Cycle Tourism

From Jack Becker - BCCC Cycle Tourism Chair

For your “Bicycle Tourism Opportunities, strategies, etc.” topic, I would like to give you some background information on the approach that our Sector Initiative process is taking.  This may give you some ideas on how your three groups could support and get involved in the Initiative.  We are looking for a lead person for identifying routes and corridors on the northern part of Vancouver Island.  For example, John Scott took on this role for the Okanagan Corridor.

The process is still under development and will mature with time.  As we are starting from a different point, the process is an extension of that used by Transportation Options of Ontario on their Ontario by Bike tourism program.  This process builds on organizations such as Velo Quebec and its La Route Verte program, EuroVelo, Bike Switzerland, and others.

At this time, the program is envisaged as:

Stage 1 - Identifying and Mapping local cycling touring Routes and Corridors: 

·       Contacting local cycling organizations for developing a working relation for identifying routes and corridors and the program.

·       Identifying a Corridor Lead Person(s) for a region, such as the north half of Vancouver Island.    Lead person(s) may be for a region or for parts of region.

·       Working relations has been established for transferring for routes used by CCCTS and BC Randonneurs.

·       CycloTouringBC mapper will work with local Contact Person to map routes and corridors and geotag information,

Stage 2 - Regional Media Program:  CycloTouringBC will organize program with support from local cycling and other organizations.  Funding from local sources or others.

Stage 3 - Region Seminar of cycling and tourism organizations and bicycle retailer, possibly including interested regional or local government(s), and media:  This is an awareness worksop building local interest in promotion and increasing cyclotouring activity in region.  Local organization (or organizations) host, sponsors, promotes, and fund the workshop.  CycloTouringBC will organize and run the workshop.

Stage 4 - Regional / Local Economic Impact Statement from cycling touring:  Developed by CycloTouringBC.  Funding provided by local organizations or regional or local governments.

Step 5 - Regional CycloTouring Workshop: Involving business, bicycle retailers, regional / local governments, regional tourism organization(s), consultants, regional / local Chamber of Commerce (s), and other interested organizations, including Rotary, etc:  This is an awareness and involvement workshop.  First working engagement step to involve local businesses and organizations.  Some of the meeting outcomes include businesses listing on CycloTouringBC touring map planner, creating awareness of the cycling friendly business program, development of a campaign for advertising cyclotouring in region, and local government involvement.  Local organization (or organizations) host, sponsors, promotes, and fund the workshop.  CycloTouringBC will organize and run the workshop.

Stage 6 - CycloTourists Friendly Businesses Workshop:  Workshop includes business training on the program, preparing for cyclotouring business, and qualifying for certification.  Local organization (or organizations) host, sponsors, promotes, and fund the workshop.  CycloTouringBC will organize and run the workshop.

Stage 7 - Regional Workshop on Preparing for CycloTouring Business:  This will be a detail-oriented workshop.  Workshop will focus on preparing a region for cyclotouring.  Topics will include the infrastructure - cycling route network design, infrastructure design, road conditions, signage, amenities that will attract tourists to cycle locally.   There will be also a topic for businesses and other organizations; especially those who fund trail construction.  Workshop will be of interest to regional and local governments, consultants, organizations, and businesses.  Local organization (or organizations) host, sponsors, promotes, and fund the workshop.  CycloTouringBC will organize and run the workshop.

Another topic of interest is the “E&N Rail Trail Initiative.  It will be of interest as to the common strategy that the three groups will take.  From the CycloTouringBC Sector Initiative perspective, a blog post is in draft stage on the E&N Trail for publishing in the next month or so.  If you want to see some words added on your strategy, let me know.   For maximizing the cycling traffic on the trail, the impact on local retail and accommodation businesses, and the effect on the local and regional economy, a paved trail will much exceed a grave trail in attracting cycling tourists.  Also, a paved trail will expand the cycling touring season.

From the Initiative’s perspective, it would be very useful for the group’s strategy to call for a fully paved trail and wide enough to accommodate future cycling traffic volume, which will surpass 1,000 cyclists per day.  As a point of reference, the Banff Legacy trail, a 26 km trail between Canmore and Banff is drawing over 1,000 cyclists per day in the summer.  This is even though the trail is in a remote area, not very long, and a 100 km drive from Calgary.  Another example is the Canmore to Kimberley Trail, again about a 26 km trail connecting two small centres and drawing significant traffic volumes.

The CycloTouringBC Sector Initiative Group will be assembling a document on cyclotouring friendly trails and paths network and infrastructure design, starting with such successful trails as the Coeur d’Alene Trail in Idaho and La Petit Train du Nord Trail in Québec.  This work will progress when volunteers step forward or funding is obtained for hiring resources.