Cycle Tourism Webinar to Help Businesses Further Develop Huron County as Cycling Destination

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 22, 2021

SPOKESPERSON: Glen McNeil, Warden 519.524.8394 x3224 warden@huroncounty.ca

Cycle Tourism Webinar to Help Businesses Further Develop Huron County as Cycling Destination

Huron County, Ontario – Supported by the County of Huron, the Ontario By Bike Network will be hosting a free cycle tourism webinar workshop, tailored for businesses in Huron County on May 10, 2021 from 10:00 am to 11:00 am.

The informative one-hour webinar workshop will offer tourism businesses and organizations key insights into how to become certified as a bicycle-friendly location through the Ontario By Bike Network and reach the growing cycling market in Ontario. Workshop highlights will also include information on cycle tourism products, cycling in Huron County and local cycling developments, demographic and trip planning characteristics of cycle tourists, as well as what services and amenities will attract cyclists to local businesses.

“Huron County has a tremendous opportunity with two significant provincially recognized longer distance cycling routes that are already attracting a significant number of riders,” said Warden Glen McNeil. “With 100km of the 3,600km Great Lakes Waterfront Trail, and Goderich as the terminus of the G2G Rail Trail, as well as 25 mapped road routes and other trails, Huron County has much to offer cyclists.”

As Ontario’s West Coast looks forward to the 2021 tourism season, and with the global bike boom, now is perfect time for businesses to find out more about this market, the opportunities, and how Huron County can become better positioned to welcome and benefit from the increasing number of cyclists.

The webinar workshop is open to the public, owners, managers and/or staff of accommodations, campgrounds, cafes, restaurants, tourist attractions, bike shops and other cycling-related businesses and stakeholders are encouraged to attend.

To register for the Ontario By Bike & Cycle Tourism Development in Huron County workshop, visit: www.ontariobybike-huroncounty.eventbrite.ca

"We are excited to be expanding the Ontario By Bike Network to Huron County. Over the past year, and related to the pandemic, the growth and interest in cycling has hit a new high. Not only are more residents cycling, but so too are visitors travelling with bikes. The Huron County webinar is a great way for businesses to find out how to attract and welcome this growing customer base to their location," says Ontario By Bike / Transportation Options' Executive Director, Louisa Mursell.

Launched in 2010, the Ontario By Bike Network is currently active in 39 regions across Ontario and has seen over 2,500 attendees register for their workshop and webinar series. Ontario By Bike certifies businesses and locations, who meet the criteria, for free under the following categories: accommodations, food service providers, tourist attractions, campgrounds, business areas and other bicycle-related businesses. With over 1,500 Ontario By Bike businesses already participating in the program, businesses within Huron County can join this provincial network, allowing them to connect with the increasing number of cycle tourists and local cyclists across Ontario.

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The County of Huron asks the community to continue respecting all public health guidelines, including performing hand hygiene, practicing physical distancing, and wearing masks. Stay informed on the COVID-19 situation in Huron County by visiting the Huron-Perth Public Health website.

About the Ontario By Bike Network

The Ontario By Bike Network is a project of Transportation Options, a non-profit organization dedicated to fostering sustainable mobility and tourism solutions across Ontario. For more information, visit www.transportationoptions.org.  Other successful Transportation Options' projects include the Bike Train Initiative (www.biketrain.ca) and Parkbus (www.parkbus.ca).