Assessing the income multiplier of trail‐related tourism in a coastal area of Portugal

Rising demand for access to trail networks has encouraged local governments to invest in trail development. This study is the first attempt to estimate the local income multiplier effect of recreational trail tourism, applying an Ad hoc model. The most popular recreational trail in the Algarve region of Portugal was used as a study case to verify the relevance of the Ad hoc model application. The result acknowledges a significant trail-related contribution to the local economy and rural community development. This study suggests the use of the Ad hoc model to assess the economic impact of local-scale outdoor-recreation activities in terms of income generation.