The influence of transportation and digital technologies on backcountry tourism and recreation in British Columbia, Canada

Abstract

Sensitive backcountry environments are more accessible than ever due to technological innovation and a growing tourism sector in Western Canada. Current regulations and management practices must adapt as technology continues to change the way people access, travel on and experience backcountry trail networks. While existing literature discusses the ecological impacts of trail-based tourism, there are few resources available that foster comprehensive land management strategies of backcountry trails in British Columbia (BC). There are also a limited number of studies that are specific to the effects of transportation and digital technologies on backcountry tourism and recreation. A community-based participatory research methodology provided the foundation for this study. Twenty-one semi-structured interviews were completed with key industry stakeholders who currently manage trails in backcountry environments throughout the province. We examine the challenges and opportunities that new forms of transportation and digital technologies offer to the management of backcountry trails, with a specific focus on the sport of mountain biking. Participants asserted that the multiple overlapping interests that compete for control of public land in Western Canada add layers of complexity to any discussion of backcountry tourism, recreation and conflict management. There was also an emphasis that unsustainable growth of trail-based tourism in numerous regions of BC increases the potential for conflict to occur between trail users. These findings inform the development of strategies to manage people, the lands, and the relationships with other stakeholders to mitigate conflict in these tourism economies. The results provide insight into the contemporary challenges trail managers face related to transportation and digital technological innovations and they identify opportunities for further trail user education to encourage more collaborative land management strategies. The example of how these technologies impact backcountry trails in BC has applicability for diverse rural tourism economies throughout Canada and internationally.