Originally Posted by
Aquakitty
I don't know about that. The Kettle Valley/Trans Canada trail attracts many group tourists and day riders. Of course maybe you are right about your particular trail, the KVR/Columbia Western has some great views associated with it.
I think though your trail could attract tour companies, for instance the KVR has a tour company from Germany that runs the entire thing once a month 20 or so people a time, and there are quite a few local tour companies that run supported tours.
You will see many, many more people in my area touring on a rail trail than you will on a highway, as people find it feels more safe.
There's no comparison between the Kettle Valley Rail Trail and our rail trail. Our rail trail goes through pleasant enough countryside (rolling hills and pastureland) but there's really nothing in the way of dramatic scenery, tourist attractions, etc. etc. It doesn't even go through or to the two major tourist attractions in this shire. Plus it would be next to impossible to ride with a road bicycle or non-mtn bike touring bicycle because of the surface they've opted to use.
It would take a very rich person with money to burn, looking for a tax write-off opportunity, to spruce up the places along the trail to something tourist worthy before it would become a destination or a tourist attraction in itself.