Library Search Results

21/04/2010

Research Summaries

The Economic Value of Mountain Biking Tourism to Scotland

With beautiful landscapes and a vast wilderness, it’s no wonder that Scotland is a world class mountain biking destination. But with increasing competition from Wales and the North of England, it must continue to evolve to maintain its strong market share.  

By investing in good quality built facilities, Scotland captured the attention of the international mountain biking market. There has been a big increase in visitor numbers, thanks to initiatives like the 7stanes development in Southern Scotland.

For sustainable development Scotland needs to stay at the forefront of mountain biking advancements. The key to success is to broaden the market whilst maintaining and developing existing facilities.

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15/04/2010

Research Summaries

Mountain bikers mean business

Mountain biking is Southern Scotland’s rising star, with over 400km of world class trails the 7stanes project attracts 400,000 visitors each year.  The 7stanes are a series of trail centres situated across Southern Scotland and are now worth £9 million to the local economy.

Each trail centre has a unique character, with terrain suitable to all ages and stages of the sport.  There are an estimated 5.5 million mountain bikers in the UK – that’s almost the same as the entire population of Scotland.  The 7stanes has something for all of them from cross country riders to downhill thrill seekers.

Mountain bikers need places to stay and lots to eat, so there are plentiful opportunities for local businesses.

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29/03/2010

Research Summaries

Cycling and Mountain Biking Research

The main aim of this VisitScotland study was to gain a better understanding of the cycling and mountain biking market to Scotland.

There were clear distinctions identified between Leisure and Specialist cyclists, such as the relative importance of cycling as an activity whilst on such a holiday, and the key driver of their holiday selection. For Leisure cyclists, destination is the key driver, whereas cycling is likely to be the key driver for the Specialist segment.

In terms of overall requirements, key commonalities were observed across all the segments, such as the focus on the environment/scenery of the destination, the accommodation and the routes/trails available.

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29/03/2010

Research Summaries

Adventure Sports research

This VisitScotland online research on Adventure Sports was taken from tourists from the UK and Ireland in the VisitScotland Adventure Sports database and contacts sourced from competitions.

Visitors had a high awareness of adventure sports opportunities in Scotland. Over half of the respondents had already sampled an adventure sports break in Scotland before and 55% of these stated that is was their main reason to take this break.

Holidays tended to be short breaks taken in the shoulder months of April and September, with an average of 4 nights and holidaymakers showed distinct differences in their holidaying behaviour compared to other holidaymakers in Scotland.

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26/03/2010

Research Summaries

Sports & Active Pursuits

Be it the upcoming Olympic and Paralympics Games, Premier League, Ryder Cup, Wimbledon or simply the opportunity to walk in the British countryside, the ability to watch or participate in active pursuits in Britain attracts substantial numbers of visitors from overseas.

VisitBritain’s monthly ‘Foresight’ publication includes features on a number of topics exploring the issues and opportunities surrounding the UK’s sports and activities offering.

Topics include: the impact of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, and the potential tourism benefits; an analysis of overseas visitors who watched or played sport during their trip; perceptions of different holiday activities on offer in Britain; and the power of football to influence domestic and inbound tourism.

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