Concept, research and text : Amélie Racine and Mark Schanzleh. Photos : Amélie Racine and Mark Schanzleh

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2 Concept, research and text : Amélie Racine and Mark Schanzleh Photos : Amélie Racine and Mark Schanzleh

3 Study on cycle tourism in Switzerland, Germany and The Netherlands March 2006 Final report Presented to the Quebec Tourism Intelligence Network and the Chair in Tourism at UQAM

4 A word of thanks This report has been realized within the frame of the Young Professionals International program, which exists under the authority of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Canada. It has been mandated by the Quebec Tourism Intelligence Network / Chair in Tourism, under the authority of the School of Business Administration of the University of Quebec in Montreal. A word of thanks to all the organizations which have helped to realize this project: Organizations related to the Young Professionals International - program: The Quebec Tourism Intelligence Network / the Chair in Tourism, the School of Business Administration of the University of Quebec in Montreal, Sponsors: Dahon, Cycle Tectonics, NEMO, Icebreaker, EcoHosting.net, Altitude, Corey Scott Graphiste, l Union Vie groupe financier, Caisse populaire Desjardins de Boucherville, Croix Bleue Assurance Voyage, Zoom Airlines, Groupe Investissement Responsable, Schwalbe, Source of inspiration: Équiterre. A big thank you to anyone who has contributed to the success of our equicycle-project. Without your help it would not have been possible to present this report in its present form. 1

5 Table of contents A WORD OF THANKS... 1 TABLE OF CONTENTS... 2 LIST OF FIGURES AND TABLES... 3 LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS AND ACRONYMS... 4 SUMMARY THE MANDATE THE CONTEXT OF THE RESEARCH METHODOLOGY Definitions Method CYCLE TOURISM IN SWITZERLAND SWITZERLAND History of the development of cycle tourism in Switzerland Organization of the cycle tourism industry in Switzerland Strategy based on solid alliances and partnerships Cycling network Network of hospitality services Some numbers on the Swiss cycle tourism industry THE BEST PRACTICES Example 1: The Heart Route CYCLE TOURISM IN GERMANY NORTH RHINE-WESTPHALIA (NRW) History of the development of cycle tourism in the State NRW Organization of the cycle tourism industry in the State NRW Strategic alliances Cycling network Network of hospitality services Some numbers on the German cycle tourism industry THE BEST PRACTICES Example 2: The Bicycle Route Planner Example 3: Bodensee-Radweg Service CYCLE TOURISM IN THE NETHERLANDS THE NETHERLANDS History of the development of cycle tourism in The Netherlands Organization of the Dutch cycle tourism industry Cycling network Some numbers on the cycle tourism industry in The Netherlands THE BEST PRACTICES Example 4: Boat and bike THE BICYCLE AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT SOME FACTS THE BEST PRACTICES Example 5: SwissMobile CONCLUSION BIBLIOGRAPHY APPENDIX A: LIST OF INTERVIEWS APPENDIX B: LEXIS

6 List of figures and tables List of figures Figure 1: Map of Switzerland Figure 2: Map of the national Cycling in Switzerland network.. 12 Figure 3: List of criteria for accommodation establishments Figure 4: Geographical location of the Emmental region Figure 5: Cities in the proximity of the Heart Route.. 17 Figure 6: Itinerary of the Heart Route Figure 7: Map of Germany Figure 8: Organization chart illustrating the organization of the cycle tourism industry of the State NRW Figure 9: Map showing North Rhine-Westphalia Figure 10: Example of a window showing additional information Figure 11: Example of the primary and secondary network Figure 12: Map illustrating the State Baden-Württemberg Figure 13: Map illustrating the State Bavaria Figure 14: Map of the Lake Constance Route Figure 15: Map of The Netherlands Figure 16: Organization chart illustrating the organization of the cycle tourism industry in The Netherlands.36 Figure 17: Map of the national cycling network LF Figure 18: Map illustrating a part of the waterways in The Netherlands Figure 19: Map showing an itinerary example List of tables Table 1: Definitions Table 2: Length and duration of a cycling tour Table 3: Number of people (in a group) Table 4: Use of accommodation Table 5: Reservation of accommodation Table 6: Daily expenditure in CHF Table 7: Annual revenue on the National cycling routes for 2004 (in million CHF) Table 8: Number of Germans traveling by bicycle for more than one day...24 Table 9: Expenses during a more than one day bicycle trip on the LF Routes (2004) Table 10: Expenses during a one day bicycle trip on the LF Routes (2004)

7 List of abbreviations and acronyms ADFC AGFS ANWB ATE BMVBS BMWI CHF DTV DZT GPS IG Velo LF MBV Min LNV MTB MWME NTFU NRW SFOPH STF UQAM VVV Algemeine Deutscher Fahrrad-Club Arbeitsgemeinschaft Fahrradfreundliche Städte und Gemeinde in NRW Koninklijke Nederlandse Toeristenbond ANWB (Algemene Nederlandse Wielrijders-Bond) Association for Transport and Environment Bundesministerium für Verkehr, Bau und Stadtentwicklung Bundesministerium für Wirtschaft Confederation Helvetica Franc: Swiss franc Deutscher Tourismus Verband Deutsche Zentrale für Tourismus Global Positioning System Swiss Bicycle Advocacy Association Landelijke Fietsroute(s) Ministerium für Bauen und Verkehr Ministerie van Landbouw, Natuur en Voedselkwaliteit Mountain Bike Ministerium für Wirtschaft, Mittelstand und Energie Nederlandse Toer Fiets Unie NordRhein Westfalen Swiss Federal Office of Public Health Swiss Tourism Federation University of Quebec in Montreal Vereniging voor Vreemdelingen Verkeer 4

