Thunder Bay – LIVING – Thunder Bay is building a reputation as a place to travel to for cycling according to Tourism Thunder Bay. Tourism Thunder Bay working with the Ontario By Bike Network will be hosting a webinar workshop, tailored for attractions and businesses to cater cyclist in Thunder Bay and area on November 25, 2020.
Whether it is riding the country roads of the Slate River Valley, the mountain bike trails at Shuniah Mines, the BMX park at the waterfront, the paved shoulders of Lakeshore Drive or the city’s bike lanes and trails, Thunder Bay has the infrastructure cyclists are looking for.
The workshop webinar is free through the support of Destination Northern Ontario.
The informative one hour session will offer tourism businesses and organizations key insights on how to become certified as a bicycle friendly location through the Ontario By Bike Network and will bring Thunder Bay into the provincial network to reach the growing cycling market in Ontario.
Workshop highlights will also include information on cycle tourism product, cycling in Northern Ontario and local cycling developments, demographic and trip planning characteristics of cycle tourists, as well as what services and amenities will attract cyclists to local businesses.
“We are excited to be expanding the Ontario By Bike Network in to northwest Ontario. This year and related to the pandemic, the growth and interest in cycling has hit a new high level. Not only are more residents cycling, but so too are visitors travelling with bikes. The northwest webinar workshops are a great way for businesses to find out how to attract and welcome this growing customer base to their location,” says Ontario By Bike / Transportation Options’ Executive Director, Louisa Mursell.
Launched in 2010, the Ontario By Bike Network is currently active in 39 regions across Ontario and has seen over 2,500 attendees register for their workshop and webinar series. Ontario By Bike certifies businesses and locations, who meet the criteria, for free under the following categories: accommodations, food service providers, tourist attractions, campgrounds, business areas and other bicycle-related businesses. With over 1,500 Ontario By Bike businesses already participating in the program, businesses within northwest Ontario can join this provincial network, allowing them to connect with the increasing number of cycle tourists and local cyclists across Ontario.
Thunder Bay and northwest Ontario have a tremendous opportunity with the growing network of cycling infrastructure and extensive mountain biking trails. In normal times, the trail system attracts a significant number of American riders as well as other cyclists from across Canada and Ontario. As we look forward to the new year, and new times, now is perfect time to find out more about this market, the opportunities and how the northwest can become better positioned to welcome and benefit from the increasing number of cyclists.
The webinar workshop is open to the public, owners, managers and/or staff of accommodations, campgrounds, cafes, restaurants, tourist attractions, bike shops and other cycling-related businesses and stakeholders are encouraged to attend. This webinar is available to all across the northwest / RTO13c, but will be focused towards Thunder Bay and area. An additional spring 2021 workshop will be hosted for all and include a focus on Kenora, Rainy River and north.
This webinar is also a part of Northern Ontario Tourism Training Week, November 23 to 27. Free for industry partners, the new virtual format hosted by Nature and Outdoor Tourism Ontario (NOTO) and Destination Northern Ontario (DNO) has an assortment of informative presentations and speakers. More info at: https://dno.swoogo.com/nottw2020/778218
