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Pedaling Towards Prosperity “Where lifestyle grows good business ”. UCLG Public Works Committee Alan Medcalf November 9, 2011. “Growing lifestyle is good business”.
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Pedaling Towards Prosperity“Where lifestyle grows good business” UCLG Public Works Committee Alan Medcalf November 9, 2011 “Growing lifestyle isgood business”
Active Lifestyle for Economic Development Active Recreation “Where lifestyle grows good business” Active Transportation Active Tourism
Cycle Touring in Organized Groups • 1,950 in Velo Quebec Grand Tour Desjardins • 2,000 in annual Rideau Lakes Cycle Tour • 400 in annual Friends for Life Bike Rally • 125 in annual Great Waterfront Trail Adventure • 400 in another dozen smaller groups
Organized groups … opportunities • Pre & post-tour accommodation, food, attractions • Grand Tour – 250 chose “under the covers” vs “under the stars” • Daily group & individual expenditures on attractions, food, retail • Return visits generated through good experience • Referral power – Grand Tour, GWTA media coverage • Survey results speak to the tourism development opportunities
Independent Cycle Tourists • Numbers about same as groups • Solo or small groups • Fully-loaded vs “credit card” • Flexible itineraries
Independent Cycle Tourists • “Day trippers”, “Come stay and explore” & “Passing thru” • Returnees from organized group tours • From Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto, northeastern US • Opportunities: • Accommodation, food, attractions, retail, services, . . . • “Ride and Relax” packages • Influence itinerary . . . to delay and play, then stay
Tourists Who Also Cycle • 10%+ of adult Canadians cycle on overnight trips of one or more nights • “Visiting friends or relatives” • Combine visiting with local rides and other outings • Opportunity: packaging & promotion
About The Cycling Tourism Market • Four segments: • Leisure & family – cycling is a favoured activity while on a trip • Recreational – longer day trips, countryside/attractions • Touring – days to weeks either independently or in tour groups • Mountain biking (off-road challenging/technical trails) • Large & growing market • 2.5+ million Canadians cycle while traveling • 1+ million mountain bikers in Canada • Global cycle tourism market growing as well • Propensity to travel and to spend • Frequent travelers • Higher than average education and income • Enjoy variety of experiences including arts, culture, heritage • Stay longer, spend more than average tourist
Competing on lifestyle … the players • Velo Quebec’s Route Verte • $240 million invested from 1995 to 2010 • Nearing 5,000 km of cycling network • Over 450 BienvenueCyclistes participants • Over $140 million annual tourism revenue • Ontario Waterfront Trail regions • Niagara Region • Prince Edward County • Lennox & Addington • New Lake Erie segment of Waterfront Trail (2013) • Current active tourism/transportation/recreation initiatives • Essex County • Wellington County • Regional Municipality of Waterloo
Supporting Cycling for Economic Development • Political will to invest in planning, infrastructure, services • Partner with SLPC re 1000 Islands Pkwy bikeway • Partner with FABN, Rideau Heritage waterway and RTO9 • Encourage “Bicycle Friendly Community” status • Encourage “Welcome Cyclists” program • Designate select routes & adopt a paved shoulders policy • Ontario Waterfront Trail route • Rideau Heritage Cycle Route – Kemptville to Jones Falls • Routes north from the Waterfront Trail • Prescott – Kemptville rail trail • Eastern Ontario “great circle” route • Include active transportation/recreation planning in ICSP • Counties-wide active transportation & trails initiative
“Growing lifestyle is good business” Active Recreation “Where lifestyle grows good business” Active Transportation Active Tourism