Investment in premium hiking trails Less sweat, more enjoyment
Rhineland-Palatinate has invested more than five million euros in premium hiking trails since 2007. They are attracting a growing number of hikers to the region.
When it comes to hiking, quality is king. “For a good ten years now, quality is a very important topic,” says Antonia Albertis, project manager at Rhineland-Palatinate Tourism in Koblenz. According to the economics ministry, Rhineland-Palatinate (the state neighboring NRW to the south), has invested 5.28 million euro on the development of premium hiking trails since 2007. More than 200 trails have now received a seal of approval, and twelve long-distance trails such as the Rheinsteig have received accolades from the German Hiking Institute or the German Hiking Association.
The so-called “premium” hiking trails receive the distinction by reaching various criteria. They must be well-labelled, rich in variation, mostly easy to access, and offer good infrastructure in the form of restaurants or public restrooms. Individual regions are responsible for the upkeep of the trails. At the “Rhein-Mosel-Eifel”, a trail manager and 23 volunteers see to it that bushes are cut back from the trail, and that signage remains in place. Trails must be certified every three years to receive a seal of approval.
It costs 24,000 euros per year to maintain the “Rhein-Mosel-Eifel” but the investment seems to pay off. In 2016, there were around 330,000 hikers on the trail. In 2010, that number was only around 165,000 visitors. Premium trails have been successful and there are a growing number of them in the region.
While it may not be possible to have a restaurant along every hiking trail, new concepts are being tried out. After Easter, three trails were to receive vending machines, tables and benches. This means future hikers in Merzig-Wadern County on the approximate 13-kilometer trail from Weiskirchen to Waldhölzbach will be able to quench their hunger and thirst with beer, wine, juice, salami or cheese. And the products come from the region.
Hikers on the “Weinsteig” (Wine trail) are younger than they used to be. Whereas the common age used to be around 70-years-old, many hikers are now between 30 and 50-years-old. They are not necessarily hiking for sport but rather because they are visiting a region and want to go hiking, or they live in a region and want to discover what it has to offer. Hikers range from families to seniors. What’s important for all is to have sturdy hiking shoes.
Beginning in September, Mayen-Koblenz County will offer gradually eleven premium trails. They are three to seven kilometers long, and great for families with small children or seniors because they are relatively flat. Three such paths already run along the “Saarschleife” and more are planned for the summer.
(Orig. Text: dpa, Translation: C. Kloeppel)
