Apr 7, 2026
Trails That Pay Off: How the Empire State Trail Drives Visitation, Spending, and Placemaking
As traveler demand shifts toward outdoor recreation, authentic experiences, and slower, place-based travel, New York’s trail network is uniquely positioned to support resilient tourism growth. Join us at the 2026 New York State Tourism Conference in Utica, New York, where Erica Schneider, Policy & Planning Manager at Parks & Trails New York will explore how tourism and hospitality professionals, marketers, and regional leaders can strategically leverage trail infrastructure to drive overnight visitation, strengthen local economies, and build more resilient destinations.
With more than 2,000 miles of greenway trails already in place—and hundreds more underway—this session meets the moment by helping tourism leaders capitalize on existing infrastructure, maximize return on public investment, and respond to evolving visitor expectations with data-driven, community-centered strategies. Using statewide data and real-world case studies from Empire State Trail Towns, attendees will gain practical insight into how they can actively support trail expansion, enhance visitor amenities, and elevate New York State’s greenway system into a globally competitive tourism asset.
Why You Should Attend This Session:
- Learn about actionable strategies to improve trail-to-town connectivity, enhance visitor readiness, and promote trail-friendly amenities that attract and retain visitors.
- Hear about replicable best practices and tools drawing from Empire State Trail Towns as case studies that DMOs and businesses can apply immediately, regardless of community size or capacity.
- Gain an understanding of the data available and studies underway to demonstrate trail tourism’s economic impact in New York State, including why long-distance trail travelers can deliver outsized returns for local communities.
About the Presenter:
As the Policy & Planning Manager with Parks & Trails New York, Erica Schneider is passionate about the transformative impact of parks and greenway trails. Building on her work promoting the Canalway Trail as a world-class bike touring destination, she launched the Empire State Trail Town program in 2022, drawing on PTNY's decades of advocacy for a completed Erie Canalway Trail and support for trailside communities. To date, Erica has worked with eleven communities, from small villages to growing cities, helping to identify ways to capture the quality of life and economic benefits of the long-distance trail in their backyard. Erica is an avid trail user herself, with experiences like biking across the United States and hiking Spain’s Camino de Santiago informing her advocacy for New York’s growing network of trails and green spaces.
About Parks & Trails New York
For 40 years, Parks & Trails New York has been the state’s leading advocate for public lands, driving transformative change. At Parks & Trails New York, we believe public lands are for all. We champion and protect our parks and greenways by advocating for resources, connecting communities, strengthening a network of stewards, and sharing the awe of nature.