In the UK travel plans are now well developed as a concept for schools and employers to help reduce congestion and emissions and provide health benefits for students and employees. A number of individuals are also consulting specialists on how to reduce their car dependency.
In comparison, work on travel to countryside leisure destinations is much less developed. This report looks at the particular problems and challenges facing rural leisure destinations and suggests processes that can help develop and deliver visitor travel plans.
The car is the overwhelmingly favoured method of transport for rural leisure visits and encouraging people to change is a challenge. To date most visitor travel plans have focused on developing and promoting new travel opportunities rather than changing existing travel behaviour. However, this may increase overall visitor numbers without reducing the problems of car traffic and although the social and economic objectives may be being met, the environmental ones may not be.