8 Summary Since the introduction of the Route verte concept in Quebec in 1995, long distance cycling routes have been developed in different regions of the province. Unification of these routes evokes an important issue in the success of the Route verte. Being the link which will take cyclists from one region to another, when the network will be totally completed it will represent a total distance of 4300 kilometers (in 2007). At this moment, several Quebecois regions are seeing the touristy potential which comes with cycling routes. Some regions already benefit from the economic effect of the presence of cycling tourists. However, at the moment, the infrastructure which is supposed to bring a cycle tourist an unforgettable experience is not at the desired level. One of the main challenges is to reach uniformity in the signalization of the routes. Is it possible for Quebec to position itself amongst the leading international cycling destinations? The realization of the next stages of the development of the Route verte project may hold the answer to this question. But what about the other destinations around the world? This report focuses on the situation concerning cycle tourism in Switzerland, Germany and The Netherlands. These three European countries represent the prime destinations for many cyclists who choose to spend their vacation on the bicycle. This is why, in this report, special attention will be given to the cycle touristy offer of these three countries. Switzerland distinguishes itself by the thorough job which has been done in this country in record time. The quality of its national cycling offer represents in many ways the ultimate accomplishment in the cycle tourism industry. The size of the country and the important financial investments are not the only explanations of the success of the cycling route network. Switzerland is a model which shows the importance of cooperation between both public and private organizations, and with organizations outside the country. Sharing knowledge, using proven concepts, cooperation with strategic partners, all this has put Switzerland on the top of the list. In Germany, the context is different. The size and political structure of the country have created a division of the cycle touristy offer, in which every State has its own responsibility concerning development. To limit the size of this report, only the management model for the State of North Rhine-Westphalia is presented for Germany. This State is known for its pro-bicycle attitude which has allowed it to develop a good basic infrastructure so that the cycle tourism industry can expand more and more. The Netherlands is in many ways the Nestor of cycling development. The Dutch expertise has allowed many of its neighboring countries to benefit in several fields. The cycling culture of The Netherlands has motivated numerous investments into long distances cycling routes for tourists. The cycle touristy offer of The Netherlands is based on an impressive quantity of cycling lanes covering the entire country. Switzerland, Germany and The Netherlands might inspire Quebec, Canada and possibly other countries to improve their cycle tourism network. Five best practice examples complete this report. These models can be adapted to another context and demonstrate what can be realized in the cycle tourism industry. 5

9 1 The mandate 1.1 The context of the research The mandate of this research has been defined by the Quebec Tourism Intelligence Network and consists of studying the cycle tourism industry in Switzerland, Germany and The Netherlands. To be more exact, it includes the identification of successful examples related to management and the analysis of local cycling products. The development and the marketing of cycle tourism are also part of this mandate. In order to research them, several tasks have been included in the mandate: gather and document best practice examples of the destinations studied, analyze the strategies used to attract the cycle tourists, study the existing structure, the strategic alliances between responsible organizations, financial consequences concerning the development and the maintenance of the network, collect information on the cycle tourism clientele, identify relevant sources of reference and locally used ways of monitoring, effectuate qualitative interviews with parties responsible for the development and the promotion of cycle tourism, identify possible channels of cooperation with existing knowledge institutes, universities, associations and governments involved in the development of knowledge concerning cycle tourism or, if seen on a larger scale, sustainable tourism, complete a report containing: the steps taken, the contacts established and the information gathered concerning cycle tourism in Switzerland, Germany and The Netherlands. The collecting of data was the reason to go to the three countries studied. Being there allowed for experimenting the cycling lanes and realizing interviews with the principal players in the field, being: managers in tourism, decision makers in the networks of distribution, people working in hotels and attractions, people responsible for the development and the promotion of bicycle use, academics and key people at governmental and local level. This report respects the guide lines described in the mandate. Stein am Rhein, Switzerland Heidelberg, Germany Nijmegen, The Netherlands 6

