Insights Driven By Data: Lessons Learned From the Success of the Empire State Trail

When tourism professionals think about marketing, most of us picture social media campaigns, digital advertising, content creation, and public relations. But what if some of the most effective marketing investments aren't conventional “marketing” investments at all?

Parks & Trails New York recently hosted a webinar discussing its new report on The Economic Impact of the Empire State Trail. A few key findings include:

• 9.75 million annual visits
• $1.87 billion in annual economic output
• 9,742 jobs supported
• $206 million in annual state and local tax revenue
• $5.43 generated in economic output for every $1 invested

The Empire State Trail is a prime example of infrastructure functioning as a tourism asset. It doesn’t just attract hikers and cyclists; it brings people who spend on food, lodging, shopping, and more in the surrounding areas, all while bettering their own mental and physical health.

I will highlight another important figure: 24% of businesses surveyed said proximity to the Trail influenced their location decision. The Trail doesn't simply attract visitors. It attracts businesses, investment, and development. For destination organizations, this raises an interesting question: How often do we think about infrastructure and marketing as separate investments when they may be working toward the same goal?

As a hospitality student with a particular inclination toward art, film, and storytelling, I am often drawn to the promotional side of tourism. I enjoy thinking about how destinations can craft compelling narratives and inspire people to visit. However, the Empire State Trail case study made me think about another side of marketing: creating experiences worth promoting in the first place. After all, even the most successful marketing campaign can only amplify what already exists. If visitors arrive and find a destination that is difficult to navigate, disconnected, or lacking memorable experiences, no amount of storytelling can compensate for that reality.

Visitors want:

• Easy access to attractions
• Walkable communities
• Places that feel connected
• Moments that remain in their memory long after they return home

Infrastructure may not look like marketing, but it shapes nearly every part of the visitor experience. In many ways, marketing inspires the trip, but infrastructure determines whether the experience lives up to the promise.

Several communities along the Trail demonstrate that the greatest economic benefits often come not from the trail itself, but from the connections it creates between visitors and local businesses.

• Rome: Simple investments like bike racks and downtown connections encourage Trail users to engage with local businesses.
• Newark: Better wayfinding and connections between the Trail and Main Street help bring visitors into the community.
• New Paltz: Trail connectivity helps to support new tourism and hospitality development, including a boutique hotel designed with Trail users in mind.

None of these examples are really about trails. They're about reducing barriers between visitors and experiences. And in doing so, they illustrate why infrastructure can be one of the most effective forms of destination marketing.

Overall, the efforts of Parks & Trails New York demonstrate that:

1. Infrastructure investments can function as marketing investments.
2. Connectivity between attractions, businesses, and downtowns matters.
3. Small improvements such as signage, bike parking, and wayfinding can influence visitor behavior.
4. Tourism infrastructure can attract private investment alongside visitors.
5. The most successful destinations create experiences worth talking about after visitors arrive.

While campaigns, content, and advertising may inspire a visit, infrastructure shapes the experience itself. The most successful destinations are not simply marketed well: They are designed to be explored, enjoyed, and remembered. In that sense, the experiences visitors have once they arrive may be the most powerful marketing tool of all.