Alan Elliot gives a great insight in the benefits of mountain bike tourism to Scotland. Looking at the direct economic impact as a result of Scotlands status as one of the best places to mountain bike in the World.
From the roots to the shoots 2010 alan elliot - mtb tourism in the south of scotland
1. 10 September From The Roots to
From the Roots to the Shoots
Alan Elliot - MTB Tourism in the
South of Scotland
2. MOUNTAIN BIKING & TOURISM IN
THE SOUTH OF SCOTLAND
Alan Elliott
Sector Delivery Team Leader
10 Sept 2010
3. Tourism Context
Scottish
South of Scotland
Scottish Enterprise role
Mountain Biking - current Situation
Scottish
South of Scotland
Issues
Mountain Biking & Tourism in the South of Scotland
4. Scottish Tourism
Scottish tourism spend £4.1bn p.a.
200,000 employees 10% employment
National Strategy seeks growth of 50% 2005-15
15m visitors p.a. take overnight trips to Scotland
Opinion-former
Mature industry
6. South of Scotland Tourism
10,500 jobs
Dispersed and fragmented
One major “visitor attraction” – Blacksmiths Shop, Gretna
Ideally placed for North England/Northern Ireland
Car-borne visitors dominant
7. Scottish Enterprise approach
Economic outputs
Priorities
Industry leadership
Innovation
Destination Development
Edinburgh Royal Deeside & Cairngorms
Glasgow Loch Lomond & Trossachs
St Andrews Highland Perthshire
Product Development
Golf Sailing
Mountain Biking Heritage
Food Cruise
8. Mountain Biking in Scotland
£119m expenditure c 3,000 jobs
70% of built trail centre visits in South
16% Highlands
Potential to increase spend by 35% over next 5 years
Depends on investment level
Vast range of people/organisations involved
Private sector
• Accommodation; activity providers; restaurants; bike
shops; car hire
Forestry Commission Scotland
Local authorities
Range of agencies – sporting, economic, countryside remits
10. Scottish Mountain Bike Development Consortium
Tourism and Economic development
To increase mountain biking visitor numbers by a further
50% over the next 5 years
Increased participation
To increase domestic participation in mountain biking by 25%
over the same period
Creating Champions
To assist Scots to win at least 5 medals in World or
Commonwealth competitions
11.
12.
13. South of Scotland Priorities
7stanes
Commercial approach
Company established with business groupings represented
Income generation
Glentress
Innerleithen Bike Park proposal
Galloway Forest Park
14. Issues
Everyone’s interest but no-one’s role
Different stories for different audiences
Severely limited public £s
Opportunities in technology?
User has to pay
15. And finally….
Mountain biking “community” has a huge part to play
Complex projects
New approaches will be required in the future
Industry leadership
Innovative funding approaches
New markets
Link with other activities
Scotland has a huge opportunity
Notas do Editor
Vast majority of visitors from UK
Tourism crucial in forming opinions – relates to investment, talent attraction, genealogy etc etc
Impinges on almost every other sector – food & drink; forestry; textiles; construction;
Mature – been around a long time
Go-to in times of austerity
O/seas nearly twice as much per trip as English and nearly 4 times as much per trip as Scots
Competition grows from neighbours
New markets tough to access in say China/Russia
Our residents faced with ever growing choice of holiday destination
But….resilient - staycations
7stanes now in excess of 500,000 visitors p.a.
Exactly reflects the picture – dispersed/fragmented/ but highly valued
Public transport/access generally a major issue – unlikely to change
84% of Scottish overnight visits are to 7stanes
Main decision to visit half the impact?
Strength and a weakness that mtb relates to all these generic aims
C 600,000 visitors p.a.
Wealthy, with around 80% earning above average earnings
Seek high energy exercise
Like being outdoors, health and fitness and de-stressing
Over 70% are between 31 and 50
Wealthy, with around 80% earning above average earnings
Seek high energy exercise
Like being outdoors, health and fitness and de-stressing
Over 70% are between 31 and 50
Job advertised – sponsorship, visitor payback
Glentress – not just mb
GFP not just mb
New markets?
Tech? Wider sense – need to look ahead
Need to work together
When its no one agencies role, it is easier for each to pull out
But, this is world class