10 1.2 Methodology Definitions Here are some definitions and concepts to describe the terms used in order to understand the vocabulary in this report. Cycle tourist 1 The term cycle tourist is used in a wide sense and includes the definitions of sportive cycle tourist, vacation cycle tourist and cycle day-tripper. In this report, specifications are added to identify the different types of cycle tourist. Sportive cycle tourist: Tourist who regards cycling as the main reason for his trip. Vacation cycle tourist: Tourist who uses the bicycle as part of his vacation activities. Cycle day-tripper: Person completing a trip by bicycle more than 80 kilometers away from his home within a time frame of 24 hours (no overnight stay included). Sustainable development 2 : A continuing process of improvement of the existing conditions for the population at present, which does not compromise the possibility for future generations and which harmoniously integrates the development of the environmental, social and economic dimensions Method Cycle tourism is a term which defines an industry that does not only include recreative and commercial cycling, but also tourism. In order to understand the use of this type of mobility (cycling) in a touristy context, several steps have been taken and form the method of this research. The course of this study can be divided into three main steps: (1) the research and preparation, (2) the experimentation and the gathering of data and (3) the analysis. Step 1: Preparation in Quebec The preparation in Quebec took place over a period of six weeks, from July 1 st until August 14 th At first, a familiarization with the cycle tourism industry has taken place by reading several reports and documents which were realized mainly in Quebec 3. The reading of these documents provided the basis for orientation on the Internet research that followed. The Internet research has been divided by destination. The goal of this research was to discover local organizations, strategic structures as well as the key players that work in all sectors of the cycle tourism industry. The Internet research also allowed making a preliminary selection of some projects showing best practice models. In total, two meetings with the direction of Vélo Québec were scheduled. The first meeting took place in the first week of the mandate. Its goal was to understand Vélo Québec s concerns and the status of cycle tourism in Quebec, in order to possibly orientate the research based on real needs. The second meeting took place in the last week of preparation in Quebec. During that meeting, a presentation of the orientation of this study was given, based on the five weeks of preparing research. Before departure a basic questionnaire including almost 100 questions has been composed to prepare for possible interviews. This questionnaire included all the subjects of interest identified 1 CHAIR IN TOURISM AT UQAM. Les retombées économiques de la Route verte, March TOURISM QUEBEC, Vers un tourisme durable. Politique touristique du Québec, These documents are mentioned in the section Bibliography of this report. 7

11 before. These subjects are: the general context of cycle tourism, its history, its development, its design and planning, its clientele, its economical investments and benefits, its marketing and its sustainable development. Finally, a part of this period in Quebec has been spent on the preparation of the bicycle trip. As mentioned in the mandate, the use of the cycling lanes was one of the ways to gather information. The complete travel preparation was also a good occasion to form an image of the destinations and of the overseas availability and accessibility of information provided by the destinations. In short, the preparation included the following elements: define a primary itinerary, research tourist information, research, prepare and test the equipment, work out a time table, create a budget, organize events and activities for financing, find and select sponsors, create marketing tools such as a logo, a business card and a web site. Step 2: Gathering data on Switzerland, Germany and The Netherlands The collection of data has taken place over a period of five months, starting August 15 th 2005 and ending at January 16 th Over the course of this period three different methods of data collection were used. These methods are: participation in a congress focusing on European cycle tourism, conducting interviews and experimentation of the cycling routes. The participation in the Travel Talk congress at Eurobike 2005 in Friedrichshafen, Germany on September 3 rd 2005 was the ideal possibility to create contacts with people involved in the cycle tourism industry in Europe. The theme of this congress was best practice examples. All the presentations given in the frame of this event were recorded with the goal of later analysis. The interviews were divided by destination. They were realized in three different ways, being: via , via personal recorded meetings and via spontaneous meetings in an Ad Hoc way. In total, 28 interviews 4 were conducted with different people, such as the owners/managers of hospitality service establishments, tourism managers, people responsible for development and promotion of cycling, small-businessmen, consultants, governmental decision makers and bicycle tourists. The questionnaire was adapted according to the type of interview and generally contained 10 to 15 specific questions. The experimentation of the cycling routes/lanes has taken place over the course of four months. In total, more than 3500 kilometers were cycled within the frame of three seasons, being summer, autumn and winter. In Switzerland, several national and regional cycling routes have been experimented. Cycled were parts of the national routes # 1 Rhone Route, # 2 Rhine Route and # 9 Lakes Route and the complete national routes # 3 North-South Route and # 5 Mittelland Route. A part of the regional routes # 37 and # 94 as well as the Heart Route were also cycled. In Germany, the west part of the country was crossed along the Rhine River, from Basel in Switzerland to Nijmegen in The Netherlands. This way, the Rhine Route was experimented. Crossing several German States, this route gave the opportunity to find the differences in and compare the levels of maintenance and signalization. 4 See Annex A: List of interviews 8

12 In the Netherlands, a combination of the national LF-cycling routes was followed, making it possible to cycle a round trip inside the country. The routes that were experimented are: LF3 Rietlandroute, LF3 Hanzeroute, LF20 Flevoroute, LF1 Noordzeeroute, LF4 Midden- Nederlandroute, LF9 NAP-route and LF12 Maas-en Vestingroute. St. Gotthard Pass, Switzerland Rhine River, Germany IJssel River, The Netherlands Step 3: Analysis of the data The analysis of the data was the last step taken before the writing of this report. The linguistic context of this report has been a challenge that can not be ignored. To combine all the information available in four different languages, being French, German, English and Dutch, has not only been a one of a kind experience while analyzing the data, but it was also the real life context in which the other steps had to be taken. Two actions had to be taken prior to the analysis of the data. One was the reading and translation of written documents and the other concerned the translation of the audio recordings. It is important to note that the information for this report has been taken from numerous written documents which were translated by the authors of this report. The final step was formed by the re-organizing of information by practical theme, the making of summaries and the writing of commentary. 9

