Marketing the Economic Benefits of Bicycle Tourism Alliance for Biking & Walking Mutual Aid Conference Call

Wednesday, April 10, 2013

Bicycle tourism has signi cant impacts on economies of all scales. According to a recent Advocacy Advance report, the state of Maine generates an estimated $66 million per year in bicycle tourism; North Carolina's Outer Banks alone generates $60 million annually in economic activity from bicycle tourism. On this call, expert panelists discussed how advocates can highlight the economic bene ts of bicycle tourism in order to grow organizations and create new partnerships.

Ginny Sullivan

Director of Travel Initiatives Adventure Cycling Association e Big Picture Bicycle tourism a growing niche in the active travel market. Active, sustainable and experiential travel are the next big trends in tourism, and communities need to take advantage of this trend. Bike tourism itself has four common types of travelers. - e self-contained traveler carries their own gear on their bike or in a support vehicle, stays at hotels or campgrounds along the way and eats at restaurants or grocery stores; - e ride-centered traveler stays in one location overnight and takes rides during the day; - e event-centered traveler participates in or watches multi-day or one day organized rides or races; and - e urban cycle traveler travels to one city and gets around by bike while there. Most people hear about trails and bike tourism facilities through word of mouth or happenstance. Our communities need to do a better job of promoting trails, networks, and bike tourism opportunities. Demographics, spending patterns and growth Cyclists dont just eat and sleep, they also buy accessories like shoes, bikes and other equipment that all contribute to a local economy. Bike tourists tend to fall within three spending groups: - Shoe string, spending $10-25 per day; - Economy, spending $25-75 per day; and - Comfort cyclists spend over $75 per day

Demographically, bicycle tourists tend to be highly educated with high discretionary income. Cycling abilities of bike tourists tend to vary widely, so a good bike tourism destination should provide opportunities that cater to cyclists from all ability ranges. Growth at the Adventure Cycling Association indicates broader general growth of the bicycle tourism market. In the last decade, Adventure Cycling has seen a 20% spike in membership, a 66% increase in map sales, and a 90% increase in total sales, including gear. Examples of communities capturing the power of bicycle tourism Communities can take advantage of nearby scenic route destinations both regional trails like the East Coast Greenway and the Paci c Coast Route and local trails like the Paul Bunyan Trail in Minnesota and the Great Alleghany Passage / C&O Canal between Pittsburgh and Washington, D.C. Communities can also promote great bicycle tourism destinations, like biking in a speci c location, like Summit County, CO and Moab, Utah. Urban areas are also becoming bicycle tourism destinations. With bike share systems and great local bike networks, cities like Washington, DC, Minneapolis, and Long Beach are branding themselves as bike friendly destinations. Rural locations can bene t greatly from bike tourisms economic impacts. e small town of Lanesboro, MN estimated that bike tourism injects $25 million per year into the local economy. Along many popular routes, communities are increasingly providing facilities for bike tourism. Farmington, MO turned an old jail into a bike hostel, and Pittsburgh, KS used student and volunteer labor to create a shower facility in a park. Economic impact studies For more information on a study that can help in your community, contact Ginny (email link) or check Advocacy Advances Economic Impact report. Also, stay tuned to the Alliance web site for a compiled list of bike tourism economic impact studies. e European Parliament funded a study that found that the well mapped, signed, numbered and promoted Euro Velo system generates $57 billion per year in economic impact. Quebec researchers found that cyclists on La Route Verte in 2000 spent $95.4 million via the network. e study estimated that the economic impact had risen from $72.3 million by 2006. While a new study will be released soon, rough estimates put 2012 economic impact at $233 million.

In the United States, Wisconsin found that the state generates $534 million from out-ofstate cyclists. When considering impacts on industry and health, the economic impact of bike tourism rises to $1.5 billion. anks to RAGBRAI, trail infrastructure, and emerging city networks, Iowa brings in $365 million a million dollars each day from cyclists traveling from out-of-state. In Oregon, the annual Ride Oregon event, Cycle Oregon, Scenic Byways, bike-friendly cities, supportive transportation sectors and tourism initiatives help the state economy generate $325.8 million from bike tourism. Moreover, the Oregon tourism bureau found that of the 17.4 million tourists who visit Oregon each year, 1.5 million planned to ride before they came and 4.5 million visitors rode a bike. Minnesotas economy generates $427 million from recreation and mountain biking, with sizable chunk credited to tourism. e state boasts trails, buy-in from tourism sectors and the state department of transportation, bike-friendly small and large cities, and a new state bikeway program. For more information, see PedalMN.org. Trails for Illinois Trail Impact Study examined use and impact on 6 trails across the state and found that 35% of trails users spend money in restaurants or bars and a majority bought accessories for trail use, such as shoes, bikes, clothing and camping gear. Most telling, 70% of trail users found out about the trail through word of mouth or happenstance. Trails and routes bring in big dollars, too. e Great Allegheny Passage generated $40.6 million gross revenue in 2008, or $98 per day for each overnight cyclist. A survey found that the 11 largest multi-day rides in the country created more than $32 million in economic impact in 2011. In ski country, Summit County, Colorado generates $200 million for the local economy thanks to summer biking. e Triple Bottom Line for Bicycle Tourism e triple bottom line for bicycle tourism is: - Money: Investment leads to revenue. - Visibility: Signs, maps and promotion are important for a successful bike tourism economy. - Facilities, networks and connections (including other transportation modes): Usability and accessibility will lead to success. Communities and states can follow six steps to the bike tourism triple bottom line: Build and brand facilities and create destinations Build/brand local, regional and state networks Connect with the US Bicycle Route System Develop, promote and include all types of bike tourism: day tours, bike share, bike overnights, events (races, rides like Tweed Rides), multi-day tours

Connect with, educate and then collaborate with tourism and economic development agencies, chambers of commerce, conventions and visitors bureaus (state and local level) Capture and connect with bicycle tourism interests: hospitality industry, restaurant associations, tavern and brewery associations, bike shops & clubs, hardware stores, parks and recreation, city/county government, transportation agencies at the state and local level, business leaders, elected ocials, rotary clubs, other community groups that could be allies.

