Ontario By Bike Network: 
Industry Update - October 2018
2019 Marketing Partnerships Available


In 2015, cycle tourists in Ontario spent $500 million, made 1.7 million trips and stayed longer and spent more money in Ontario destinations and at businesses than non-cycling visitors. 

You've seen tremendous growth in the sector since then and need marketing partnerships that are aimed at connecting your tourism regions, businesses and events with those interested in cycling in Ontario. 

How are you engaging with this growing market in Ontario?  

Print

Ontario's only cycle tourism publication connects cyclists from Ontario, Quebec and the U.S. and inspires them to explore your destination by bike!

The 7th annual Cycling in Ontario Guide is published in both French and English languages!
Digital

Looking to get content on your destination or calls-to-action in front of the eyes of cyclists in Ontario!

Leverage engaging content partnerships or display advertisements on the Ontario By Bike website or popular consumer e-newsletter.
Events

Would you like to attend and promote your destination to cyclists at multiple consumer travel shows and cycling events in 2019? 

Too expensive? Too time consuming? Let us do the work through our Ontario and Quebec event partnerships.

For all marketing partnership information visit www.OntarioByBike.ca/2019marketing

SAVE THE DATE! Ontario By Bike / Transportation Options are proud to announce our 4th Cycle Tourism Conference, a full-day conference to be held in downtown Toronto on March 1, 2019. 

Registration will open soon. The full 2019 Cycle Tourism Conference agenda will be announced shortly.For more information, visit www.OntarioByBike.ca/CTC19

Call for proposals the 2019 Cycle Tourism Conference is now open. Ontario By Bike / Transportation Options are seeking presenters to address the Key Pillars of the conference. Speakers are asked to submit proposals as soon as possible for consideration and no later than December 16, 2018. 
 
Developing cycle tourism destinations and products 
Growing the cycle tourism market through emerging trends
Marketing cycle tourism product and experiences 
Serving the cycle tourist market
Measuring the impact on destinations and businesses


The 2019 Cycle Tourism Conference is made possible by the generous support of the following partners and sponsors: 



For information on becoming a sponsoring partner, download our 2019 Cycle Tourism Conference Sponsorship Packages below.

Best Practice Research for Businesses 

Looking to understand how to build a  successful business catering to cycle tourists? Want to find those outstanding products, services or amenities that could elevate your business within the cycle tourism sector?

Completed by Ontario By Bike/Transportation Options, the  purpose of the research was to highlight successful business operations with hopes of providing Ontario tourism businesses and stakeholders information on successful initiatives and best practices elsewhere to assist with further business development.

The following best practices and recommendations are included in more detail within the report:
  1. Customer Service and Amenities - Move beyond the basics, offer complimentary services
  2. Product & Package Development - Develop innovative & value-added experiences
  3. Partnerships - Create partnerships that build community & capitalize on assets
  4. Community Building & Events - Support local community & foster a cycling culture
  5. Marketing & Communications - Weave cycling into marketing images & content creation
  6. Branding - Build bikes into brands
Download the full report from our international research page: www.TransportationOptions.org/Research
Best Practices Research: Case Example
- Whitefish Bike Retreat, Montana USA -   

To complete the above report, Ontario By Bike undertook extensive research and an online scan of over 25 businesses worldwide that are successfully catering to the cycle tourism market, including 8 in detail within the report.

Whitefish Bike Retreat -  As the businesses' name suggests, cyclists are a big part of this lodge and campground in north west Montana. 

Located on The Great Divide, a cross continental mountain bike route and in close proximity to a number of other cycling routes and Glacier National Park, cyclists are their key market. Going above and beyond other accommodations, they offer a wide range of bike amenities that are key to catering to this market. 

There are also a number of interesting partnerships and packages that have been established, plus a no reservation and no minimum night stay policy. Building the bike brand into all marketing communications has also elevated the business to a best-in-class case example for accommodations. 

Read the report and visit their website directly for more information: www.WhitefishBikeRetreat.com   
International Cyclists
- Florida Cyclists Document Ontario Visit -   

Every year we receive, literally, thousands of phone and email requests for cycling information  for Ontario, including maps, websites and our Cycling in Ontario Guide. 

These requests come from across Canada, the US, as well as other international destinations. We  enjoy connecting these cyclists and potential visitors, helping them find the right information and sending custom packages with maps and resources.

Unfortunately, it is not often we get a return call or message, but when we do it's usually a keeper! It also provides valuable insight plus justification for the time, energy and cost it takes us to fulfill these requests.

However, an email came in just this week that we wanted to share with you from 2 Florida cyclists that sent 19 days cycling in Ontario this summer. While cycling from Ottawa to Peterborough, in Muskoka, Almaguin Highlands, Algonquin and back to Barrie they tracked their total dollars spent. Here is quick quote:

" ...we spent over $ 7,300 in Ontario. With a few exceptions, the weather was lovely and we had a great time.  

Hopefully that was a good Return on Investment for sending us a large package of regional and route info and the Cycling In Ontario guide. Please put me on the list for the 2019 guide."
Taking a Strategic Approach to 
Cycle Tourism Development in Ontario

As announced in our last industry enewsletter, Ontario By Bike / Transportation Options has a new three-year strategic plan to support the growth of cycle tourism in Ontario. Looking forward 2019 to 2021, a range of strategic directions and tactical actions have been identified to support the continued growth of this sector and help position Ontario as a premier destination for cycle tourism.

Developed to align with both the Government of Ontario's Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sport's Tour by Bike and the Ministry of Transportation's #CycleON Action Plan 2.0., and with the input from tourism partners across the province, over the next three years Ontario By Bike has a detailed playbook and clear direction to be the lead organization to:
  • Enhance digital and print marketing and communications promoting cycle tourism in Ontario
  • Further develop Ontario's cycle tourism product and bicycle friendly destinations
  • Support the sector by completing cycle tourism research
  • Develop additional industry partnerships, communications and further advocacy efforts supporting cycle tourism
We now have available an overview of the strategic plan, available for download. As part of our wider communications, we issued a media release earlier in October to get the word out further. Read more at: www.OntarioByBike.ca/StrategicPlan
Stay Connected with Ontario By Bike!
Share your destination or business posts using the hashtag #OntarioByBike & #BikeON!

While many of our business and industry contacts look forward to November as a respite and catch-up from a busy summer season, we are already rolling full steam ahead with our plans to support and assist in the further growth of the cycle tourism sector in Ontario. 

As included above we are excited about the coming year, our 2019 Cycling in Ontario guide and marketing partnerships, the cycle tourism conference in March and delivering you more research and destination development assistance, all of which align well with our new strategic plan. 

We'll be back in touch again before the end of the year with more news and information, as well as some exciting new opportunities that you may want to be a part of. 

Stay in touch, and please do share back with us your stories, experiences with cyclists visiting your location and any other news we may be able to share further. 

From  Louisa Mursell &  Michael McCreesh   

Ontario By Bike Network 
Project of Transportation Options 
850 Coxwell Ave ~ Toronto, ON ~ M4C 5R1 
Office: 416-827-2774 
Toll-Free: 1-866-701-2774