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Pedaling Through the Past: Sport Heritage, Tourism Development, and the Tour of Flanders

Pedaling Through the Past: Sport Heritage, Tourism Development, and the Tour of Flanders. Gregory Ramshaw - Clemson University Tim Bottelberghe - Toerisme Oost-Vlaanderen. Overview. Sport heritage and tourism development Relationship between cycling, heritage, and tourism

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Pedaling Through the Past: Sport Heritage, Tourism Development, and the Tour of Flanders

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  1. Pedaling Through the Past: Sport Heritage, Tourism Development, and the Tour of Flanders Gregory Ramshaw - Clemson University Tim Bottelberghe- ToerismeOost-Vlaanderen

  2. Overview • Sport heritage and tourism development • Relationship between cycling, heritage, and tourism • Background to Tour of Flanders • Current Tour of Flanders Tourism • Tourism Issues and Initiatives • Results and Challenges • Conclusion

  3. Sport heritage and tourism development • Individually, both sport and heritage are viewed as important aspects of tourism development • However, little understanding as to how sport and heritage together could contribute to tourism development • There seems to be an appetite for sport heritage as a catalyst for tourism development • Sports museums as anchors of urban tourism • Significant visitation to sites of sporting significance • Sport/heritage events that reveal local culture

  4. Cycling, heritage, and tourism • Cycling overlaps with both active and event sport tourism • Participation (renting bike, etc.) and/orspectatorship (viewing a race) • Cycling and heritage • Expression of culture and identity (eg: Tour de France) • Place and landscape • Self-expression and personal identity • Cycling heritage attractions (museums, etc.)

  5. Tour of Flanders

  6. Tour of Flanders • One day cycling race in Flanders (Dutch-speaking part of Belgium) held each April (Race in 2014 was held April 6) • Founded in 1913 – in part as an expression of Flemish identity • Race created image of the “Flandrien” – the Flemish racer who never gave up, no matter the circumstances • Flemish landscape (Flemish Ardennes) central to the race • Cobblestone hills are considered a sport heritage artefact (protected heritage)

  7. Tour of Flanders Tourism • Tour of Flanders one of Belgium’s premier sporting events • One million fans line the race route (Belgium’s population is a little over 11 million) • 34 million viewers watch the race on television • Accommodation on race weekend is fully booked • Few tourists actually stay in the region pre/post race • Estimated economic impact of 14M Euros (Approx $19M US)

  8. Tour of Flanders Tourism • Current Tour of Flanders-related heritage attractions • Center Tour of Flanders Museum opened in city of Oudenaarde in 2003 • “Shrine” to past winners, simulators, Tour gift shop, Brasserie, shower/clothing facilities • Visitation approx 50K per year, employs 14 staff, revenues of 1.4M Euros (approx $1.9M US) • “Retroronde” race • Retro cycling race; racers use old equipment and clothing • Cycling network and cycling maps • Museum and tourism offices sell cycling maps – nearly 10,000 sold in two years

  9. Tourism Challenges • Translating popularity of the Tour to year-round visitation • Conflicts between “serious” amateur race cyclists and leisure cyclists • Change of race route – some “traditional” locations left out of race and has lead to local backlash • Race commercialization – commodification v. authenticity • Few foreign visitors Lots of tourism potential but not yet fully realized

  10. Tourism Initiatives

  11. Tour Centenary • Tour Centenary • 2013 marked the 100th anniversary of the first Tour of Flanders • Ministry of Tourism - Flemish government dedicated 5M for tourism development concerning the Centenary • Focus on: • Tourism infrastructure development • Marketing and communication • Seen as a catalyst for attracting foreign visitation

  12. Marketing and Communication ‘Live your own Tour of Flanders’ campaign • Magazine connecting sport, heritage and tourism • Cycle route development • Signposting at heritage (slopes and cobblestones)

  13. Infrastructure: Timing Systems • Heritage technologies • Creation of a Tour of Flanders app • Connect cyclists with surrounding landscape, attractions • Timing system • Allow riders to “race” against former Tour champions, particularly on cobblestone routes • Social function – race friends, etc.

  14. Non-Cycling Culture and Heritage • Local cultures • Tour of Flanders as “gateway” into Flemish culture • Ways of life • Landscape • Language • Food & drink • Attractions • Aimed, in part, at non-cycling tourist – those who want a “taste of the Tour” without actually cycling the route

  15. Results and Challenges

  16. Results • Tour Centenary • Widely embraced and supported • Significant press interest within Europe; many special articles, coverage in media • Increase in visitation to region, particularly from Holland and France

  17. Results • Timing systems/heritage technologies • Significant issues in set-up and delivery • Installation of timing technologies in countryside • GPS “chip” requires rent/purchase and registration; confusion from both riders and providers • Competition from other delivery options (phone apps, etc.) • Buy-in by local stakeholders is low • Providers still committed to program, but remains challenging

  18. Results • Non-cycling culture and heritage • Survey results not yet known • Buy-in from public and providers (requests for information, brochures, website visits, etc.) • Cooperation between the different stakeholders in the region increased (Tourism entrepreneurs, TOF Center, Tourism offices) during the campaign • Challenges of scale • Rural providers are small, and are unable to handle larger groups • If tourism to grow in region, particularly from groups, need to address accommodation and amenity issues in rural regions

  19. Additional Issues • Casual v. serious cyclists • Some conflicts over space and use • Ownership of sport heritage development • Lack of leadership/interest post-centenary • Communication issues between partners • Tour commodification • Tour routes • Long term strategy needed

  20. Conclusion • Sport heritage could be a catalyst for tourism development • Tour of Flanders case • Potential for utilizing sport heritage for year-round promotion and visitation • Anniversaries tend to generate interest, though maintaining stakeholder focus remains a challenge • Combining sport heritage with other non-sport cultural traditions

  21. Thank you Gregory Ramshaw gramsha@clemson.edu @sportheritage1 www.sportheritagereview.com Tim Bottelberghe tim.bottelberghe@gmail.com @timbottelberghe www.tov.be

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