13 2 Cycle tourism in Switzerland 2.1 Switzerland Switzerland is a country situated between France, Germany, Austria, Liechtenstein and Italy. Like Liechtenstein, Switzerland is not a member of the European Union. The federalist structure of Switzerland is composed of three political levels: the Confederation, the Cantons and the communities. Figure 1 : Map of Switzerland Switzerland uses its own currency, the Swiss Franc (CHF) 5. Divided over 26 Cantons, the total country covers 41,285 km 2 and has little over 7 million inhabitants. The official languages in the country are German, French, Italian and Romansh History of the development of cycle tourism in Switzerland The idea to create a network of national cycling routes was born in 1991 when the organization All Travel Switzerland Velobüro created a cycling route for the occasion of the 700th birthday of Switzerland. Together with the Swiss Tourism Federation (STF), Velobüro started the Cycling in Switzerland project in In order to realize the project, a search for possible partners was started. These partners are: touristy partners, partners in the Confederation, transport companies and hospitality service establishments (hotels and restaurants), sponsors, partners in the Cantons. The Foundation Cycling in Switzerland was created in November In cooperation with the partners, the network s cycling routes were defined, approved and realized, all with the purpose to create a complete cycle tourism offer on a national scale. This offer includes a combination of cycling routes, public transportation and hospitality service establishments. In 1998, big festivities were organized to celebrate the official opening of the Cycling in Switzerland network. Costs (1995 until 1998) The costs for such a cycling network, including the preparation and realization, are estimated at 4,600,000 CHF 6. Note that the costs for the signalization are estimated at an additional 5,000,000 CHF. Financing (1995 until 1998) The Cantons, the Confederation, the Tourism, Transport and Sports sectors, sponsors and donations have financed the costs of preparation and realization of the network. 5 When a reference to money is made, the symbol CHF is added. F stands for Frank and CH stands for Confederation Helvetica (Switzerland). 6 The web site of Summit of Tourism 2000 : 10

14 2.1.2 Organization of the cycle tourism industry in Switzerland The Foundation Cycling in Switzerland plays a major role in the Swiss cycle tourism industry. These two entities form the Project Management of Cycling in Switzerland : Velobüro Olten, which has initiated, coordinated, developed and realized the cycle touristy offer in Switzerland in close cooperation with public and private partners, Swiss Tourism Federation (STF), which, amongst other things, represents the Foundation at all political levels. The goal of the STF is to stimulate the Swiss tourism economy and to improve the tourism offer at a national level. The Project Management of Cycling in Switzerland works on different projects, such as: the offer of cycling routes, the project Human Powered Mobility, the Slow Up (cars free days) and SwissMobile (an integrated network for durable mobility, leisure and tourism). The Foundation Board of Cycling in Switzerland is build up of several members, such as representatives of the Confederation, the Cantons and the national organization for tourism, transport, sport and cycling. The marketing is the responsibility of: Switzerland Tourism, which is concerned with the promotion of the cycling network on an international level, Cantonal touristy organizations, who occupy themselves with the promotion of Cycling in Switzerland within the country. The network of private partners consists of transport enterprises, sponsors and hospitality service establishments. The Swiss Bicycle Advocacy Association 7 defends the interest of the cyclists, gives information about the benefits of the bicycle and gives advice in order to promote the use of a bicycle as a means of transportation Strategy based on solid alliances and partnerships Velobüro Olten does not have the power of decision. As a member of the Project Management, it has the knowledge but it does not have the power to impose its decisions. Thus, it finds itself in a position where alliances and partnerships are indispensable. It has a central position amongst all partners which, willingly and voluntarily, have decided to join the project in order to present an offer of quality. In short, the project Cycling in Switzerland is a remarkable example of partnership between public and private organizations without which such a project can not exist. An example of partnerships for signalization An important issue when the quality of a cycle tourism offer is concerned is the signalization. It is imperative that the network possesses a signalization of high quality. It is necessary that all players involved at different levels target the same quality criteria in order to maintain uniformity in the entire offer of the country. Concerning the signalization, one of the first partners involved is the landowner. In this case, the owners are the 26 Cantons and in some case the communities. The second partner involved is the one who provides the necessary basis, by creating the frame in which the norms and the rules are defined. In Switzerland this is the Swiss Federal Roads Authority (FEDRO). Signalization in Switzerland 7 The German name is: IG Velo Schweiz 11

