Business Matters

State's tourism industry expects mountain biking to gain traction

As president of the International Mountain Bicycling Association, Mike Van Abel has a good feel for the industry he represents. Thanks to thousands of miles traveled each year for work -- and play -- Van Abel knows firsthand which states are traditional hot spots for the recreation activity and which states will be.

Van Abel has little doubt that Arkansas is emerging as a premier mountain-biking destination.

"It is really encouraging to me to see a state that is really invested in its tourism like Arkansas," Van Abel said. "Arkansas has been doing it well for a long time, better than most states in the nation. So couple that effort with some amazing new activity around mountain biking, and I think Arkansas is just prime to go to another level. I see the state being really at the threshold of seeing mountain biking-related tourism really climb."

Growing the state's appeal to mountain bikers was among the focal points of the recent 2015 Governor's Conference on Tourism. Van Abel addressed outlined to attendees some key areas -- providing safe storage for expensive equipment, offering outdoor dining options -- where the state's hospitality industry can serve as a complement to the state's outstanding trails and terrain.

Not surprisingly, the Ouachitas and Ozarks are big draws for mountain bikers. Growth could come along Crowley's Ridge in northeast Arkansas and near Greers Ferry.

Generally speaking, the state has a pretty good feel for how to cash in on tourism-related visitors. While it might seem odd to think of our natural resources as moneymakers, the numbers are there to remind us.

Nearly 26 million tourists spent more than $6.7 billion in Arkansas last year. Tourism tax collections were about $13.8 million, up 7 percent from 2013. It marked the biggest year-over-year increase since 2000.

A five-year look at the industry also is promising. Visitors have increased 13.3 percent, visitor spending is up 25.5 percent and tax collections are up 20.4 percent since 2009.

Employment in the hospitality industry in Arkansas topped 100,000 for 2014. That's an increase of 23 percent over the past decade.

Arkansas excels in tourism for a number of reasons. One of them is an awareness of its strengths and a willingness to highlight them.

Last year brought a concerted effort to target motorcyclists and help hotels, lodges and others to understand how to best accommodate riders. This year the focus turned to mountain bikers, who, according to one 2012 study, bring in an estimated $400 million to Oregon's economy.

Rural communities are the ones most likely to see a benefit from increase mountain biking activity. Another Oregon study cited by Van Abel's group highlighted Oak Ridge, a town of about 3,500 that generates between $2.3 million and $4.9 million annually from visitors riding on nearby trails.

Certainly, we should note Oregon has about twice as many registered trails on mtbproject.com as Arkansas and has stronger tradition as a mountain-biking destination. Still, Van Abel sees potential. Arkansas ranks in the top 20 among states with the most trails registered on the site, which crowd-sources its listings and then verifies them through the International Mountain Bicycling Association.

Van Abel said post-ride money often gets spent on beer, an industry where Arkansas is quickly gaining ground. That burgeoning beer business is yet another attraction for out-of-state travelers. Investments to improve trails from organizations like the Walton Family Foundation also are helping the state's reputation.

Capitalizing on that will be a focal point for parks and tourism officials this year. They'll be advertising the state as a mountain biking destination, continuing the organization's tradition of identifying and maximizing Arkansas' natural resources.

Also be on the lookout this year for tourism efforts to include highlighting the state's status as a destination for brides, dog owners (Barkansas, y'all!) and Hispanic tourists. Parks and Tourism has partnered with Cinco Media of Bryant to translate brochures and find ways to promote bilingual tourism.

It's mountain biking, though, where the greatest potential exists.

"We see some strong emerging, niche markets," said Ron Maxwell, deputy tourism director for the Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism. "I think the future for tourism is Arkansas is good, but we want to continue to identify markets where we can grow. Mountain biking is definitely one of those markets. Word of mouth has really helped us and now we're planning spring and summer campaigns to attract more of that business. It's definitely an important emerging market for us."

SundayMonday Business on 03/22/2015

Upcoming Events