Valuing adventurous off-road cycling as a tourism product:

A case-study of South West England

Neil S. Ormerod

Centre for Sport, Leisure and Tourism Research, April 23rd 2012 University of Exeter Research Showcase Event, London

1 South West Case Studentship• Collaboration between University of Exeter and 1 South

West Cycle Adventure to research the economic value of off-road cycling

• 1SW is developing a number of off-road cycling facilities across the South West to create an off-road cycling region

• 1SW is funded by Sport England and the Rural Development Programme for England Sustainable Tourism Programme

• 1SW originated from a 2006 feasibility study: ‘Developing Off-Road Cycling in Woodlands Across the South West’

• This report concluded that off-road cycling in the South West is an economically significant activity

1 South West CASE Studentship

Purpose: To investigate the economic value of off-road cycling.

Project Aims

To develop a dedicated method for better capturing the economic benefit to regional tourism of adventurous off-road cycling facilities

To establish the strength of case of this activity as a regional tourism ‘attractor’

Research Objectives

Literature Review Summary

• No single recognised solution for measuring the economic impact of tourism

• However, the economic benefits of tourism can be measured by either:- Quantifying the economic impact of visitor expenditure- Or alternatively, by measuring the economic value of a resource from the user’s perspective

• A knowledge gap can be identified within the literature between understanding the value tourists place on destinations and the economic impact of their activity whilst they are there

• This study has adopted a mixed method approach to investigate the interrelationship between economic value and economic impact

Methodology Overview

• Mixed method approach using quantitative and qualitative methods

1. Questionnaire Survey:– Large-scale on-site questionnaire survey of off-road cyclists (n = 500)– Sampling strategy developed to capture daily, weekly, and seasonal usage

patterns– Questionnaire successfully piloted at the Forest of Dean, November 2011– Main survey commenced in January 2012 at Haldon Forest Park, Exeter

2. Qualitative Interviews:– In-depth interviews with respondents recruited through questionnaire survey– Interviews to follow up areas of interest identified from the questionnaire

survey

Forest of Dean Pilot November 2011

Questionnaire Survey Schedule

Thank you – any questions?

• Research presented here was conducted during an ESRC Studentship under its Capacity Building Clusters Award (RES-187-24-0002) in partnership with 1 South West Cycle Adventure.

• For more information about this project and the work of the Centre for Sport, Leisure and Tourism research, see www.ex.ac.uk/slt/ourresearch/economicimpactofoff-roadbiking/

• Neil S. Ormerod, n.s.ormerod@exeter.ac.uk