CYCLING TOURISM
VANCOUVER ISLAND 

A CASE FOR PARTNER SUPPORT
The Vancouver Island Cycle Tourism Alliance

January 2003

“The age of interactive tourism is upon us. Visitors want to do much more than see the sights, they want to explore them…Under their own power”.

How do we capitalize on this new phenomenon – the growing trend in visitors taking a more active role in their vacations? That’s the question that prompted a group of dynamic business people to form the Cycle Tourism Advisory Committee in the fall of 2000. Cycling enthusiasts, tour operators, hoteliers, B & B owners, tourism advocates and government leaders came together because they recognized the opportunity to position Victoria and Vancouver Island as one of the world’s premier cycling holiday destinations.  THE VANCOUVER ISLAND CYCLE TOURISM ALLIANCE was formed to complete this project in October 2002.  CTA has estimated that Cycle Tourism could generate $ tens of millions of new tourism revenues for our region. 

This funding proposal outlines progress to date and details the urgent need to fund on-going market research, aggressive travel media activities, existing programs evaluation to create new ones responsive to demand, accelerate infrastructure improvements and focused marketing initiatives.

Britain is investing $100 million for a new national cycling network – 16,000 km
Victoria is Canada’s cycling capital (2001 Stats-Canada)
Britain indicates cycle tourism has brought $1.4 billion Cdn per year to the economy.
In Maine, cycle tourism generates salaries and wages equivalent to 1200 full timejobs!(WSA Economic Model US Department of Commerce)

 “The challenge (and the opportunity) is to diversify and expand the destinations that will anchor and root the bicycle touring experience in the region, and to ensure that in doing so we optimize the benefits to the local economy.”

David Cubberley, February 1999

 CONTENTS 

►Who we are, introducing the Cycle Tourism Alliance
►Our Goals and MARKETING PLAN
►Membership Benefits - this is a great idea!
►Working Together - a strategic direction.
►How are we Doing? - what we have accomplished as a voluntary group
►The Job to be Done - tactics and budget 

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►Cycle Tourism Alliance Board

We know that Greater Victoria has the highest per capita use of the bicycle as transportation anywhere in Canada—two and a half times the nearest competing destination—and that as facilities like the Galloping Goose Trail network are extended, this use will increase. Touring and training on regional on-road routes is an established practice among the many local riding clubs (racers, mountain bikers), the Canadian national cycling teams (all of which make their home here), and local cyclists touring for fun and exercise. Such a large local rider-ship underscores the broad appeal and ride-ability of the Vancouver Island region and can serve as an important internal market for developing touring destinations. Our proximity to other population centers with a strong interest in cycling—Vancouver, Seattle, and Portland, for example—presents a nearby audience for cycle touring opportunities. 

“Tourism’s economic impact in Victoria is profound: revenues have risen from $250-million to $1-billion in the past ten years.”                                       Lorne White CEO Tourism Victoria 

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►OUR GOALS

The Big Picture:

Why are we working so hard to create a thriving cycle tourism sector on Vancouver Island? It may appear to be a small market segment but the potential is enormous and the outlay relatively small. When it comes to the scale of infrastructure needed for bicycle touring, small is definitely beautiful. A study of its economic potential in the Lake Champlain area of Quebec and New York State concludes “long distance bicycle routes can be important generators of customers for bed and breakfasts, eateries, and service providers in even the smallest and/or remotely located communities”.

In Germany, 25% of visitors cycle!

 Yet bicycle tourists are not known as small spenders, typically spending as much or more than mainstream tourists. Also, bicycle tourism may constitute an environmental plus for a host region:  “providing both visitors and residents an ecologically sound alternative to cars and motor coaches for sightseeing and recreational traveling purposes. It can enable communities to benefit from improved air quality, negligible impact upon the visual landscape, no-cost or low-cost improvements such as shoulders and restrooms that can aid all highway users, and a scale of travel that can maintain and even enhance the quality of life within those communities.”

Ecotourism is the fastest growing sector of the tourism industry (11% annual growth) 

VICTA MARKETING PLAN:

The success of the VICTA marketing strategy is based on connecting several marketing concepts, and leveraging them to fulfill considerable market demand. 

1)      Memberships:
     Bring stakeholders together.
     Membership fees include the cost of an effective brochure and web page campaign.
     Members are included in tours, brochure, e-mail newsletter, web pages and member regions included in media relations campaign.

2)      Brochure (Free Map & Guide):
     “Lure” piece is produced and distributed in target markets.
     Brochure promotes tours and brings readers to web page.

