C1: ALTA REZIA
Interreg funding from the EU helped start up the region Alta Rezia, uniting over 40 communities in Switzerland and Italy as one mountain biking destination. In 3 years, a vast offer was built, including more than 2,400km of trails, 44 bike hotels and much more. Since the European subsidies have come to an end, Alta Rezia carries on and has just been selected as one of the most sustainable projects in the Interreg history.
Darco Cazin,
Allegra Tourismus
Zurich, Switzerland
C2: DEVELOPING MOUNTAIN BIKE TOURISM COMPETENCIES
How to Build the Best Mountainbike Region in Europe
Bundle competencies, reorganise infrastructure and form integral touristic products. Tobias Fischnaller president of the consortium Bike Competence Centre demonstrates how Mountainbike Südtirol (South Tyrol - Italy) offers a new aspect of high quality mountain bike tourism.
Tobias Fischnaller,
Bike Competence Centre
South Tyrol, Italy
Building Capacity and Quality within the Instructing, Guiding and Leadership Workforce
A partnership approach between the Scottish Governing Body for Cycle-Sport, Local Authorities and experts in Outdoor Education - Developing the Scottish Mountain Bike Leaders Scheme.
Jim Riach
Scottish Mountain Bike Leaders Association
C3: BETTER MOUNTAIN BIKE DESTINATION EXPERIENCES
Black and Blue: Perception vs. Reality
Having worked with over 30 resorts in a dozen different countries, Gravity Logic has witnessed a recurring theme. Bike Parks are almost universally trying to cater to elite riders while virtually ignoring their bread-and-butter…. Can Bike Parks be both progressive and safe? Does building with destination intermediate riders in mind have to mean ostracising the local and vocal Pros? Where have all the A-Line riders gone? This presentation will focus on how lift-assisted Bike Parks, and mountain bike facilities in general, can move the sport forward by listening to the needs of the soft-spoken majority without altogether ignoring the reasonable demands of the vocal minority.
Tom Prochazka,
Design Manager, Gravity Logic
Whistler, Canada
Promoting and Supporting Mountain Biking through Cycling Hubs
Cycling hubs are settlements and communities where cycling is understood, cyclists are welcome and their various needs are understood, accepted and provided for. Routes alone whether mapped or not, do not a product make. Creating routes is only the first stage of an overlapping three stage process or continuum. Mountain bike trail centres and cycling hubs are ideal trading partners as they both need each other to function viably and profitably. There are 7 categories of service-provider which need to be in place to satisfy the needs of cyclists whether on or off-road as this presentation will reveal.
Ted Liddle
C4: BIKE PARKS
Bike Parks in the US: from pocket parks to mega parks
In the birthplace of mountain biking, bike parks are alive and well and growing in numbers. This presentation will shed some exposure on a few pocket size bike parks all the way up to larger parks attached to significant trail systems. Some bike parks have been developed under freeway passages, others are at ski areas, and one is completely indoors in an old warehouse space. But they all have something in common, fun and cool features that keep mountain bikers coming back time after time.
Woody Keen,
President- Trail Dynamics LLC
President- Professional Trailbuilders Association
Certified NC Clear Water Contractor
Bike Parks
Definition of the target group, categorisation of the different mountainbike groups (e.g. Dowhnhill, Freeride, Enduro ,4X, Cross Country, Dirt Jump), drawing a parallel to skiing (e.g. carving, freeride, freestyle, snowboarding).
Diddie Schneider,
Germany
C5: MOUNTAIN BIKING - MARKETING AND MOTIVATION
Motivations for Participation and Destination Choices: A Case Study of Mountain Bikers in New Zealand and the United Kingdom
The aim of this qualitative doctoral research is to develop a deeper understanding of the socio-psychological factors that motivate people to participate in mountain biking and to identify the important destination and trail characteristics and attributes, and other external variables, that influence destination choices, in the expectation that these destinations or trails will fulfil their motivations.
Steve Taylor,
PhD, Dept. of Tourism, University of Otago
New Zealand
How German Mountain Bikers Think
Since 1996 the yearly Survey of MountainBIKE-Magazin shows, which products German mountain bike riders like, how much money they spend on their sport, where they ride and how they ride. This survey gives an interesting view into the strongest mountain bike market of europe.
Olaf Beck,
MountainBIKE Magazin, Germany
C6: HOSTING MOUNTAIN BIKING EVENTS
Maintaining Momentum for Annual Events
The annual Fort William UCI Mountain Bike World Cup (and World Championships in 2007) is a successful and popular event that takes place in one of the most remote parts of the UK. What do we have to do to keep it at the forefront of the sport?
Mike Jardine,
Director, Rare Management
Edinburgh, Scotland
Livigno
For the resort of Livigno, the 2005 UCI MTB World Championships represented not the goal but the instrument to reach their target, the mountain bikers. Following the World Championships, mountain biking and associated events have become a priority for the resort - thanks to these international events the Livigno worldwide reputation has become bigger and bigger.
Giorgio Zini and Cinzia Confortola,
Azienda Promozione Turistica,
Livigno, Italy
