail (e.g., “Coffee & Trail,” “Historic Mile Walk,” “Family Adventure Hour”). Consider how you can build itineraries that leverage existing tourism and economic development campaigns like Small Business Saturday, and local festivals and fairs.
• Partner with local creatives like artists, musicians and poets to bring art or storytelling onto the trail and consider hosting art-related challenges, like photo challenges to encourage people to explore the trail.
• Design a trail passport for visitors who stop at trail towns or complete segments. Consider integrating micro events like guided sunrise walks, “Bike to Brunch” days, or full-moon hikes to get people to engage more deeply and consistently. This also creates a forum for gathering user-generated content on your website or social channels to build community ownership. 

• Create branded merchandise such as T-shirts, stickers and water bottles. Sell these items for fundraising, use them for volunteer recognition, or offer as prizes for challenges. 
• Create a Trail-Friendly Business program like the Schuylkill River Trail-Friendly Business Program, including window decals, co-promotion opportunities, staff training and event participation.

These activities help create emotional connections—and emotional connections drive return visits, word-of-mouth promotion and stronger community identity. RTC’s webinar, Creating Engagement Moments That Accelerate Your Trail Network,” offers additional insight for creative approaches to engagement.  

Action Item: Identify an area or an event along your trail that is highly photogenic. Consider whether this could inspire visitors to share their experience on social media. A single scenic overlook, vibrant mural or unique welcome sign provides a perfect visual anchor for social media posts. If possible, incorporate signage that provides a suggested hashtag and your social media handle, inviting visitors to tag you in their posts. This simple strategy can dramatically boost your promotion as visitors actively market the trail to their own networks. 

What’s Next?  

The following are suggested next steps organized by trail tourism readiness level. Use the “Trail Tourism Readiness Assessment Tool” to identify the phase that best fits your community. 

In-Development

Conditions: Prospective trail/existing trail and community lack strategic (or any) messaging related to tourism.

Marketing Focus: At this stage, focus on building visibility and sparking interest in the trail, trail concept and community identity.

Next Steps:

1. Create a simple one-page trail and community overview with photos or renderings.
2. Meet with your DMO to introduce the trail concept and understand how it fits in with broader tourism efforts happening in the community.
3. Establish one basic communication channel (Facebook page or webpage).
4. Begin gathering stories, visuals and early supporters.

Local Favorite

Conditions: Trail and community are minimally marketed, mostly to the local market, or marketing may be word-of-mouth or to local “in” groups. No marketing plan, messaging or strategy has been developed.

Marketing Focus: Increase local awareness and begin attracting nearby visitors.

Next Steps:

1. Add basic visitor information about your trail and community online (parking, map, amenities).
2. Share seasonal trail and community updates on social media.
3. Pitch a story to a local news outlet.
4. Ask businesses and partners to share trail information with customers.

Regional Destination

Conditions: A marketing plan is being executed with cohesive messaging and clear target audiences. Marketing efforts are being evaluated using commonly available analytics tools.

Marketing Focus: Strengthen regional marketing and deepen partnerships.

Next Steps:

1. Work with your DMO to feature the trail and surrounding community in regional campaigns.
2. Develop or update your photo library.
3. Create simple itineraries (two-hour, half-day, family-friendly).
4. Engage influencers, photographers or ambassadors.
5. Begin integrating paid promotion for major events or launches.

National Destination

Conditions: A broader national or international marketing campaign is in place. Marketing efforts are being tracked using advanced analytics tools.

Marketing Focus: Work to ensure brand consistency across platforms and help others upstream/downstream with coordinated marketing planning.

Next Steps:

1. Implement a coordinated national or international marketing campaign in partnership with DMOs, statewide tourism offices and trail network collaborators.
2. Use advanced analytics tools (geolocation data, campaign dashboards, sentiment analysis, visitor pathing) to evaluate marketing performance and refine strategies.
3. Ensure brand consistency across platforms—trail website, social media, partner channels, printed materials and statewide/destination campaigns.
4. Share marketing assets and messaging guidance with upstream and downstream communities to strengthen the entire corridor’s visibility.
5. Lead collaborative marketing planning efforts, helping nearby communities integrate their promotions into a cohesive, regionwide trail tourism narrative.

Case Studies  

Positioning Trails as an Anchor in Statewide and Regional Marketing—Alabama Tourism’s “Year of Alabama Trails” Campaign

The Alabama Tourism Department’s launch of the “Year of Alabama Trails” (2025–2026) is a sophisticated case study demonstrating shifting the marketing focus from individual, fragmented trail segments to positioning the entire trail system—encompassing hiking, biking, water and historical trails—as a primary economic driver and unified, compelling tourism product.  

The campaign is not a one-off event; it is the newest segment of a proven, highly successful multiyear thematic marketing series. By dedicating two full years to the theme, the state creates a sustained, consistent marketing message that builds visibility, tourist confidence and economic impact over a long duration. This powerful commitment serves as proof to policymakers and stakeholders that the strategy effectively generates revenue and contributes to the state’s goal of attracting over $30 billion in annual visitor spending.  

This strategy required strong organizational capacity from partners who understood the trails landscape, such as the Alabama Trails Foundation, working with the Alabama Tourism Department. As you develop a marketing strategy for your trail and surrounding community, consider how you might coordinate and align efforts of numerous local DMOs and trail groups, ensuring everyone speaks with a unified voice to maximize regional and national reach, all while using the strengths of each organization to better promote and protect trails.

Annual Events to Drive Engagement—Summit Metro Parks Fall Hiking Spree 

Summit Metro Parks (Summit County, Ohio) organizes an annual Fall Hiking Spree to encourage residents and visitors to get out and enjoy the fall colors while enjoying the many parks and trails the organization manages.  

Participants are invited to complete at least eight designated trails between September 1 and November 30. First-year hikers earn a hiking staff and metal shield to adorn their staff. Returning hikers receive that year’s commemorative shield.  

This program has multiple benefits: It encourages hikers to seek out trails they may be unaware of or otherwise wouldn’t consider using, the commemorative shield attracts hikers year after year, and the activity provides valuable data the organization can use to report on impact. The logbook even has a line that allows hikers to rate trail conditions, providing valuable feedback to inform maintenance needs. 

Consider simple or recurring events, tied into local identity and existing activities, to augment your trail tourism marketing strategy.