Dafydd Davis

THE WELSH MOUNTAIN BIKE INITIATIVE – OR …THE POWER OF TRAILS

The Welsh Mountain Bike Initiative 1998-2002

Or How Trails Changed Wales!?

Tales from Wales

• What was it all about?• Where?• Why did it happen?• How did it happen?• What were the outputs/results?

WHAT WAS IT ALL ABOUT?

Developing Wales as a mountain bike destination

Realising the value and potential of public land

Managing countryside recreation

Bringing benefits to isolated and deprived communities

Putting Wales on the map

THE WELSH MOUNTAIN BIKE INITIATIVE

WHERE?Forestry Commission Land in Wales

THE WELSH MOUNTAIN BIKE INITIATIVE

WHY DID IT HAPPEN?• As a direct result of developments at Coed y Brenin

• Demonstrable outputs from Coed y Brenin

• Evidence of demand

• Clear opportunity

• Time was right

THE WELSH MOUNTAIN BIKE INITIATIVE

WHO WAS INVOLVED• Forestry Commission Wales

• The Welsh Assembly Government

• Local Authorities

• Local Community Groups

THE WELSH MOUNTAIN BIKE INITIATIVE

Developing Wales as an MTB destination•Wales was not known as an MTB destination • Negative image among mountain bikers• Showed great potential • Varied terrain, topography and ground conditions• Excellent access to potentially very large markets• The need to manage mountain biking in some key areas

WHAT WAS IT ALL ABOUT

REALISING THE VALUE AND POTENTIAL OF PUBLIC LAND

• Most land in Wales privately owned

• Forestry Commission largest public landowner in Wales

• Commercial forestry becoming less and less viable in Wales

• WAG – ‘Increase the value of public forests to the people of Wales’

• Health

• Quality of life

• Tourism

• Community engagement

• Employment

• Training

WHAT WAS IT ALL ABOUT

MANAGING RECREATION • Unsanctioned trails

• Minimising environmental impact

• Managing conflict between users

• Balancing recreation with forestry

• Managing liability

• Minimising business risk

WHAT WAS IT ALL ABOUT

BEINIFITS TO COMMUNITIES • Economic

• Social

• Health

• Getting local people to use their local forests

• Getting local people to value their local forests

WHAT WAS IT ALL ABOUT

WHY DID IT HAPPEN

The Coed y Brenin Story• 1994

• Forest Visitor Centre

• Declining visitor numbers

Reverse the trend

Without a budget

THE COED Y BRENIN STORY

• CYB not an MTB destination

• Visitor centre

• Walking trails

• CYB not primary reason for visit

THE COED Y BRENIN STORY

• Mountain biking was an opportunity

• Mountain biking also a potential problem

• Lack of understanding from managers

• Softly, softly approach

THE COED Y BRENIN STORY

• 1st 3 trails 1994 - 1995

• Budget of £750

• volunteers, hand tools

THE COED Y BRENIN STORY

commercial sponsors

increasing visitors

magazine space

THE COED Y BRENIN STORY

Visitor monitoring and understanding the market

• age range 20-40

• social grouping A B

• high incomes

• £800 bike

• urban based

THE COED Y BRENIN STORY

• ride once a month

• high disposable income

• limited outdoor skills

• seek single track trails

• want fun riding

Visitor monitoring and understanding the market – dispelling the myths

THE COED Y BRENIN STORY

• 1994 – 16,000 visitors

• 2001 - 150,000 + visitors

• 84% mountain bikers

• 75% of mountain bikers weekend visitors

THE COED Y BRENIN STORY

• CYB now primary reason for visiting area

• Average spend per head per day £50 in late 90’s)

• Estimated £4.7 million into local economy (in late 90’s)

