Ray freeman aus mtn bike tourism conference presentation - critical success factors - feb-2-2012

Mountain Bike Tourism

Mountain Bike Tourism and Community Development

in British Columbia, Canada:

Critical Success Factorsfor the Future

Presented by:

Ray Freeman

Royal Roads University

Australian Cycle Tourism ConferenceCanberra - February 2nd, 2012


Purpose

An Enquiry of:

• Critical Success Factors

• Conceptual Framework for Community-Based Mountain Bike Tourism Development

• to support sustainable planning and implementation


Overview

• Why Mountain Bike Tourism?

• Community Benefits

• How to get there…building blocks

• Research Findings

• Recommendations for Practice

• Questions

• Appendix: Methodology


Kalamalka Lake, Cosen’s Bay Trail, Okanagan Valley, Vernon, BC


Why Mountain Bike Tourism?

• gaining critical-mass globally

• fast growing segment in adventure tourism

• business/govt & social media momentum

• cost-effective for communities (however, must leverage partnerships: Peter Drucker, 1973; Michael Porter, 1998)

• multiple potential benefits

(Gajda, 2008; Koepke, 2005…see Blake Roswell SMBDC, 2009; Tourism BC, 2008)


Hornby Island, BC


Potential Community Benefits

• recreational opportunities• youth / community social / health

• destination awareness

• tourism revenue, taxation revenue

• community infrastructure

• spin-offs for direct and indirect businesses

• social capital

• this list is NOT comprehensive



British Columbia: Cluster Example

Source: http://www.th.gov.bc.ca/seatosky/RFQ/maps/Corridor_Map.pdf

Vancouver Island is 460 Km in length


Sea to Sky Corridor (Cluster)

Source: http://www.sitesandtrailsbc.ca/documents/sea-to-sky-trail-strategy.pdf


Sea to Sky Economic Impact Study

• Sea to Sky Mountain Biking Economic Impact Study

• Outside visitors to the North Shore, Squamish, Whistler, Pemberton corridor

• $10.3 m revenue (June 4 to September 16)

• Whistler Mountain Bike Park $16.2 m

• Crankworx Mountain Bike Festival $11.5 m

• $38 m cumulatively

• Whistler: 1 millionth rider in 2011 (over 12 yrs)

Source: MBTA, 2006


How to get there?

Critical Success Factors:

• Community Champions / Stakeholders / Political Will

• Infrastructure / Amenities / Supporting Services

• Legislation / Regulatory Frameworks

• Destination Marketing / Management

• Physical Geography / Terrain / Trails

• Funding Sources (Private / Public / In-Kind)

• Mtn Bike Clubs / Schools / Camps / Programs

• Mtn Bike Culture / Lifestyle / Events

(APEC, 2010; BCMTCA, 2005, LinkBC, 2009; Rockart & Bullen, 1981; Wilson, Fesenmaier,

Fesenmaier, & van Es, 2001)


Critical Success Factors

Community Champions / Stakeholders / Political Will:

• Mountain Bike Resorts • Commercial Tour Operators • Destination Marketing Organizations • First Nations • Industry Groups (Mountain Bike Clubs) • Mountain Bike Tourism Services (Accommodation, food, rental, transport) • Provincial Government Agencies • Regional & Municipal Governments • Trail Stewardship Groups • Private & Public-Sector Landowners • Event Organizers (Festivals/Races) • Educational Institutions • Mountain Bike Consultants • Insurance Experts • Athletes & Professional Mountain Bikers

Source: Tourism BC, 2010


Diversity of Tourism Product

Mountain Biking Product:

• Bike Parks/lift accessed biking

• Local trails for freeriding & cross-country biking

• Touring and family trails (ie: rails-to-trails)

• Epic Rides

• Races, Festivals & Events

• Mountain Bike Camps

• Community-based programs

(APEC, 2010; MTBA, 2010)


Integration Process

Stakeholder Integration:

• Identify salient stakeholders

• Inclusive yet selective process

• Strong leadership / facilitation / champions

• Community vision / strategic planning

• Build social capital / collaborative experience

• Participant / visitor experience-orientation

(Hawkins, 2002; Lord & Elmendorf, 2008; Mitchell, Agle, & Wood,1997; Savage, Nix, Whitehead, & Blair, 1991; Scott, Baggio, & Cooper, 2008; Wagener & Fernandez-Gimenez, 2008)


Integration Process Strategy

Example:

• Develop regional cycling tourism initiative

• ie: Touring and family trails (rails-to-trails)

• Communications with regional partners

• Identify Critical Success Factors

• Identify collaborative opportunities

• Seek external knowledge / resources

• Implementation and periodic evaluation of plan

Mountain Bike TourismTransporters (2008) By Chris PaulTsartlip First Nations Artist

Mt. Seymour, North Shore of Vancouver, B.C.


Conceptual Framework for Community-Based

Mountain Bike Tourism Development

Critical Success Factors (Wilson, et al, 2001; etc...)

Basic Elements for Mtn Bike Tourism (MTBA, 2010)

BC Community Development Assessment Framework (Tourism BC, 2008)

Delphi study (Freeman, 2011)

*Data derived from Graduate Paper submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Arts in Tourism Management at Royal Roads University


Contingent Factors (Emerging Clusters)

Non-Contingent Factors (Maturing Clusters)

Innovation / Outlier Strategies / Alternative Factors and Approaches


Contingent Factors

(Emerging Cluster)


Non-Contingent Factors

(Maturing Cluster)

Transporters (2008) By Chris PaulTsartlip First Nations Artist


(Davies , 2003; Jiang, Sui, and Cao, 2008; Patterson, 2000)


Teachers Drum (2004) By Chris PaulTsartlip First Nations ArtistPainted deer hide drum

Shuttle Run, Mt. Prevost, Duncan / North Cowichan, B.C.


