Trails, Tours and Cruise
Development Pathway
Trails create opportunities. Businesses create visitor experiences.
This Development Pathway helps you see where your business fits into existing and emerging visitor journeys. It outlines the opportunities, how businesses can participate, what to consider before getting started, and the resources and support available to help you create high-quality visitor experiences.
Image: Snowies Alpine Walk, Snowy Mountains | Credit – Destination Southern NSW
Across Southern NSW, trails, touring routes and visitor journeys connect landscapes, towns, attractions and communities. From iconic walking tracks and scenic road trips to food trails, guided experiences and shore excursions, these journeys encourage visitors to explore further, stay longer and spend more across the region.
The infrastructure may already exist, but tourism businesses create the visitor experience. Accommodation providers, tour operators, transport services, hospitality businesses, producers, attractions and local communities all play a role in transforming a trail or route into a memorable visitor journey.
Why it matters for your business
Visitor expectations continue to evolve. Travellers increasingly seek connected experiences rather than isolated attractions. Successful destinations make it easy for visitors to move between experiences, discover local businesses and build memorable itineraries.
Whether you are creating a guided experience, packaging accommodation with local attractions, supporting a walking trail, servicing a future rail trail or developing a shore excursion, understanding visitor journeys can help identify new markets, strengthen partnerships and grow your business.
Who is this pathway for?
This pathway is designed for tourism businesses, industry organisations and communities interested in developing or enhancing trail, touring and journey-based visitor experiences. It is particularly relevant to accommodation providers, tour and experience operators, hospitality businesses, transport providers, attractions, producers, local councils, destination organisations and businesses exploring new tourism products or partnerships.
What you will learn
- Recognise opportunities created by different visitor journeys.
- Understand how tourism businesses typically participate in trails and tours.
- Identify where your business can contribute and collaborate.
- Understand key planning, partnership and operational considerations before investing.
- Navigate relevant Destination NSW, NSW First and Destination Southern resources and support
How this pathway is structured
The pathway is organised into five phases:
- Planning and business readiness
- Land-based trails & linear journeys – Walking and hiking trails, rail trails and linear journeys.
- Ride, paddle & active touring – Cycling, paddling and active experiences.
- Touring routes & themed journeys – Road trips, food, wine, heritage and themed journeys.
- Guided tours & shore excursions – Guided experiences and cruise opportunities.
Cross-Pathway Links
For continued learning and related resources, explore:
- Start Here Pathway – for business readiness and planning.
- Accessibility & Inclusion Pathway – for inclusive tourism practices.
- Cultural Tourism Pathway – for cultural engagement and storytelling.
- Agritourism Pathway – for local sourcing and land stewardship.
- Meetings and Events Pathway – for sustainable event management.
Your next step
Begin with Phase 1 and then explore the phase that best reflects the visitor journey or opportunity you want to explore.
We acknowledge and credit Destination NSW for the relevant content that underpins the Trails, Tours and Cruise Development Pathway.
Phase
Planning & business readiness
Explore Phase →
Land-based trails & linear journeys
Explore Phase →
Ride, paddle & active touring
Explore Phase →
Touring routes & themed journeys
Explore Phase →
Guided tours & shore excursions
Explore Phase →
