Tourism & cycling research
About this page
Cycle tourism contributes to local economies all around the world. We have listed some studies that evaluate the economic and social benefits of cycling.
Cycle tourism is booming in NSW
01 July 2008. More than half a million visitors tried a pedal powered tourism experience in 2007, according to official figures. This is an increase of 18.5 per cent on the previous year.
According to Tourism NSW the State was the number one for cycle tourism, hosting the greatest share of domestic and international cycle tourists in Australia last year.
The desire to live a healthy lifestyle and greater awareness of the environmental impact of activities has fuelled the burgeoning interest, Tourism NSW said.
Cycling had become a growing niche in the tourism market with 520,000 cycle tourists to NSW in 2007. NSW received 52 per cent of international cycle tourists to Australia and 33 per cent of all domestic cycle tourists in 2007.
Cycle tourists also stayed longer and did more and spend more while on holiday when compared with other tourists, making them a great source of income for regional economies.
Cycle tourists stayed on average 5.1 nights, where as total tourists (all other types of tourists) stayed an average of 3.5 nights. They engaged in an average of six activities during a trip compared with three activities for total tourists.
See also
Rail Trail economic benefits study
2006 - New Study confirms Rail Trails bring jobs to local communities.
The study was based on the 8,500 bike riders who rode on the
$258 per day per visitor justifies the State Government's commitment of over $8 million to building rail trails.
In the last twelve months the State government has kick started rail trail projects all over
- $1.5m for a bridge over the
- $1.3m for a bridge and resurfacing of the High Country Rail Trail,
- $850,000 to construct the Warrnambool to Port Fairy Rail Trail
- $500,000 to construct a new section of the
- $250,000 to build the Coast to Crater Rail Trail from Camperdown to Timboon, which also received $210,000 from BHP Billiton.
The report shows that bike riders on rail trails are predominantly below 15 or over 30 years of age and generally ride with family or friends. 15% of riders over the Easter weekend were from interstate and almost 50% were riding the trail for the first time. Riders stay mainly between two and three days and will ride as far as the time they have allows.
The report ‘Regional Communities and Cycling: The case of the
The study is the first of its kind in the world and has developed a replicable methodology that can be used to assess the benefits of rail trails across
Bicycle
2003 - Latrobe University carried out a study on the economic contribution rail trails provide to regional Victorian towns which indicates that rail trails bring money and jobs to regional Victoria.
Victoria could earn $26m per year from at least 16 tourism trails, based on the figures in the study. Dr Sue Beeton, Senior Lecturer in Tourism, shows in her Victorian Rail Trails report that with 100 visitors on a trail each day, a tourism trail would generate 22 new jobs.
The study focused on three rail trails – the Murray to Mountains Rail Trail, Lilydale to Warburton Rail Trail and East Gippsland Rail Trail. Surveys were handed out to rail trail users asking them how long they stayed in the area and how much they spent on accommodation, meals and other expenses.
Dr Beeton found that expenditure on the East Gippsland Rail Trail is $69 per person per day and concluded that $51 per person per day was an appropriate factor to calculate economic benefit.
Click here for the fact sheet.
Cycling Research Network
Bicycle Victoria is incubating the Cycling Research Network to support research into cycling. See link for studies that include rail trail and tourism research.
Worldwide cycle tourism research
See links (right) for worldwide information on cycle tourism.