3)      Web page:
     Web page promotes area, tours, events, membership and invites more participants in e-mail campaign.

4)      Events:
     Events bring profile to region as a cycling destination, as well as bring out of town participants. Invites more participants in e-mail campaign.

5)      Media Relations:
     Media will be solicited to write about tours, and events, and will provide readers with web page info.

6)      Print Advertising:
     Print advertising in target market publications will draw readers to tours, events, and web page.

7)      E-mail newsletter campaign:
     Regular updates and promotions to opt-in participants.  Promotes members, tours, events, and web page.

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►Membership Benefits 

Two studies identified factors that help attract bicycle tourists and establish a place as a touring destination. Appealing features like scenic access to manmade and natural features—panoramic views, unspoiled areas, diversity of scenery, local destinations and points of interest. Vancouver Island and Victoria are rich with just what builds a successful cycle tourism foundation.

Direct Benefits:

Membership includes:

►A formatted advertisement for your region or business in CYCLING THE ISLANDS Free Map & Guide. ($695. value).
►High quality production
►30,000 copies distributed in Adventure outlets throughout British Columbia and Washington State, and on BC Ferries.
►Upgrade to larger advertisements available.
►A formatted advertisement on CYCLINGVICTORIA.COM and CYCLEVANCOUVERISLAND.CA
►Your region or business will be included in recommended tours of Vancouver Island.
►Your region or business will be included in e-mail newsletter campaign.
►Your region of business promoted to the media. (No assurance that media inclusion).
►ONGOING SUPPORT and PROMOTION from staff Coordinator. 

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►Working Together – A Strategic Direction 

The promotion of a geographic region as a bicycle-touring destination requires taking steps to raise public awareness, focus attention on principal features, identify gaps and opportunities in the network, and recruit partners for the undertaking. Foremost is the need to develop a working relationship between public and private service providers who are interested in mapping the network and establishing a supportive infrastructure.

A recent study of efforts to attract bicycle tourism listed the principal activities necessary to lay the foundations. Identifying a network of interconnected touring routes and loops is the primary step—one that could readily be taken based on the experience of local touring cyclists and the information contained in the Victoria Cycling Map. The next step is to devise a means of clearly marking the routes on the ground with distinctive signage.

             A recent paper on signage and selection underscored the need for clarity in making a route accessible to new visitors: “On these networks, information should be given to cyclists by signs, in the same way signs are used for car drivers: identification of the network, directions at intersections, destinations that can be reached, services available.” In the latest Tourism Victoria Exit Survey one of the top five suggestions to enhance a visit to the area was to, “improve signage and directional information.” 

In addition to identifying the principal routes and interesting tours, the following initiatives are considered important objectives for V.I.C.T.A.: 

1.       Inventory cultural and historic sites, other points of interest along a variety of routes

2.       Inventory bike-friendly accommodations and services along routes

3.       Develop a guide to accommodations, village centres, roadside services

4.       Identify specific needs and interests of the cycle touring market and make specific suggestions for making the region bicycle-friendly

5.       Hold workshops for country inns, B&Bs, guest houses, eateries and other services on how to become bicycle friendly

The desired outcome of all these initiatives is a marketable product that can be packaged for use in tourism promotions. Opportunities exist to customize an approach that allows people to reconnoiter their tours using a computer website, the reasoning behind the launch of cyclingvictoria.com. But there is also unlimited scope for providers to bundle features into touring packages. A study of bicycle tour companies operating in Canada in 1993 indicated that “most trips (90%) lasted more than one day and 73% were sold as prearranged packages”, which indicates the need for coordination of product development among a range of service providers. On the plus side, “average trip length was 5.6 days, with daily spending of $116.“ which the study concludes, “Should encourage tourism industry players to step up their efforts to attract specific target groups.” The Vancouver Island Cycle Tourism Alliance is dedicated to step up the efforts but now there is an urgent need to invest in the activities and infrastructure. 

Focusing attention on the cycling network, establishing its continuity, and making it visible on the ground are primary tasks in establishing this market. Work is currently under way at the Saanich Bicycle Advisory Committee on network, signage, and mapping options. The opportunity is within our grasp to draw the business community and service providers together as an incubator for infrastructure development, product identification, and marketing.  

Commit to support a fledgling industry promising a very big payback. Make cycle tourism part of your success plan.

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►How are we Doing?

