What Makes Mountain Bike Tourism
a Great Opportunity?

It’s a Fast-Growing Segment

Mountain biking as an adventure activity and tourism is becoming an increasingly important leisure pursue on the global level, especially with the occurrence of e-bikes. Mountain biking is also an essential part of peoples’ lifestyles and has an important impact on their travel decisions.

The segment of mountain biking tourism is also rapidly developing due to the fact that mountain biking is a strong motive for travel. According to the report “Best Practice in Forest Tourism”, commissioned by the Scottish Enterprise, mountain bikers are willing to travel up to four hours in each direction to ride, while many also travel overseas. The development of mountain biking tourism can consequently help the local economy as well as promote an active lifestyle and recreation in the local community. Mountain biking tourism is also one of those niche activities that could be one of the first to bounce back after COVID-19.

It’s Encouraging Sustainable Development

Mountain biking is not merely a sports activity. A mountain bike is a great tool that enables visitors/users a gentler and slower form of transport through the entire destination. Mountain biking consequently provides opportunities for the development of rural areas and locally owned and operated businesses, as well as for the maintenance of existing services.

Several studies have confirmed that a well-planned, constructed, and maintained mountain biking infrastructure enables sustainable riding with minimal impact on the environment. However, mountain biking is not a sustainable activity and tourism product only because of its minimal impact on the environment. It also has a variety of social benefits as it motivates people to be more physically active.

It’s The New Golf

Mountain bikers are on average in their mid-30s and have an above-average income and education. According to the research conducted by Singletrack Magazine, most mountain bikers work in the IT/Technology trade, followed by management.

Seeking thrill and close connection with nature, mountain biking is an attractive alternative for young executives, lawyers, doctors, and other well-paid professionals. The Economist argues why biking became the new Golf with the following words: “Golf’s appeal has become its undoing”. Its meditative quality does not suit the frenetic pace of modern life. Nowadays people want to do something physical, especially outdoors.

It Manages Seasonality

Mountain biking helps resorts and destinations to spread the peaks and troughs of demand so that assets can be better utilized in time and space.

As passionate mountain bikers are eager to ride throughout the whole year, they are also becoming valuable off-season guests for summer destinations. Contact us to receive our presentation on mountain biking from the UNWTO conference as a tool for seasonality management.

Our Approach

Mountain biking is a promising tourism product, but be careful – mountain bikers are demanding guests that require tailored trail infrastructure and services.

Just as any tourism product, mountain biking consequently requires a clear vision as well as a broad and strategic approach, involving all key stakeholders.

We see the development of mountain biking tourism as a continuous process. Combining our rich experiences and academic research, we have developed a creative but proven model (The Action Wheel) for sustainable mountain biking destination development which guarantees that mountain bikers will keep coming continuously.

Wide Range of Services
For All Stages of Development

Whether you are an owner of a ski resort looking for a bike park, an owner of a seaside destination trying to attract guests during winter, or a municipality seeking attractive urban infrastructure for bikers, we will help you to create sustainable and economically sound solutions.

FEASIBILITY & STRATEGY DEVELOPMENT
  • Strategy Development
  • Conceptual Planning
  • Stakeholder Consensus Building
  • Site Selection and Terrain Analysis
  • Trail System Master Planning
  • Cost Estimation
PLANNING & CONSTRUCTION DOCUMENTATION
  • Construction Documents
  • Permitting documents
  • Environmental studies
  • CAD and GIS Design
  • visualizations and 3D Renderings
CONSTRUCTION
  • Full Service Design/Build
  • Trail Construction
  • Bike Park Construction
  • Asphalt Pumptrack Construction
  • Construction Management
MARKETING & CONSULTING
  • Destination Branding
  • Marketing & Communications
  • Presentations & Seminars
  • Education & Training
  • Research

Latest Blog Posts

The latest news and announcements from Alliance ASE

We build for