Exploring the spatial patterns of car-based tourist travel in Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park, Scotland

Abstract

Car transport is a vital element in tourism yet there is a surprising neglect of the role of the car on tourism travel patterns, behaviour and activities. This exploratory paper focuses on the use of itinerary mapping as a useful methodology to identify how aggregate travel flow as well as more detailed individual itineraries can be mapped and understood using a Geographical Information System (GIS). The focus of this exploratory research is the Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park, Scotland's first National Park established in 2002, where a variety of itinerary patterns are revealed through a map-based questionnaire of visitors using National Park roads ( n=749). The implications for planning and policy initiatives are discussed.