Mar 7, 2011 | Industry, MBTA Initiatives, Partners, Uncategorized
Goal To Have BC Recognized As Top Riding Destination In The World BRITISH COLUMBIA – March 7, 2011 – The Mountain Bike Tourism Association (MBTA) has launched a new website designed to provide information and inspiration for all things mountain biking in British Columbia. “This province is arguably the hub of the mountain biking market for North America in regards to concentration of riders and the incredible amount of trail access we enjoy,” says Martin Littlejohn, Executive Director of MBTA. “There is simply so much inspiring terrain in BC, and within most communities around the province, there are passionate people helping to drive the development and awareness of these riding opportunities from the grassroots up.” The website www.mountainbikingbc.ca makes riding experiences more accessible to visitors exploring British Columbia. The Mountain Biking BC website allows active and committed riding communities across the province to consolidate their information, share it with the global mountain bike world and build awareness for British Columbia as the most diverse biking destination in the world. For its initial launch, Mountain Biking BC features eight riding destinations within the province’s six tourism regions. The MBTA is working with many more communities in the province that could benefit and as new community destinations come on board, more BC riding opportunities will be featured on the site. Currently the site features information for: Cariboo Chilcotin Coast region – Williams Lake Northern British Columbia region – Burns Lake Vancouver, Coast and Mountains region – Powell River, Squamish and Whistler Kootenay Rockies region – Rossland Thompson Okanagan region – Shuswap Vancouver Island region – Sooke Each community partner is in...
Dec 1, 2010 | MBTA Initiatives, Partners, Uncategorized
Communities around the province are joining the Mountain Biking BC tourism initiative. The thrust of the initiative is centered around the creation of a new website which will feature communities with authorized mountain bike trails and experiences suitable for promoting to the growing mtb tourism market. The new website will be launched in February 2011. Some of the essential elements that communities need to consider in order to participate include… Basic requirements for community partners: Authorized Trails - Signature trail experiences with appropriate land-use authorization and management framework in place (minimum 2-3 iconic trails or an established trail network to feature on the Mountain Biking BC website). Visitor Ready - Tourism infrastructure with complementary services and attractions (accommodation, food & beverage, bike shop, tourist information resources). Stakeholder Engagement - Coordinated group of stakeholders willing to work with industry to develop and maintain local mountain biking experiences. Online Content Provisioning - Designated local group or individual for updating community online information. Partnership Funding - Funding source for the mountain bike tourism initiative’s community partnership fee. Basic partnership includes a dedicated community page on new mtb tourism website with location map, images and video gallery, featured trails, news, events and services directory. Basic requirements for featured trails: Management - Regular maintenance and monitoring by local trail group and/or land management staff. Permission - Featured trails must be authorized and have the appropriate land manager’s permision to be promoted as a tourism experience. Signage - Easily recognized trail head with frequent way finding markers especially at trail intersections/branches. Map - Trail maps should be based on accurate GIS data and in pdf...
Jun 22, 2010 | Industry, Uncategorized
TORONTO, ONTARIO–(Marketwire - June 22, 2010) - On behalf of the Honourable Jim Prentice, Minister of the Environment and Minister responsible for Parks Canada, Mr. Paul Calandra, Member of Parliament for Oak Ridges-Markham, today announced that the Government of Canada will be investing in the creation of the Trail Care Crew. This full-time, professional team of trail experts will travel Canada yearround working on and visiting trails in order to improve outdoor opportunities for all Canadians. “I am proud to announce that the Government of Canada will be contributing $200,000 over three years to the Canadian office of the International Mountain Bicycling Association for the creation of the National Trail Care Crew,” said Mr. Calandra. “The Trail Care Crew will travel across Canada, improving existing trails, building new ones, and leading trail workshops about the importance of proper trail use, design and construction.” “Trails help to protect Canada’s fragile natural treasures while allowing us to safely enjoy them at the same time.” said Minister Prentice. “We are proud to be part of the Trail Care Crew and look forward to seeing the good work they will do on trails across Canada.” Parks Canada and the Trans Canada Trail (TCT) have partnered with the Canadian office of the International Mountain Bicycling Association (IMBA) to develop the Trail Care Crew program. The Government’s contribution is part of a three way financial commitment from the other organisations involved in the project. The crew works with IMBA Canada-affiliated mountain bike clubs, TCT provincial and territorial organizations, Parks Canada’s national parks, national historic sites, and national marine conservation areas and other trail user groups...
