ABSTRACT
This chapter explores whether and how tourists can actually increase the economic feasibility of rural public transport supply and therefore contribute to the sustainability of transportation in rural regions. Empirical evidence about the opportunities of fruitful cooperation between public transport agencies and the tourism sector towards better transport provision in natural settings is provided. The chapter presents a case study from the region of Lippe in the north-eastern part of North Rhine Westphalia, where the existing public transport service was restructured to satisfy the needs of tourists. The chapter, originating from the empirical results of the German research and demonstration project IMAGO, shows that redesigning a public transportation system to meet the tourism demand can increase the economic feasibility of the service and contribute to the protection of the local environment. The great advantage in this that minor investments in marketing activities and limited modifications to the service's original routing scheme may have positive outcomes, including increased ridership and revenues.