15 Without any juridical importance, the Velobüro Olten finds itself in between these two partners. On one side it receives the support of the Confederation and on the other side it is consulted by the Cantons. This role as an intermediate between the Cantons and the Confederation allows the Velobüro Olten to continue motivating the Cantons in their development and to make sure that there is uniformity in the network through quality control Cycling network Figure 2: Map of the national Cycling in Switzerland network Foundation Cycling in Switzerland In September 2005, nine national cycling routes can be counted with a total length of 3300 kilometers. These national routes are depicted by a logo and a number. On top of this national cycling network, around 50 regional and cantonal routes are available, representing a total distance of an extra 5000 kilometers. These routes can be recognized by their logo and a number consisting of two or three figures. All together, the Cycling in Switzerland network measures a total length of 8300 kilometers. Foundation Cycling in Switzerland Network of hospitality services The Foundation Cycling in Switzerland also has partners in the industry of hospitality services. As soon as an establishment can show that it meets certain criteria, it becomes eligible to profit from certain advantages. Some examples of these advantages are: the establishment is mentioned on the web site of Cycling in Switzerland, the establishment is indicated by means of the distinct symbol of Cycling in Switzerland, which can be applied in several ways, for example by means of a flag, the establishment is mentioned in the official cycling route guides for Switzerland, the promotion for the establishment will in part be done by the Foundation Cycling in Switzerland and Tourism Switzerland via publicity and events where the media are present. Figure 3: List of criteria for accommodation establishments Services that have to be offered by accommodation establishments: Acceptance of cycle tourists, even for one night only, Save and dry overnight bicycle shelter, Bicycle pump and tools available to the cyclists, Possibility to clean and dry clothing, Availability of a bath/shower, Availability of practical information (Tourist Information Office, Bicycle rental, etc.), Availability and/or distribution of maps or cycling route guides. 12

16 2.1.6 Some numbers on the Swiss cycle tourism industry 8 Definitions The definitions and data used in this section of the report come from the report Counting and Interviewing These definitions are used to maintain uniformity between the report of the Foundation Cycling in Switzerland and the numbers used in this report. Table 1: Definitions Vacation trip Short trip Day trip > 2 overnight stays 1-2 overnight stays 0 overnight stays Length and duration of a cycling tour Bicycle vacation trips involve a minimal distance of 350 kilometers and are in average about 7 days in duration. In general, the daily distance cycled in bicycle vacation trips amounts to about 50 kilometers. Bicycle short trips are characterized by a similar daily distance (about 50 kilometers), and usually cover about 130 kilometers in total, since the average bicycle short trip is a little over 2 days in duration. Bicycle day trips usually have a length of 45 kilometers. Distance (km) Daily cycling distance (km) Duration (days) It should be noted that 87% of the interviewed cyclists are on a bicycle day trip. About 40% of the interviewed cyclists have an average daily cycling distance between 26 and 50 kilometers. About 15% cycles up to 25 kilometers in average. Around 20% of the interviewed cyclists have a 51 to 75 kilometers average. Short trips usually have a higher average daily cycling distance than vacation trips. The day trip usually has a shorter average daily cycling distance than the other two. Long day trips do occur, but they are rare. They can however involve distances of over 100 kilometers, usually cycled by the more sportive cyclist. Number of people (in a group) Table 2: Length and duration of a cycling tour Average Vacation Short trip trip 350 km 130 km 50 km 54 km 7.2 days 2.4 days Day trip 45 km 45 km 1 day Table 3: Number of people (in a group) Number of people Vacation Short (in a group) trip trip 1 4% 3% 2 39% 37% 3 12% 30% 4 22% 14% >5 22% 16% Day trip 22% 51% 6% 12% 9% It should be noted that around 6% of the cyclists are children between the ages of 0 and 19, who are most likely traveling with their families. The study shows that the percentage of children (people under 20 years of age) cycling rises to ±25% when we look at cycling vacation trips. 8 FOUNDATION CYCLING IN SWITZERLAND, Zählung und Befragung 2004, Bern, Switzerland, June The original German name is: Zählung und Befragung

17 Panoramic view of canton Schwyz in Switzerland Age and sex The average age of a cyclist is 47. In general, the group of people between the ages of 50 to 59 is best represented. The group of people between the ages of 40 to 49 comes in second. About 20% of the cyclists interviewed come from the group % percent of the cyclists are male. The average age of cycling women is 43, for men this number is 49. For women the 40 to 49 group is best represented, for men the group of 50 to 59. When cycling vacation trips are concerned, the average age is significantly lower (40 to 49 years) than the average age in day trips (50 to 59 years). For the short trip cyclists we see that the majority is between the ages of 30 and 39. It is interesting to see that in the short trip segment the women make up a 57% majority. Origin of the cyclists The vast majority of the cyclists interviewed for the report Zählung und Befragung 2004 Veloland Schweiz are Swiss citizens. For the vacation (16%) and short trip (12%) cyclists a respectable number of cyclists are from German origin. Other (neighboring) countries have a 4% market share when vacation and short trips in Switzerland are concerned. 96% of the day trip cyclists are Swiss. The other 4% either started their trip in a neighboring country and crossed the Swiss border while en route, or are on a holiday close to the Swiss border and decided to go for a day trip in Switzerland. Use of the national cycling routes Almost 2 out of 3 cyclists were aware of the fact that they were cycling on one of the Swiss national cycling routes. Awareness of the cycle routes (network) is bigger with the vacation and short trip cyclists than with the day trip cyclists. Accommodation Almost 50% of the interviewed cyclists spend the night in a hotel. Youth hostel and camping are the second popular type of accommodation with 13% each. Sleeping at a farm or similar accommodation is preferred by 8%, while Bed & Breakfast is selected by 6%. About 5% of the interviewed cyclists stay with relatives or friends. 7% of the people make other arrangements, which remain unnamed in the study. Table 4: Use of accommodation Type of accommodation Vacation trip Short trip Hotel Youth Hostel Camping Farm Bed & Breakfast Relative / Friend Other 38% 17% 17% 9% 8% 3% 10% 73% 5% 5% 6% 1% 6% 2% 14

