There's momentum behind a program to connect the East and West coasts of the U.S. with walking trails, and I'm hoping hoteliers are breaking in their new shoes.
The Associated Press reports the Biden administration opened applications this week for a new grant program that prioritizes the building of new trails and connecting existing ones with funding from the 2021 infrastructure law. The law budgeted for up to $1 billion over five years for this program.
The grant process lines up well with the proposed Great American Rail-Trail, which would create a continuous path from Washington, D.C., to Washington State. The project already includes more than 125 completed trails across 12 states as well as Washington, D.C.
To be clear, just because there's a program in the works with millions of dollars in funding doesn't mean it's all going to work out. Plans, priorities and politicians can change. This is not a sure thing, but that doesn't mean hoteliers shouldn't keep an eye on how this cross-country trail plays out.
Why? If we do end up with a network of trails that connect the coasts, there would be a subset of people using these trails for longer treks who need places to sleep on their journeys.
Not every person walking the trails would be looking to traverse all 3,700 miles. Most probably would just want to take a nice walk on the section of paths near where they live.
But consider this. According to the Appalachian Trail Conservancy, roughly 3 million people visit the Appalachian Trail annually. Of those, more than 3,000 people try to hike the entire 2,190-mile trail, and about 25% of those hikers succeed.
Who knows how many people would actually attempt such a hike across the U.S. using the proposed Great American Rail-Trail? While there won't be enough to justify multiple thousand-room hotels to follow the trail, there could be enough for some smaller hotels, hostels or alternative accommodations along the way.
We know people's priorities changed during the pandemic. More than ever, people want new experiences, and a cross-country trek certainly fits in that box. The Appalachian Trail draws in millions of people each year, and while most people aren't ready to dedicate months of their lives to walking the whole thing, there are plenty who will take it in smaller chunks.
Hikers can spend their nights in designated campsites with tents or hammocks, in small shelters and, when the trail brings them closer to towns, in hotels, motels, hostels and short-term rentals. I would imagine they would need similar accommodations along a completed cross-country trail.
There's no need to jump on anything right now, but it's worth investigating further to learn more about the project, to see what applications receive federal funding and what aligns well with a development project. There's no harm in at least keeping tabs on this.
You can reach me at bwroten@hotelnewsnow.com as well as LinkedIn.
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