OCTF09 – Program
8:00 Registration & Continental Breakfast
9:00 Welcome Justin Lafontaine Director, Ontario Cycle Tourism Forum Transportation Options
9:10 Welcome from the Morning Chair Burkhard Mausberg President Friends of the Greenbelt Foundation
9:20 Opening Remarks: The growing market for cycle tourism in Ontario The Honourable Monique Smith Minister Ontario Ministry of Tourism
9:30 A Quebec Success Story: How to attract $134 million a year Jean-François Pronovost, Executive Director Vélo Québec Association
- Agenda:
- What is the market profile of cycle tourism in Quebec?
- How has La Route verte contibuted to the success of cycle tourism?
- What are examples of successful cycle tourism products and marketing?
- How does the funding model for Vélo Québec work?
- What are upcoming initiatives of Vélo Québec?
10:15 Networking Coffee Break
10:30 Switzerland Case Study: Linking together a national human-powered mobility net work (cycling, mountain biking, inline skating and canoeing) Lukas Stadtherr Co-director, Velobüro Member, Management Board, SwitzerlandMobility
- Agenda:
- What is SwitzerlandMobility?
- What is the breakdown of network users, peaks of activity and revenue?
- Community partnerships: How to get communities to buy into development
- What are various funding strategies for the development of infrastructure?
- How to successfully negotiate private partnerships (ie. Swiss Rail, hotels and restaurants, tour
- packages, etc.)
11:00 The Netherlands Case Study: The Do’s and Don’ts of developing the market, Eric Nijland, Director, Dutch National Cycling Platform
- Agenda:
- What are the growth projections for the cycle tourism market in The Netherlands?
- How to successfully build a cycle tourism culture in urban and rural areas
- Overview of service programs: bike rental, luggage transfer, tourism accreditation, etc.
- Overview of partnerships with national and regional DMOs
- Integration with train and bus transport – what are cycling tourists looking for?
11:30 Pennsylvania Case Study: How to launch a cycle tourism marketing campaign, Richard Bonds, Executive Director, Pennsylvania Tourism Office
- Agenda:
- What are the growth projections for cycle tourism in Pennsylvania?
- What is the marketing strategy to capture this emerging market?
- Building a targeted marketing campaign – what are applicable metrics?
- What are challenges in developing an emerging market?
- How can cycle tourism boost the overall tourism brand?
12:00 Networking Lunch
1:00 Welcome and Presentation from the Afternoon Chair, Marlaine Koehler Executive Director Waterfront Regeneration Trust
-
- Agenda:
- Overview of the success of the Great Waterfront Trail Adventure 2008
- What are appropriate business models for cycle tourism products?
- “Flow-on”: How can cycle tourism be linked with other tourism products?
- What are the challenges to marketing cycle tourism products?
- What are the challenges of building and maintaining trails and signage?
- Agenda:
1:10 Panel – Routes, Signage, Maps and Information: What are the challenges and opportunities in developing the cycle tourism market in Ontario?
-
-
- Moderator: Marlaine Koehler Executive Director Waterfront Regeneration Trust
- Councillor Brian Baty Chair Regional Niagara Bicycling Committee
- Jean Charbonneau Manager, Lands (Quebec and Capital Pathway) National Capital Commission
- Daniel Egan Manager, Pedestrian and Cycling Infrastructure City of Toronto
- Agenda
- What are common challenges in ensuring a consistent and continuous route?
- What are common challenges with signage, trailheads, zoning, and liability issues?
- Maps: How to integrate innovations in wayfinding?
- Trail usage audits – what are reliable indicators?
- What are strategies for building consensus among regional stakeholders?
- Agenda
-
2:10 Networking Coffee Break
2:20 Panel – Marketing Programs and Partnerships: What are the promotional strategies, products and services needed to develop the cycle tourism market?
-
- Moderator: Michael Lawley Executive Director Muskoka Tourism
- Leslie Bruce Chief Marketing Officer Butterfield and Robinson Inc.
- Anne Marie Forcier Executive Director Rideau Heritage Route
- Pat Macdonald General Manager and CEO St. Lawrence Parks Commission
- Janice Thomson Executive Director Niagara-on-the-Lake Chamber of Commerce and Visitor & Convention Bureau
- Agenda:
- What are the opportunities and challenges in marketing an emerging market?
- Cycle Tourism Product: What are proven examples of popular products?
- Marketing Partnerships: What are the opportunities for packages?
- What are the benefits of developing a cycle tourism destination brand?
- How does cycle tourism fit into other marketing campaigns and product platforms?
- Agenda:
3:20 Networking Coffee Break
3:30 Panel – The path ahead: What are the next steps in the business development of cycle tourism in Ontario?
- Moderator: Bill Allen, President, Tourism Industry Association of Ontario
- Marlaine Koehler, Executive Director, Waterfront Regeneration Trust
- Burkhard Mausberg, President, Friends of the Greenbelt Foundation
- Jean-François Pronovost, Executive Director, Vélo Québec Association
- Agenda
- What is the strategy for developing the cycle tourism market in Ontario?
- What are the key opportunities, challenges and metrics for development?
- Who are the key stakeholders for development?
- What are the key benchmarking organizations outside of Ontario?
- What are the next steps in developing the cycle tourism market in Ontario?
- Agenda
4:30 Concluding Remarks and Networking Reception