18 Organizing a trip About 40% of the cyclists, who organized their trip themselves, book all or part of their accommodation in advance. However, the majority does not book in advance. With short trips the percentage of bookings is higher than with vacation trips. Table 5: Reservation of accommodation Booked in advance Vacation trip Short trip All nights Part of the nights None 20% 17% 56% 41% 10% 44% The vast majority of cycling trips is organized privately. About 7% of the cycling trips are organized via a travel agency or tour operator. Daily expenditure People on a vacation trip in average spend around 100 Swiss Franks (CHF) a day. Accommodation accounts for the biggest part of the expense with CHF45, foods and beverages come in second at CHF40, transportation represents CHF15 and other expenses add up to CHF5. People on a short trip usually spend less, about CHF70. On a day trip in average CHF13 is spend, for the greater part on foods and beverages. Table 6: Daily expenditure in CHF Expenditure Vacation Short Day trip trip trip Foods and beverages Transport Accommodation Other Total Economic results The annual revenue connected to the number of Cycling in Switzerland trips is 130 Million Swiss francs for the year The main revenue from vacation trips and short trips comes from accommodation use. During day trips the highest revenue comes from foods and beverages consumed. Table 7: Annual revenue on the National cycling routes for 2004 (in million CHF) Revenue from: Vacation Short Day Total trip trip trip Foods and beverages Transport Accommodation Other Total Cycle tourism contributes to the economic development of Switzerland and stimulates regional development. Every year regions benefit from the visiting cycle tourists. The annual revenue caused by cycle tourism shows that the money put into the Cycling in Switzerland network is a promising investment for the future. 15

19 2.2 The best practices Example 1: The Heart Route What will happen if one wants to develop a cycling route accessible to anyone in a hilly or mountainous area, an area which is now only accessible to the more sportive cyclists? How to attract big numbers of cycle tourists in such a geographical context, especially when the vast majority of statistics teaches us that the biggest group of cycle tourists is between the ages of 50 and 59? Herzroute The Heart Route in the Emmental Region has been chosen as a best practice example for several reasons: this example demonstrates an original way of transforming a problem into a business opportunity, it shows how to make the most of available new technologies, it makes an entire region more accessible by using only clean forms of energy and transportation, this example has a marketing strategy that lets all partners in this project benefit, with a little creativity, the structure and the shape of this example can be adapted and applied to many other places in the world. 16

20 The Emmental region and the Heart Route 10 Emmental The Emmental region is known for its hilly landscape, its rural character and of course for its world famous cheese, which carries the same name as the region. As a genuine playground for the amateur outdoor lover, this region can be found in between the Jura mountain range and the Bernese Alps. The diversity of its landscape manages to seduce the tourists to visit every year. Accessible and central, this touristy region is organized to answer to the visitors needs. Different types of accommodation, package deals and organized tours can be found here. And finally the Canton of Bern offers several well signaled, regional cycling routes which allow tourists to visit the Emmental region. Figure 4: Geographical location of the Emmental region Switzerland Tourism History of the Heart Route The Heart Route was originally planned to be part of the 10 th Swiss national cycling route, which would become a part of the national network of Cycling in Switzerland. For financial reasons this project was not realized, but the desire to create a route remained. Figure 5: Cities in the proximity of the Heart Route Herzroute The profound desire of Pro-Emmental (the organization responsible for the touristy and economical development of this region) to develop a bicycle route has been shared by several other parties involved. This is why the specialists at the Bureau for Mobility 11 have defined this welcome bicycle route. This route, which was baptized Heart Route, was inaugurated July 10 th 2003, and it suggests an itinerary which crosses the Emmental region, Oberaargau and the Luzerner Hinterland. 10 The original German name is: Herzroute 11 The original German name is: Büro für Mobilität 17

