The Camino Real and Historical Tourism.

By R. Edward Moore

This is a speaking outline I used for a presentation to the Southwestern American Association of Geographers. The main topic is the potential economic impact of tourism development along the Camino. I have posted it because it has facts and numbers many of you are asking for. When I get the chance I will rewrite it into a normal paper.

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Introduction

• The History
  Indian period
  Had a trail and trade system
          Show map
  Colorado river. - Edwards Plateau trade region
  Trade camps
  List tribes and where from;
  Caddo - Came every summer
  Jumano - Famous as traders
  Xuname - From Monterey Mexico
  All used a well established trail system
  Caddo and Xuname trails to trade region became basis of Camino Real
  Spanish explorers used same trails as Indians, had Indian guides.

This is the overhead that goes with this part of the paper. · Camino Real means Kings Highway · Oldest and first road in Texas · Goes from Monterey Mexico to Los Adaes in Louisiana · From Eagle Pass to Nacogdoches in Texas · About 450 miles long inside Texas · About 750 miles from Monterey to Los Adaes · Important as history and as a transportation link · Today is important for historical tourism in Texas

• Spanish period
  Spanish response to LaSalle and French
  Missions and towns in East Texas and LA
  Used Caddo and Xuname trails and improved them -- Camino Real
  First road in huge region
  Built missions and towns along way
  San Antonio
  Later pulled back when French not a threat
  Concerned again when Americans get LA
  So new activity on the road
  Build New Villas San Marcos de Neve one of them

• Mexican- American period
  Santa Anna came up the road to the Alamo.
  By this time a good bit of settlement along the road
  Branches to other places established, Santa Fe, San Philipe - Austin colony.

• Tourism
  Economics
  Tourism third largest industry in Texas.
  In San Antonio - San Marcos is the largest industry.
• A 1.4 billion dollar industry in San Antonio- Austin region.

This is the overhead that goes with this part of the paper. San Antonio - San Marcos · The best section for tourism development. · Has the most historical resources · Has the #1, #3 and #4 largest tourist attraction in Texas. #2 is in Austin just off the Camino Real · Has the Alamo, San Antonio Missions, · New Braunfels and San Marcos · Many of these resources are already developed as tourist attractions. · Has existing infrastructure of hotels, B&Bs, restaurants. · The road itself is scenic, rural nice drive with historic · With a small amount of development and promotion the Camino Real could easily capture 1% of that $1.4 bil =$140 mil. Into the San Antonio, New Braunfels and San Marcos economies!!

Historical - Cultural tourist
Better educated so..
Likes travel with some intellectual elements like history.
Educational style interpretation necessary.
Has more money to spend and spends it, quote figures,
Has more leisure time so stays longer quote figures.
But, has higher expectations of service
Has to be marketed too differently.

This is the overhead that goes with this part of the paper. Historical - Cultural tourists · Are the most desirable because: · Better educated so: · Likes travel with some intellectual elements like history, like the Camino Real · Have more leisure time so stays longer - more overnight stays · Tend to stay in hotels rather than w/ friends and family. · Earn more money, have more disposable income How many of them? 12 million ppl visited a historic site as a primary part of vacation in Texas in 1997

State of Camino Real as road today
Four basic sections

• South of San Antonio
  Fragmented, widely spread branches, nothing survives as a public road or town. No good for tourism without huge investment.
• San Antonio - San Marcos
  The best for tourism development.
  Has the Alamo, Missions, New Braunfels San Marcos the most historical resources.
  Many of the resources are already developed as tourist attractions.
  Has the infrastructure of hotels, B&Bs, restaurants.
  The road itself is scenic, rural nice drive with historic German farmhouses, many stone fences, lots of views.

This is the overhead that goes with this part of the paper. San Marcos - Nacogdoches · Is a farm to market road, Hwy 21. · Has potential. · But potential is regional near larger towns. · Bastrop nice · Bryan nice · Probably best to develop near these towns. · Overall, lacks infrastructure and potential organizers except near larger towns Nacogdoches region · Has missions and lots of history · Has good tourism industry based on the Piney Woods · Has hotels, restaurants and infrastructure. · Is working on developing historical tourism

• San Marcos - Nacogdoches
  Is a farm to market road Hwy 21.
  Has potential.
  Bastrop nice
  Bryan nice
  Probably best to develop near these towns.
• Nacogdoches region
  Has missions and history
  Has good tourism industry
  Is working on developing historical tourism

Present
Whole road will soon be a National Historical Trail
San Antonio has new project to mark route and use it to link major historical sites in SA
SA COG is considering development along San Marcos - San Antonio
Main Street projects in SM and NB

Conclusion
Oldest road in Texas
Links both physical and historical to historical places and historical periods
Has major role in Texas history of all periods and for many cultures.
Has the greatest potential value of any historical site in Texas.