• Service sector developed as a result

• Year round season

THE COED Y BRENIN STORY

• Segmented market

CYB SHOWED THAT

• Potential for growth in key parts of market

• Potential economic impact

THE COED Y BRENIN STORY

MARKET SEGMENTS

• Trail riders

• Sport riders

• Enthusiasts

• Downhillers/freeriders

MARKET SEGMENTSTRAIL RIDERS

• Skilled outdoor enthusiasts

• Fit

• Predominantly male

• Members of pressure groups

• Challenging rides

• Rights of Way

• Small segment

MARKET SEGMENTS

SPORT RIDERS

• Competitive cyclists

• Involved in other cycle sports

• Limited outdoor skills

• Members of clubs

• Fit, skilled riders

• Mostly male

• Small segment

MARKET SEGMENTS

DOWNHILLERS/FREERIDERS

• Small but growing segment

• Mostly male 14 – 35

• Specific requirements

• Difficult to manage

• Unsanctioned trails

MARKET SEGMENTS

ENTHUSIASTS

• Recreational riders

• Wide spectrum of ability and fitness

• Limited outdoor skills

• 30/70 male/female

• Travel to ride

• Want waymarked trails

• Ride in groups

• Largest segment

POTENTIAL FOR GROWTH

ENTHUSIASTS

• Most potential for growth

• Potentially high volume

• Potentially high value

• Targeted trail products

POTENTIAL FOR GROWTH

• Trail products for Enthusiasts limited in UK and Wales

• Forestry Commission in best position to fill a gap in the market

• Strategic decision to develop trail products for Enthusiasts

• Plus support facilities

MOVING UP A GEAR

• Cycling Wales Action Group (CWAG)

• Partnership between key agencies and others

• Development of FC MTB Wales strategy

• Development of cycle tourism strategy for Wales

• Adopted by Wales Tourist Board

• FC strategy tied in to larger tourism strategy

• Moving up a gear launched in 1999

THE PARTNERS

• Forestry Commission – trail development and management

• Wales Tourist Board – strategic marketing resources

• Welsh Development Agency – funding (capital)

• Local authorities – funding (capital, revenue)

MOVING UP A GEAR

MOVING UP A GEARTHE STRATEGY

• 5 short break destinations

• Must reflect variety of landscapes and terrain

• Must access different markets

• Must lead to sustainable growth in the market

• Gwydyr

• Coed y Brenin

• Nant yr Arian

• Afan Argoed

• Cwm Carn

THE DESTINATIONS

THE DESTIANTIONS

GWYDYR FOREST

• Well developed tourism infrastructure

• Easy access for visitors from NW England

• Existing unsanctioned MTB use

• Forest park, timber production secondary

• Day visit and short break destination

• Major conflict issues

• Mountainous and rocky

• Snowdonia National Park

• All new build trails

• Numerous constraints

THE DESTIANTIONS

COED Y BRENIN

• Forest park

• Visitor centre

• Timber production secondary

• Iconic status – high profile

• Remote location

• Primarily short break destination

• Distinctive trail product

• Marketing tool for whole product

• Upgrade of existing trails

• Some new build

THE DESTIANTIONS

NANT YR ARIAN

• Remote location

• Visitor centre working under capacity

• Local tourism industry in decline

• Active timber production area

• Access to extensive rights of way network

• Short break destination

• West midlands market

THE DESTIANTIONS

CWM CARN • Urban fringe forest (Cardiff, Newport)

• High levels of unsanctioned MTB use

• Major conflict issues

• North London 2 hours away

• Primarily day visit but also short break

THE DESTIANTIONS

AFAN VALLEY

• Major timber production area

• Existing unsanctioned MTB use

• Very deprived local communities

• Little or not tourism infrastructure

• Huge forest

• Showed greatest potential

• Easy access to large markets

THE PRODUCT• Waymarked trails

• Centred on visitor facilities

• Consistent standards

• Effective interpretation

• Fun, accessible riding

• An authentic experience

• Lots of singletrack

• Worth travelling to

• Quality assured

THE PRODUCT• 300km of waymarked trails

• Enough riding for 2 – 3 day visit

• Prescribed loops

• Flexible trail systems

• Allows for longevity

• On site bike washing

• On site bike repair

• On site bike hire

• On site cafes and shops

• ‘Joined up’ marketing

MARKETING• Mountain biking key component of WTB product marketing • WTB marketing campaign manger for Mountain Biking • CWAG liaison• Campaign print and on line based• Mountain Biking Wales brand • Brand running through all marketing materials • Marketing outputs monitored by WTB• Marketing resourced by WTB