21 The assets of the Heart Route The Heart Route suggests to cyclists to be amazed by the omnipresent nature. Over a total length of 55 kilometers and with an altitude difference of 1400 meters, one can take in the unwinding of forests, summits, valleys and picturesque villages. In the contrary to most cycling routes, which usually go through the valleys of a mountainous area, the Heart Route offers a track over the top of the hills. Criss-crossing through this hilly landscape it offers the cyclists a view that does justice to the real beauty of this area. Because the route follows rural tracks, the cyclists are in direct contact with the local culture and communities. Beautifully maintained old farms, the hospitality of the local accommodation providers, the visible and touchable history and the presence of cultural activities in the area are just a few examples of what the area has to offer. On the Heart Route Local issues As mentioned, cycling at higher altitude offers a very pleasant view. However, not everyone can conquer these climbs with the same ease. A huge challenge lies within the marketing of the Heart Route, for it has to charm all cyclists to make them visit the Heart Route and not only the sportive ones amongst them. And what if the choice of a specific kind of bicycle can bring the solution to this problem? Partnership The project of the Heart Route has been realized with the participation of several partners. Strategic alliances between these partners are the ideal solution for all parties involved in the Heart Route project. One of the strategic partners is the electrical bicycle company Biketec AG (Flyer bikes). The possibility to experiment this cycling route by electrical bicycle makes the Heart Route accessible to a larger audience. As the matter of fact, the slogan which is being used to promote the use of the Flyer bikes in the Emmental region is: With a Flyer bike, we make the Emmental flat. Figure 6: Itinerary of the Heart Route Herzroute People who want to accomplish the Heart Route by electrical bicycle have the possibility to rent one of these bikes via another Heart Route partner, Rent a Bike. In total, six service points are at the disposal of the customer. This way, the customer can rent a bicycle at the point where he starts the Heart Route. The bicycle rental stations can be found at the train station in Burgdorf, 18

22 Hasle-Rüegsau and in Willisau. The Heart Route itinerary allows the cyclists to return the rental bicycle at all three of these rental locations, or at one of three additional service points in Ramsei, Sumiswald and Huttwil. The train can easily be used to return to the point of departure. One can prolong the bicycle trip in the Emmental area by turning it into a short vacation, including several short day trips. Hospitality services in the area answer to the needs of the cyclists, no matter whether they are on a one day trip or on a vacation. The use of electrical bicycles requires the use of batteries. For this reason two battery exchange stations are included in the route, so that the cyclists don t have to carry their own spare batteries. The partners who are responsible for these two battery exchange stations are Emmental Show Dairy 12 and hotel Landgasthof Bären in Madiswil. The stops included in the itinerary to change the battery can also provide a welcome moment to take a look around or to eat and drink something. Emmental Show Dairy Bicycle garden of hotel Landgasthof Bären Madiswil 13 Marketing The Heart Route is a good example of cross marketing. All individual partners in the Heart Route project have a personal interest in this project s success. Their cooperation is the strong point of the Heart Route. Professionalism and motivation of everyone involved have resulted in the set up of the Heart Route within one year. The synergy of efforts for promotion and the sharing of information and clientele networks have created a win-win situation. Partner benefits The direct benefits for the partners are extensive: there are more cycle tourists in the Emmental, Oberaargau and Luzerner Hinterland areas than before, the railway company transports more people, the company Rent a Bike rents out more (electrical) bicycles, the Biketec company has more visibility and thus increases the sales of its electrical Flyer bicycle, the hospitality service establishments in the area receive more guests, the touristy attractions in the area get more visitors. Starting from the 2006 season, package deals, including services of several partners, will be part of the Heart Route s cycle touristy offer. 12 The original German name is: Emmentaler Schaukäserei AG 13 The original German name is: Velogarten 19

23 Signalization Since 2003, the signalization of the Heart Route has been a little bit particular. A marker on the ground consisting of the logo of the Heart Route and an arrow showed the cyclists in which direction to go whenever the route was not self explicable. In order to give the cyclists some extra guiding tools, a bicycle map and a free tour guide booklet are given at the bicycle rental station at the start of the route. These tools include a complete route description with photos and valuable advice concerning the Heart Route. Starting from the 2006 season, the signalization of the Heart Route will respect the uniformity guide lines of the Foundation Cycling in Switzerland. All the markers on the ground will be replaced by the signposts as used throughout Switzerland. The logo of the Heart Route will be integrated in this new signalization. Herzroute What does the Heart Route bring its users? The Heart Route allows cyclists of any caliber to visit the Emmental region by bicycle. It proposes a unique experience of one or several days in the outdoors where several visits can be combined. Emmental landscape, Switzerland Inspiring project for regional development At present, several Swiss areas would like to develop a similar cooperation to the one we find in the Heart Route project. The issue concerning the difference in altitude and the level of difficulty of the cycling routes in some regions creates a considerable challenge to overcome when the development of new clientele and the improvement of the accessibility of an area to a larger public are concerned. Offering a rental station with electrical bicycles just might be the ideal solution to this challenge. Useful links

24 3 Cycle tourism in Germany Figure 7: Map of Germany Germany has a population of over 82 million people. With a total surface of 350,000 km 2, it is divided into 16 States. The official language is German. The country, which shares its borders with Denmark, The Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, France, Switzerland, Austria, the Czech Republic and Poland, is part of the European Union and uses the Euro ( ) as its currency. The development model for cycle tourism in Germany is not uniform at a national level. For this reason, only one of the 16 States will be illustrated for this study. The State focused on in this study is North Rhine- Westphalia. It has been selected because it represents an exemplary model in the field of management and promotion of the cycle tourism industry. 3.1 North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) 14 North Rhine-Westphalia is the most densely populated State in Germany with almost 18 million inhabitants. Situated in the west of the country, this State borders on Belgium, Luxembourg and The Netherlands. The other States bordering NRW are Rhineland-Palatinate in the south, Hesse in the west and Lower Saxony in the north. Universität Tübingen History of the development of cycle tourism in the State NRW Over the course of the last 30 years, around 1.3 billion Euros have been spent in the State NRW on the construction of 7,500 kilometers of cycling lanes. The goals of these constructions were: to offer a cycling network with uniform signalization throughout the whole State, to create connections between communities as well as between train stations, local cycling networks and thematic cycling routes, to promote the use of secure and comfortable cycling routes, to offer (whenever possible direct and short) cycling routes through beautiful landscapes and, to improve cycle tourism and the local economy. The State NRW has financed 100% of the primary outfitting (materials and costs related to installation) concerned with the construction of the cycling network in the State. The installation of signs has been realized by specialized companies, while the supervision was the responsibility of the State Company called Roads. Sign in NRW Signs in NRW Sign in NRW 14 The original German name is: Nordrhein-Westfalen (NRW) 21