Russ Roca and Laura Crawford

Path Less Pedaled

Aer bike touring nonstop for several years, Russ and Lauran are now working with Travel Oregon to create marketing and branding materials for the states scenic bikeway program. ey also travel to speak with rural communities around the country about bike tourism. Making bike tourism work for you Bike tourism is back-door advocacy. Tourism makes biking relevant to a larger (and more in uential) group of people by shiing the conversation to larger economic development and job creation. By working with tourism and business groups to promote new facilities in your community as part of a tourism initiative, bike tourism can create bigger coalitions pushing for cycling infrastructure and opportunities. For example, the successful new Otago Rail Trail in New Zealand pushed the government to spend $50 million on new cycle trails in other parts of the country, and was supported by both conservative and liberal politicians. Engaging the tourism industry Engage people in your local tourism industry. Are tourism bureaus aware of cycling? Do they list it as an attraction in your area? Do they know of the oerings that local businesses already have? Volunteer to help tourism bureaus create content for their website and materials to promote cycling in their region. Ask tourism spokespeople the questions youd like them to ask other stakeholders. For example, if you ask questions like is there any bicycle friendly lodging? then tourism bureaus will be more likely to ask the right questions to their business members. is will help tourism bureaus promote businesses that may already be catering to bikes. Find your champions. What businesses already understand the connection between cycling as an economic development? Find your champions, connect with them, and ask them to serve as spokespeople. Unlikely partnerships

Bike tourism creates unlikely partnership. Economic impacts and tourism bring out bike riders and businesses who are not typical advocates, but are interested in promoting bicycling. Bike tourism is a great way to engage small towns in a positive manner. In both Oregon and New Zealand, communities must apply for a scenic trail and show how they will maintain and market the corridor. Oen even when a communitys plan is rejected, tourism leaders feel motivated to make their area more bike friendly. Routes that are oen initially created to attract outside tourism can also be used by locals for regular riding. It is important to realize that all dierent types of riders (and the routes they use) are tools that you can use when speaking with business and tourism leaders. Suggest that businesses cater to trail users by creating trail-speci c entrances that are more convenient and easier for cyclists to nd than a street entrance.

Gary Helfrich

Executive Director Sonoma County Bicycle Coalition Data, data, data, stories To turn heads and start conversations about bikes and tourism, get the data. Identify partners who can help collect the data groups like congestion management agencies, tourism groups and business development groups. In Sonoma County, the City of Santa Rosa looked at the economic impact of the Amgen Tour of California and found that the average person spent $200 a day. Events like the Gran Fondo and a local triathlon generate a combined $10 million. Always document what you are doing, and publish reports on what you have accomplished and the bene ts to local economies. Without the numbers, you cant grow and sell tourism. Dont stop at numbers; collect local stories about how individual businesses and groups have bene ted. Especially talk with people who might not be in favor of increased tourism initially, and see how their perceptions change. Find local opportunities Know why people come to your area. Create a brand by looking at the whole package of what your location oers. What do you have that no one else has? In Sonoma, that included the rural road network and the opportunity to ride in the same place where professional teams train. Leverage the economic bene ts of bike events and tourism. A transient occupancy tax can be used for needed local improvements. Encourage event promoters to donate some

proceeds to help local needs. In Sonoma, the Levi's Gran Fondo pays for road improvements along the local route, donates to small rural school districts and supports volunteer re departments. Work in tourism can give leverage to advocacy eorts. Now that Sonoma County has data showing that bike tourism generates money, the county has become protective of its identity as a bike friendly place. Recently, this was exhibited in the form of a county-wide anti-harassment law. Bike tourism is a great tool for rural advocacy. While much of bike advocacy focuses on urban success stories, and there may be little from these successes that are transferrable to a rural area. Cycle tracks don't really help folks riding 15 miles each way to work on a road that only sees a few hundred cars a day. Instead of cycle tracks for rural areas, we can advocate for better bike-friendly laws, visibility and accommodation.

Additional Resources
Rural Friendliness Pays Dividends A story from Montana Quarterly about how Twin Bridges has bene tted from bicycle tourism US Bicycle Route System Impact Sheet A PDF summarizing the environmental, economic, health and transportation bene ts of the United States Bicycle Routes System. How Bicycles Can Save Small-Town America A video about the economic impact of bike tourism in small towns Kiwi Chronicles: e New Gold Rush How bike tourism has bene tted one area in New Zealand 5 Reasons Why Bicycle Tourism Matters A blog post by Russ and Laura summarizing the bene ts of bike tourism. What is Bicycle Tourism? Russ and Lauras summary of bike touring Bicycling Means Business: e Economic Bene ts of Bicycle Infrastructure - is Advocacy Advance report compiles studies showing bikings economic impacts. e Active Outdoor Recreation Economy: A $730 Billion Annual Contribution to the U.S. Economy is study estimates that the spill-over eects of all bicycling-related activities could be as large as $133 billion, supporting 1.1 million jobs. Valuing Bicyclings Economic and Health Impacts in Wisconsin Study showing that bicycle recreation and tourism contributes $924 million to the states economy. Economic and Health Bene ts of Bicycling in Iowa A study from Iowa showing that commuter and recreational bicycling in Iowa generates more than $400 million in economic activity in the state, resulting in $87 million in health savings.