On October 24, Vélo Québec organized a well-attended symposium on tourism, cycling and Route verte. The last event of this kind was held in 2004, so it goes without saying that the 200-plus attendees had a lot to talk about and share. The discussions provided an overview of the situation in Quebec, and identified the work that needs to be done to increase the number of tourists on bikes.
Discussions revealed that the supply of bicycle products with tourism potential has developed well in Quebec over the past 10 years. It's mainly on the marketing side that efforts need to be made to ensure that the industry targets the clientele interested in our offering. It has to be said that our immediate neighbors (Ontario, New Brunswick and the northeastern U.S.) don't naturally associate Quebec with cycling when they think of their vacations. We need to show them that cycling lets you discover the province and connect with its people like no other means of transportation. It's this facet of cycling in Quebec that we need to market and sell to the tourists who choose Quebec.
In addition to marketing work, we need to offer tourists quality information on cycling routes, accommodation, bike-train-bus interconnections, baggage transport services, etc. - in short, everything that revolves around the offer, making life easier for cyclists and enhancing their tourist experience. While Quebec has a head start over neighboring provinces and states with the Route verte and its extensive range of services for cyclists, the fact remains that the American states are beginning to realize the full potential of bicycle tourism and to invest in attracting cyclists to their shores. In short, now is not the time to rest on our laurels. We need to be pro-active and plant the image in the minds of Americans and Canadians that cycling in Quebec is a must!
If you are interested in bicycle tourism, we suggest you read the’article from TourismExpress, which sums up the situation.
Suzanne Lareau
President and CEO, Vélo Québec
Sylvain Gaudreault, Minister of Transport and Minister of Municipal Affairs, Regions and Land Occupancy (QC) and Suzanne Lareau, President and CEO (Vélo Québec), Colloque Tourisme, vélo et Route verte, October 24, 2013
