Pete Burnsall says the path could turn into one of the UK's busiest

It is claimed that the Snowdon Circular Path could generate more than �6m in extra income for the area every year.

The path idea is being championed by Pete Burnsall, a part-time mountain guide and trade director of Tourism Partnership North Wales.

He said the path was a "priceless project" to join places like Llanberis, Beddgelert, Waunfawr, and Rhyd-ddu.

Mr Burnsall is also one of the founder directors of Snowdonia Active, which commissioned research into the idea, with help from Tourism Partnership and the Countryside Council for Wales.

If you have 50,000 people going round, which I don't think is unreasonable, then you are looking at it generating �6m annually. Pete Burnsall

"The walk is based on an idea for a footpath along Llanberis Pass by Sam Roberts, a warden with the Snowdonia National Park Authority."

"It's 26 miles around Wales' highest mountain which is, without doubt, the most iconic mountain in the UK."

Tourists would learn an enormous amount navigating the footpath, he said.

"Snowdon has some of the best views and some of the most incredible history surrounding it."

"There's industrial architecture, the Mabinogion, Arthurian legend, Roman and Celtic history.

"On top of all that there's the climbing history, the walking history, the paragliding and sporting endeavour, not forgetting World War II crash sites and ghost stories."

Mr Burnsall said since the initial research a more detailed feasibility study into the project had been completed.

The path would not cause environmental damage to the area

He said a project manager was now needed to start looking at raising the �1m to �2m.

The aim was to create a "well-supported and sustainable footpath that doesn't cause environmental damage to the area", he added.

"There are places where you need to put duckboards, others where you need flagstones and then you need supporting signage and literature. It just pushes the ante up and up.

"Because some of the terrain it goes across is kind of rugged, you can't send in a few guys in with a pick and shovel - it's a lot more complex than that."

Mr Burnsall estimated that it would take three days for walkers to go round the Snowdon path, with the average person spending �40 a day.

"If you have 50,000 people going round, which I don't think is unreasonable, then you are looking at it generating �6m annually."

"The idea is that you end up extending their stay to a two, three or four day trip - and you also take cars off the road because they are walking around."