樱桃视频is about to find out just how much money mountain biking means to the Outdoor Recreation Capital of Canada.
The Mountain Bike Tourism Association, in co-operation with community partners and the Ministry of Tourism, Sport and the Arts announced this week the launch of a study to measure the economic impact study of mountain biking in the Sea to Sky corridor.
Spending data will be gathered from mountain bikers in Squamish, Whistler and on the North Shore between June and September. The data will be used to generate an estimate of economic impact at the community level as well as for the corridor as a whole. There is a particular emphasis on tourism impacts generated by destination mountain bikers.
An additional study conducted in 樱桃视频during the Test of Metal will measure spectator and participant spending and generate an estimate of the economic value of the event. It is hoped that quantifying the economic impact of mountain biking will allow trail management groups to demonstrate the value of trails and ultimately aid in their preservation.
The study is being designed by Tony Fisher, Director of Research of the Canadian Sport Tourism Alliance. Spending data gathered from mountain bikers will be extrapolated into CSTA's Sport Tourism Economic Assessment Model (STEAM), a web-based application designed to predict the economic impact of a sport event on a community.
Fisher has conducted similar economic impact assessments across Canada including the World Junior Hockey Championships held in Vancouver, Kelowna and Kamloops in 2006 and the UCI 2003 Road World Cycling Championships held in Hamilton. Fisher utilizes Entryware developed by Techneos Systems Inc., a Vancouver-based supplier of software for mobile survey automation.
Cliff Miller, race director for the Test of Metal and SORCA director. commented: "We hope this study proves what we all believe, that mountain biking generates a valuable economic contribution to the community of Squamish."
The Mountain Bike Tourism Association, formed in late 2005, is dedicated to sustainable mountain bike tourism in BC. The MBTA's vision is to have B.C. recognized for its world-class sustainable trails and abundant mountain bike experiences that are supported by enthusiastic communities and operators offering high quality services. The Association's mandate is to represent the interests of mountain bike tourism stakeholders at the provincial level. Stakeholders include commercial operators and resorts offering lift-accessed mountain biking as well as community-based trail groups & clubs and local government. The Economic Impact study is a key initiative for the MBTA in its first full year of operation. This study is viewed as a pilot project and the plan is to conduct similar studies in other BC mountain biking communities in subsequent years.
Preliminary economic impact assessments will be released in the fall of 2006. The MBTA and the study partners wish to ask mountain bikers for their cooperation in the study. Part-time casual survey positions will be available in Squamish. Anyone interested in these positions should email the MBTA at [email protected].