Case-Study Research Example

• Identify bike-related activities currently in the region

• Current issues / challenges / demographics / trends

• Range of potential opportunities & impacts

• Create awareness among stakeholders

• Alignment with OCP and Community Vision

• Encourage Spin-Off benefits

• Compare with other community (cycling) plans

(per Municipality of North Cowichan Case-Study)


CSF: Examples of Funding Sources(Public / Private / In-Kind)

• Municipality trails development / maintenance• Bike clubs / volunteers• IMBA Canada

http://www.imbacanada.com/resources/fundraising/canadian-grants• Community Futures• BC Provincial Government (program examples)

Bike BCACT Now BCLocalMotion

• Island Coastal Economic Trust• Cowichan Valley Regional District• Cowichan Tribes• Other Government (Health Authority)• Corporate Sponsors• Trans Canada Trail• Other NGO’s• Service Clubs

CSF example from Municipality of North Cowichan Case Study, Appendix “O”


Whale Paddle (2005) By Chris PaulTsartlip First Nations ArtistPainted ash

Burnt Bridge, Cowichan Lake, B.C.


Summary

• Framework may be applicable to other tourism product

• Successful integration is all about Partnerships

• Conversations can reveal hidden resources (Outliers)

• Strategic planning with a collective vision

• It’s been done before!

Conservation Drum (2006) By Chris PaulTsartlip First Nations ArtistPainted deer hide drum


Super-D Race, Hartland, Victoria, BC


Questions?

Ray Freeman

+001.250.744.5653+001.250.893.3191

[email protected]

[email protected]

Twitter: @LeftCoastInsite

http://ca.LinkedIn.com/in/rayfreeman

www.Facebook.com/rayrfreeman

Skype: ray.freeman.ism

Graduate Paper: http://t.co/3ZZWPJ3


Methodology

• Delphi Study

• Purposive Sample

• Survey Plan & Instrument

• Research Process

• Interactive Data Collection & Analysis


Delphi Technique

• “…for forecasting and planning by analyzing the collective responses of a select group of experts” Linstone & Turoff (1975)

• “…obtain the most reliable consensus of opinion of a group of experts by a series of intensive questionnaires interspersed with controlled opinion feedback…” du Plessis & Human (2007)


Purposive Selection Criteria

• Position power: in a position to influence and build the commitment of colleagues • Expertise: to ensure different relevant points of view are adequately reflected • Credibility: essential so that any decisions are taken seriously

Adapted from: Wilson & Moffat (2010)


Sample Frame1. Mountain Bike Resorts 2. Commercial Tour Operators 3. Destination Marketing Organizations 4. First Nations 5. Industry Groups (Mountain Bike Clubs) 6. Mountain Bike Tourism Services (accommodation, food retail, rental, transport) 7. Provincial Government Agencies 8. Regional & Municipal Governments 9. Trail Stewardship Groups 10. Private Landowners 11. Event Organizers (festivals/races) 12. Educational Institutions 13. Mountain Bike Consultants 14. Insurance Experts 15. Athletes and Professional Mountain Bikers

Source: Tourism British Columbia (2010)


Survey…Instrument

• three rounds of online survey questions

• mixed quantitative & qualitative analysis

• facilitates exploratory research


Circular Model of Mixed Research

Source: Veal (2006)


Collection & Analysis

• Round 1: data reduction

• Round 2: identify recurring themes

• Round 3: correlation


Population Behaviour

• 51 informants initially identified…41 responses

• Round One: 27 response completions (65% response rate)

• Round Two: 26 response completions (63% response rate)

• Round Three: 19 response completions (46% response rate)


Round One

• Open commentary: identified CSF’s based upon respondents’ respective perspectives

• identified respondents’ initial priorities of CSF’s

• corroborated the CSF’s identified in the literature

• also identified several Outlier factorsMountain Bike Culture / Lifestyle / and Events; Funding Sources (Private / Public / In-Kind); and, Mountain Bike Clubs / Schools / Camps / Programs

(Davies, 2003; Jiang, Sui, and Cao, 2008; Patterson, 2000)


Round Two

• shared collective responses with group

• prioritization of collective CSF’s

• responses linked to CSF’s usingsummated rating Likert scale

• analysis for this phase was quantitative only


Round Three

• Open commentary

• again, responses linked to CSF’s (key words / theme search / weighting of responses)

• respondents stated that the list is comprehensive

• Outlier responses highlight unique approaches and individual perspectives

(Davies, 2003; Jiang, Sui, and Cao, 2008; Patterson, 2000)


Summary of Methodological Findings

• Value of Expert Consensus

• Framework provides a tangible application model

• Comprehensive model supports sustainability of initiatives

• Outliers identify unique approaches(Davies, 2003; Jiang, Sui, and Cao, 2008; Patterson, 2000)

• CSF’s may support universality across geography and sectors


Questions?

Ray Freeman

+001.250.744.5653+001.250.893.3191

[email protected]

[email protected]

Twitter: @LeftCoastInsite

http://ca.LinkedIn.com/in/rayfreeman

www.Facebook.com/rayrfreeman

Skype: ray.freeman.ism

Graduate Paper: http://t.co/3ZZWPJ3

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Ray freeman aus mtn bike tourism conference presentation - critical success factors - feb-2-2012