Cycle Tourism is a growing niche market with considerable opportunities for regional economies. It has a number of key segments:

• Cycling Holidays: touring cycling is the main purpose of the holiday
• Holiday Cycling: recreational cycling is undertaken as an activity whilst on holiday
• Cycling Day Visits: Trips from home to places outside a person’s usual place of residence
• Cycling Events: this may involve
  
  • direct participation, e.g. cycling festivals such as the Dungog PedalFest
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  • mass participation events such as BikeSA’s Dirty Weekend – for mountain bikers
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  • predominantly spectator participation events, e.g. cycling sporting events such as the Tour Down Under
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Cycle tourism has multiple benefits including:

• boosting domestic and inbound tourism;
• providing ecological sustainable tourism;
• encouraging the economic revitalisation of regional Australia;
• enhancing the infrastructure of local communities and its potential to encourage healthy activities.

Some studies on the economic benefit of cycle tourism are listed under Research. Some useful Cycle Tourism resources include the following:

Australia:

• Cycle Tourism Australia
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  This organisation has been set up as a national not-for-profit organisation committed to the development of an integrated, co-ordinated approach to cycle tourism planning, development and promotion. Their website includes a range of resources, research and tools on cycle tourism in Australia.
• Bicycle Federation of Australia
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  The Bicycle Federation of Australia (BFA) is the national peak body representing people who ride bicycles for recreation, transport, tourism, health & fitness and fun. It aims to improve the environment for cycling and encourage more Australians to ride more often.
  It has a useful bibliography on cycle tourism, Report and Submissions about Cycle Tourism. Visit Site
• Railtrails Australia
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  Railtrails Australia is a national organisation which promotes the preservation of old rail corridors for alternative public uses such as cycling, horse riding and bush walking. They liaise with other groups to promote the rail trail concept and publish a quarterly newsletter, books, brochures and maps.
  A particularly relevant resource from Railtrails Australia include is:
  
  • Rail Trail Establishment Guidelines
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    Railtrails Australia has developed an excellent manual on CD-ROM outlining the steps to get a rail trail established. It includes an extensive array of documents in the appendix that would be of assistance to those thinking of establishing a rail trail or maintaining an open rail trail
• South Australian Tourism Commission, 2005, South Australian Cycle Tourism Strategy 2005-2009, Adelaide
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  Developed in consultation with a number of stakeholders, this strategy outlines how SA can leverage economic benefit from cycle tourism as a high value niche market.

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 International:

• Doherty, S., 1998, Rail-trails and community sentiment: A study of opposition to rails-trails and strategies for success, Rails to Trails Conservancy, USA
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  This study documents minority opposition to rail trails and how this opposition is best dealt with.
• Fraietta, J. (2004) Cycle Tourism Research Summary,  Tourism Research Analyst
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  The information in this report was compiled to profile the cycle tourism market, review the current literature on the subject, and increase tourism operators’ awareness of cycle tourism as an emerging market opportunity in Alberta.

Case studies:
Some case studies of good cycle tourism initiatives are listed below:

• Department of Planning, 2006, NSW Coastline Cycleway Grants Program 2006-07
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  The NSW Coastline Cycleway Grant Program provides funding to non-metropolitan councils in NSW to progress the implementation of the Coastline Cycleway. The route follows the vision of Elias Duek-Cohen for a continuous 1,500km cycle route from the Queensland border to the Victorian border, linking coastal communities and avoiding main roads where possible.
  The construction of the Coastline Cycleway will boost transport, recreation and tourism opportunities for regional coastal communities. The project is widely supported by the 23 NSW regional councils and by organisations such as Bicycle NSW and local Bicycle User Groups.
• The Central Coast Cycling Guide
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  This website has been developed to encourage local and visiting bike riders to enjoy the outdoors and explore the picturesque Central Coast. Here you'll find details of a variety of local rides, each graded with a level of difficulty and experience required to negotiate the proposed routes. There are rides suitable for everyone - from individuals to families to professional riders.
• Clarence Coast Walks Network
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  Regional Partnership funding for this project will enable the creation of two scenic walking and cycling trails along the foreshore of the Clarence River. Grant details can be found through the Regional Partnerships search facility for approved grants.
• Adelaide Free City Bike Program
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  The free city bike program provides 2 hours free bicycle hire in Adelaide's CBD. Run by Adelaide City Council and Bicycle South Australia.

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International

• Co, S.A. (2000), Integrating the Bicycle into the Yosemite Valley Transportation Network. Institute of Transport Studies, University of California, Davis, Research Report UCD-ITS-RR-00-18.
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   Cycling in Yosemite Valley is evaluated as a viable transportation mode within the context of the alternatives described in the 2000 Draft Yosemite Valley Plan/Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement. Free from the obstacles that urban areas face in promoting the bicycle as transportation, Yosemite Valley offers a unique place to promote bicycle use. Traffic congestion occurs during the summer months peak season. During this time, the bicycle represents the quickest, most convenient way for many people to experience the Valley on the park roads and the dedicated Bikeway network portion of the Valley. Distances to locations in the seven mile by one mile Valley are short, allowing short travel times to destinations.

• 7Stanes is a Scottish Forestry Commission recreation and tourism project Visit Site
  
  The 7stanes are seven mountain biking centres spanning the south of Scotland, from the heart of the Scottish Borders to Dumfries and Galloway.  'Stane' is the Scots word for stone, and at each of the 7stanes locations, you'll find a stone sculpture reflecting a local myth or legend.
  The stanes are found out on the trails in the forests, in prominent locations near cycling and walking paths.  They’re accessible on foot or by horse as well as by bike, and range in size from one to three metres high and from two to six tons in weight.
  Find out more about the STANES themselves Visit Site

 

Research

• Faulks, P., Ritchie, B. & Fluker, M. (2007) Cycle Tourism in Australia: an investigation into its size and scope, Co-operative Research Centre
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  A scoping study was undertaken over a short time frame to investigate the size and scope of cycle tourism in Australia and to provide research recommendations in order to address research gaps identified.