MARKETING

ON LINE

• www.mbwales.com• Rider centred information• Trail maps• Pictures• Trail information • Feedback • News• On line registration • www.visitwales.com• accommodation • Bike friendly• On line booking

MARKETINGPRINT

• Individual trail guides• Mountain Biking Wales Brochure • Inserts in MTB magazines• Distributed at tourist offices, at trail centres and at shows

MARKETINGPRESS AND PR

• Press releases• Events • Editorial

OUTPUTS

WHY ARE OUTPUTS IMPORTANT?• Condition of funding • Ensures future funding • Monitoring trends • Helps get the product right• Helps keep the product right

OUTPUTS

MEASURING OUTPUTS • Calibrated electronic counters on trails• On site surveys to establish vehicle occupancy• Face to face surveys of visitors • FC statistics branch provided sampling models• FC statistics branch process data • FC present findings at regular CWAG meetings• Conversion of marketing data from WTB • WTB collate and present outputs to partners

OUTPUTS

KEY OUTPUTS • Visitor numbers• Visitor trends• Visitor profiles• Visitor satisfaction• Visitor spend • Economic impact • Press and PR

VISITOR NUMBERS Marked increase at all sites

Estimated 400,000 new visitors to Wales (in 2002)

VISITOR TRENDS

• Initial sharp increase in visitor numbers • Growth has slowed but still growing • Repeat visits • Short break visitors over 80% • Most centres ‘stand alone’ destinations • Virtually year round season

VISITOR PROFILES

• Majority from outside Wales • Majority high income • Majority urban based • 70:30 - male: female ratio • Many riders go nowhere else • Enthusiast core of market• Other segments also represented • Growing evidence of more local visitors • Growth in non mountain bike visitors at all sites

VISITOR SATISFACTION

• 98% satisfaction with trails • 2% not satisfied with trails • Satisfaction centred on quality of singletrack and waymarking • 2% found trails either too difficult or too easy • 58% satisfied with trailhead facilities • 25% not satisfied with trailhead facilities • 17% not bothered either way

VISITOR SPENDOn site spend – CYB • Car parking - £50,000 per year• Bike wash - £5,000 per year• Shop turnover - £70,000 per year• Café turnover - £130,000

VISITOR SPEND• WTB conversion figures from web based surveys• FC – site based surveys • Accommodation • Fuel • Food • Conservatively estimated £14 million in to Welsh economy • Shows that MTB tourism is high value and relatively high volume

PRESS AND PR

• PR strategy part of development strategy• PR centrally handled by specialist agency • PR budget £12,000 for first year (including web site)• Gradual ‘drip feed’ during development • Launch of completed trails • Editorial • Specialist magazines• National newspapers • TV/radio • Estimated £590,000 worth of positive press and PR for FC• FC and communities – positive attitude to MTB• Created demand for more development

OTHER OUTPUTS

• Training • Employment• partnerships

TRAINING AND EMPLOYMENT

• 47 people employed in trail construction • Majority previously unemployed • Training schemes set up with local authorities at each site • Trail teams received training • Chainsaw• Excavator driving• Dumper driving • NVQ – stone walling, fencing• Funding for training from WAG• All now in full time employment

PARTNERSHIPS

• Community groups• Local authorities • WTB • Taking development on to the next stage • Ensuring local ownership • Ensures long term future

WHAT HAPPENED NEXTSea change in FC recreation policy

Recreation became central to FC’s business

Much greater demand from communities and local authorities for recreation development

The 7 Stanes

Further development of the “Trail Centre” model

UK now has the most developed MTB market in the world

Enthusiasts central to that market

Over 30 trail centres throughout the UK

AND FINALLY … Welsh MTB Initiative kick started trail development in the UK and beyond

It took the development of CYB to make it happen

The key was understanding the market and developing the right “product”

And developing partnerships

Wales is now an international MTB destination

More importantly – local Welsh people are using their forests for recreation and reaping the benefits

The Power of Trails?!