How can you use active transportation to boost tourism?

1 Identify your assets

What are the unique features and benefits of your destination that can attract and delight tourists? Think about your natural and cultural heritage, your landmarks and attractions, your events and festivals, your cuisine and shopping, and your local stories and traditions. Then, think about how you can connect them with active transportation modes and routes. For example, you can create walking or cycling tours that showcase your history, art, or architecture, or you can design transit itineraries that link your main attractions and amenities.

2 Provide information and incentives

Tourists need clear, accessible, and reliable information and incentives to choose active transportation over driving or flying. You can provide them with maps, guides, signs, apps, and websites that show them how to get around, where to go, and what to see and do by walking, cycling, or using public transit. You can also offer them discounts, rewards, or packages that include active transportation options, such as bike rentals, transit passes, or guided tours. For example, you can partner with local businesses, hotels, or attractions to create active transportation deals or vouchers for tourists.

3 Improve infrastructure and services

Active transportation requires safe, comfortable, and convenient infrastructure and services that meet the needs and preferences of tourists. You can improve your infrastructure and services by adding or upgrading sidewalks, bike lanes, trails, transit stops, stations, and vehicles, as well as providing amenities such as benches, shelters, lighting, bike racks, lockers, and restrooms. You can also improve your services by ensuring that they are frequent, reliable, accessible, and affordable, as well as offering special features such as bike or luggage storage, Wi-Fi, or audio guides. For example, you can implement bike share or transit on demand systems that allow tourists to access active transportation easily and flexibly.

4 Engage stakeholders and communities

Active transportation can benefit not only tourists, but also local stakeholders and communities. You can engage them in your planning, promotion, and support of active transportation by soliciting their feedback, ideas, and participation. You can also collaborate with them to create and deliver active transportation programs, events, or campaigns that showcase your destination and its assets. For example, you can involve local residents, businesses, organizations, or media in organizing or sponsoring active transportation festivals, challenges, or contests for tourists and locals.

5 Monitor and evaluate impacts

Active transportation can have positive impacts on tourism, such as increasing visitor satisfaction, spending, and loyalty, as well as reducing congestion, pollution, and emissions. You can monitor and evaluate these impacts by collecting and analyzing data on active transportation usage, behavior, and perception among tourists and locals. You can also use this data to identify and address any challenges or opportunities for improvement. For example, you can conduct surveys, interviews, or focus groups with tourists and locals to understand their experiences, opinions, and suggestions on active transportation in your destination.

Active transportation can be a powerful tool to boost tourism in your area by enhancing its appeal, accessibility, and sustainability. By following these tips and examples, you can plan, promote, and support active transportation for visitors and locals alike, and create a memorable and enjoyable travel experience for everyone.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?