Jun 22, 2010 | MBTA Initiatives, Uncategorized
Vinay Menon’s Drive To Promote Freeride Mountain Biking Wins Judges’ Votes WHISTLER, BC June 22, 2010 – Bike Parks BC’s panel of celebrity judges has awarded Vinay Menon of India with the Ultimate Summer of Free Ride. Vinay’s pioneering spirit and drive to develop freeride mountain biking in his homeland set his entry apart out of over 140 blog and photo entries. “It sounds like he’s been working hard to spread the good word of mountain bike for a long time now…and he shreds!” says judge and freeride athlete Darcy Turenne. “Bike parks are non-existent in India and riding in British Columbia would be a chance of a lifetime for him, as well as being an inspirational and educational experience for trail building in India. Go Vinay!” “Vinay only has videos and magazines from other countries to guide him in developing freeride trails and lines in India. The fact that he developed his own team to promote freeride mountain biking in a country where freeriding is at its infancy really shows his commitment to the sport,” says judge and professional photographer Harookz. “Vinay experiencing the best bike parks in the world first hand will help the growth of our sport in other areas of the world.” Vinay is already organizing his visa for travel to Canada so he can take advantage of the prize as well as the incredible experiences and learning opportunities available to him through Bike Parks BC. “Winning feels surreal! I came across this contest while looking for information on bike parks in Canada on the web,” says Vinay Menon. “I thought it’d be fun to...
May 12, 2010 | Industry, MBTA Initiatives, Partners, Uncategorized
Experience It All With A Season Pass To Five B.C. Bike Parks To Be Awarded June 19 WHISTLER, BC May 12, 2010 – Inspiration for Anthill Film’s latest bike film “Follow Me” was easy to come by; the resorts of Bike Parks BC are the crew and athletes’ backyards. Whistler Mountain Bike Park, Silver Star Bike Park, Sun Peaks Resort, Fernie Alpine Resort and Mount Washington Bike Park showcase an unparalleled diversity of lift-accessed terrain. “One of the things we really wanted to show in ‘Follow Me’ was the variety of the trails and terrain Bike Parks BC has,” says Ian Dunn, Producer and Marketing Director of Anthill Films. “It’s really cool how mountains only a few hours apart can be so different - from views of the Pacific on Mount Washington and the perfectly groomed berms of Silverstar, to the fast and flowy runs on Sun Peaks, the technical descents at Fernie and the non-stop action of the Whistler Mountain Bike Park - each park has it’s own unique feel.” Bike Parks BC’s “Ultimate Summer of Free Ride” will give one rider a summer of access to B.C’s best bike parks with a season pass to Whistler Mountain Bike Park, Silver Star Bike Park, Sun Peaks Resort, Fernie Alpine Resort and Mount Washington Bike Park. The winner will also get two lift tickets, two nights accommodation, two days of bike rentals, and a half day of expert guiding to share with a friend at each resort during the 2010 summer season; not to mention $1,000 so they can create the most epic summer road trip ever. “Riding in...
Apr 15, 2010 | Industry, MBTA Initiatives, Uncategorized
Vancouver, BC, April 15, 2010 - British Columbia is poised to become recognized as the most diverse mountain biking tourism destination in the world. The province already has an enviable reputation for mountain biking with internationally recognized resorts, communities, trails, manufacturers, websites, film makers and pro riders. Over the past year, stakeholders from the mountain bike sector have come together to develop a plan for increasing mountain biking visitation to the province through a collaborative marketing strategy developed through the Ministry of Tourism, Culture, and the Arts (MTCA)’s Experiences BC® program . The result has been a new coordinated approach bringing communities and commercial operators together to market BC’s mountain biking experiences to the rest of the world. “Now that we have a 3 year plan and a clear vision, the next big challenge will be to gain the required investment from communities around the province that have what it takes to be a mountain biking tourism destination” said Martin Littlejohn, Executive Director of the Western Canada Mountain Bike Tourism Association (MBTA). “We have a very unique opportunity to create a successful mountain bike tourism sector for the province. Many of the resources are already in place, however, there is still work to be done to insure that every visitor’s experience is the best it can be”. The timing is excellent as awareness for BC’s adventure tourism experiences has never been greater thanks to the international exposure that the province received during the 2010 Winter Olympics. There has also been a great deal of progress at the community level in terms of authorization and management of mountain bike trails....