25 The road owner of the route where signs have been installed has the responsibility to maintain it adequately. The different road owners are: the Federal State, for the State routes, the counties, for the county routes, the municipalities, for the other routes. Today, the State NRW possesses an exemplary cycle tourism offer Organization of the cycle tourism industry in the State NRW Figure 8: Organization chart illustrating the organization of the cycle tourism industry of the State NRW Lobby Tourism Politics Germany (Federal) NRW (State) Municipality (Local) ADFC DTV (DZT) (International promotion) BMVBS (infrastructure) BMWI (tourism) ADFC Tourism NRW (State promotion) MBV (infrastructure) MWME (tourism) ADFC 11 touristy regions in NRW Cities and Counties (infrastructure) AGFS Three different governmental levels are shown in colour at the left side of the organization chart. These levels are: Federal level, State level (this study focuses on NRW) and the Local level. Three principal fields are distinguished in the cycle tourism industry, being the field of Lobby, Tourism and Politics. ADFC The ADFC is a non profit organization which is represented at Federal level, State level as well as at Local level. This cycling club is a lobby group which defends the rights of cyclists in Germany. The ADFC exists since 1979 and has 110,000 members today to whom several services are offered. This organization aims to, amongst other things, improve the conditions for transportation by bicycle, promote bicycle use as a means of ecological transportation and protect the consumers when the quality of products offered in the cycling industry is concerned. Federal level At first it is the Federal Ministry of Traffic, Construction and Urban Development (BMVBS) which is in charge of the management of the infrastructure. Second, it is the Federal Ministry of Economic Affairs (BMWI) which is concerned with the section tourism. Together they cover the sector of cycle tourism and help finance the States in order to let them handle further development. In the field of Tourism, the Organization for Tourism Germany (DTV) and the German National Tourist Board (DZT) are in charge of the international promotion and marketing of Germany. Organization of cycle tourism in the State NRW Every year, the Ministry of Construction and Traffic of the State NRW (MBV) receives approximately 20 to 25 million Euros coming from the Federal Ministry of Traffic, Construction and Urban Development (BMVBS) to invest in the construction and the maintenance of 22

26 infrastructure developed for cyclists. At the same time, the Ministry for Economic Affairs, Small Enterprises and Energy (MWME) helps finance the activities of Tourism NRW, which is in charge of the promotion of the cycle tourism industry of the State. The local authorities of the State NRW The State NRW consists of several touristy regions. In every one of these regions all the local authorities, such as cities and counties, are represented. Being landowners, these authorities are concerned with the concrete actions in the field. The construction and maintenance of the cycling lanes are their responsibilities Strategic alliances Several types of partnerships exist in North Rhine-Westphalia. Among them we find the group AGFS which is composed of 36 cities and communities. AGFS is for 90% financed by the Ministry of Construction and Traffic of the State NRW (MBV) and for 10% by the Ministry for Economic Affairs, Small Enterprises and Energy (MWME). This group meets twice a month in order to find ways to make sure that cities and communities become more accessible, safer and are constructed for a higher quality of living, in which not only motorized transport is included, but where non-motorized transportation has a central spot when it comes down to short-distance transportation. The bicycle makes up an important part of the development of cities and communities because it represents an ideal means of transportation in many cases. For example, about 50% of all car use takes place for distances in between 0.1 to 5 kilometers. For the cities and communities there is a lot to be gained by making the cities and communities more bicycle and pedestrian friendly Cycling network The cycling network of the State NRW is composed of 23,500 kilometers of cycling lanes, divided in 13,500 kilometers of signaled routes and 10,000 kilometers of thematic routes. The uniformity of the signalization is an essential part of the development of the infrastructure for cycle tourists. In the State NRW, the signaled routes are represented by a rectangular sign which shows the direction to follow by means of an arrow. On the sign, the name of one or more destinations can be found, including the distance to travel in kilometers. The typography is in red and a pictogram of a bicycle is also shown on the sign. The signs including a destination are usually posted at intersections where more than two directions meet. Besides this, smaller signs exist which indicate the direction to follow without naming the destination every time. MBV NRW The thematic routes have their own independent logos and can be added to the signs of the signaled routes whenever these routes follow the same bicycle lanes, or they can be signposted on their own. Every thematic route is represented by a different logo. In total, a choice of 33 trans regional thematic routes and 23 regional thematic routes exists. 23