STATUS 2000 & 2001

►    The “Product” exists, thanks largely to nature, and clarified by Community initiatives.
►    Tourism potential identified by many, including Oak Bay Tourism, who arranged for all to get together.
►    CYCLE TOURISM ADVISORY COMMITTEE (CTAC) formed August 2000 to improve and market the product.
►    TOURISM VICTORIA 100% support offered and gratefully accepted.
►    Enthusiasm and support offered by Community and Business stakeholders.
►    Enthusiasm and support offered by regional government, and local press.
►    CTAC creates vision and mission statements.
►    CTAC more clearly defines the product. (work in progress)
►    CYCLINGVICTORIA.com Web page developed to market the product.
►    CYCLINGOAKBAY.com Web page developed.
►    Tourist FAQ’s developed.
►    Local media advised of project status and potential benefits to Community. 
►    GVCC and SIMBS have joined Tourism Victoria to realize support potential.
►    Cycling (was) identified by Pacific Wilderness Railway as significant tourism product.
►    Tourism publications and web portals lobbied for inclusion of cycling product.
►    Mill Bay Ferry saved by Community with support of GVCC.
►    Advertisement placed in “ADVENTURE CYCLIST” magazine April and May 2001 issues.

2002

►    Full page ad in THE VISITOR GUIDE supported by CERTIFIED FOLDER DISPLAY.
►    OAK BAY TOURISM new brochure built with significant cycling components.
►    A CASE FOR SUPPORT document  produced.
►    CTAC joins SPORTHOST VICTORIA.
►    CTAC/GVCC volunteers attend SEATTLE INT’L BIKE EXPOSITION.
►    MEDIA CAMPAIGN launched for local awareness.
►    TOURISM VICTORIA funds and implements new cycling images in marketing.
►    BC FERRIES met with to promote campaigns.
►    VICTORIA RESTAURANT ASSOCIATION met with to promote campaign.
►    VICTORIA HOTEL ASSOCIATION met with to promote campaign.
►    TOURISM COWICHAN met with to promote campaign.
►    TOURISM VANCOUVER ISLAND met with to promote campaign.
►    TOURISM COMOX met with to promote campaign.
►    CYCLING WINERY ARTICLE in WINE PRESS magazine.
►    SEASIDE TOURING ROUTE designed, implemented and SIGNAGE completed.
►    SEASIDE TOURING ROUTE  info placed in various tourist publications.
►    2-PAGE ADVERT. + survey placed in OUTPOST magazine June 2002.
►    2-PAGE ADVERT. + survey placed in CANADIAN CYCLIST magazine Oct. 2002.
►    275 Survey responses (to adverts.) on web site tallied.  Very strong results!
►    VANCOUVER SUN article on cycling Victoria.
►    VANCOUVER SUN WRITER invited and returns to write on Seaside Route.
►    Cycle Tourism placed as priority for CRD Regional Growth Transportation Strategy.
►    CTAC joins (successful) PRO-BIKE/PRO-WALK Conference bid for 2004.

2003

►    Vancouver Island Cycle Tourism Alliance (VICTA) formed.
►    VICTA joins SportHost Victoria.
►    BRITISH COLUMBIA MAGAZINE promotes Victoria as and “outdoor, active, cycling” destination.
►    SportHost sponsors advertisement in Seattle PI Newspaper, cycling supplement. 

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►Marketing and Projects requiring support

►Press tours of the cycling products available in our region.
Press from cycling and adventure publications.
Press from travel and leisure publications.

►Advertising in major cycling publications.

►Market research.
General: Contact a current list of e-mail respondents, and ask them their views on cycle tourism products.
Target: Contact all available cycling organizations, and ask them their views on   cycle tourism products.

►Staff for research
Spend time on computer doing e-mail surveys and direct marketing.
Spend time interviewing Visitors.

►BC Ferries issues
Improve bike racks and facilities on all vessels.
Use BC Ferries as a major sponsor/partner, as “Island-hopping” a feature.

►Signage issues
Signs on the trails.  Signs to the trails.  Signs on major routes.

►Images
Many more outdoor images, of a dramatic nature, featuring cycling.

►Secure bike storage
More racks on street.
Many locations for supervised storage.

“Travel media are looking for destinations that are safe, friendly and value priced – this (cycling packages in Victoria) has all of those critical elements.”

Michael Leone - Media Consultant, California

“After hours of exploring the sights and streets of Oak Bay, the Victoria waterfront, and especially the Galloping Goose trails on our mountain bikes, we knew we had to come back! It was impossible to see it all in one trip and we want more…” 

Chris and Christine Powell, Calgary Alberta

  

Join the Vancouver Island Cycle Tourism Alliance today!