Support road.cc

Like this site? Help us to make it better.

Back to news
news
Riding
"Danny MacAskill effect" and major events fuel Scottish bike tourism boomDanny MacAskill - The Ridge - 03

"Danny MacAskill effect" and major events fuel Scottish bike tourism boom

VisitScotland says domestic MTB and cycling tourists alone spend more than £100m annually
by Simon_MacMichael
Wed, Dec 24, 2014 16:07
6

VisitScotland says that the “Danny MacAskill” effect, together with a series of major events taking place in the country next year, are leading to a boom in cycling-related tourism in the country.

MacAskill’s film The Ridge, shot on his native Skye and showcasing the island’s Cuillins mountain range, has amassed more than 26 million views less than three months after going live on YouTube in early October.

It has led to a 20 per cent increase in bookings at Skye Adventure, which partnered with MacAskill for the film. Meanwhile, VisitScotland says that 7stanes, which comprises seven mountain biking areas in the Borders and Dumfries & Galloway, received more than half a million visitors last year.

During 2014, Glasgow’s hosting of the Commonwealth Games saw track and road cycling take centre stage in the country’s largest city, while its capital, Edinburgh, hosted a round of the Pearl Izumi Tour Series.

2014 Pearl Izumi Tour Series in Edinburgh (copyright SweetSpot)

The hosting of the latter event forms part of a longer-term strategy for the city to host the Grand Depart of the Tour de France, having missed out to a rival bid from Yorkshire this year, and VisitScotland says it is also investing in events such as the Tour of Britain.

Events supported during 2014 included the Tour o’ the Borders, Ride the North and Etape Loch Ness

The national tourism agency also says domestic visitors alone taking part in mountain biking or cycling spend a combined total of 2 million nights and £109 million each year.

VisitScotland’s chief executive, Malcolm Roughead, said: “Scotland has a global reputation for cycling and in the UK alone it is estimated that there are 11 million people who own a mountain bike.

“From cycling tours around the incredible Highlands to mountain biking in the Scottish Borders and Dumfries & Galloway, there is a huge opportunity for Scottish tourism.

“The Ridge took cycling in Skye to a global audience, and with our endless miles of forest tracks, cycle trails, country paths and top-quality facilities, we need to continue to show the world why Scotland is the place to jump on a bike.”

More information on cycling in Scotland can be found here.

http://www.visitscotland.com/see-do/activities/cycling/

If you somehow missed MacAskill’s latest film – or simply want to watch it again – here it is.

Danny MacAskill
The Ridge
VisitScotland
Simon MacMichael

Simon joined road.cc as news editor in 2009 and is now the site’s community editor, acting as a link between the team producing the content and our readers. A law and languages graduate, published translator and former retail analyst, he has reported on issues as diverse as cycling-related court cases, anti-doping investigations, the latest developments in the bike industry and the sport’s biggest races. Now back in London full-time after 15 years living in Oxford and Cambridge, he loves cycling along the Thames but misses having his former riding buddy, Elodie the miniature schnauzer, in the basket in front of him.

Add new comment

6 comments

Avatar
Edinburgh Festi... | 9 years ago
0 likes

Visit Scotland have only very recently woken up to the potential of cycle tourism, worth over £44Bn pa Europe wide. Scotland have huge potential as a cycle tourism destination, but sadly the Scottish Government has yet to realise just how valuable it can be in supporting economically vulnerable communities. More investment needed.

Avatar
cyclotripper | 9 years ago
0 likes

Well, Ive been to Scotland once, and I very much regret not taking my bike... I had ten days of sunshine, it would have been perfect.

Avatar
legendary27 replied to cyclotripper | 9 years ago
0 likes
cyclotripper wrote:

Well, Ive been to Scotland once, and I very much regret not taking my bike... I had ten days of sunshine, it would have been perfect.

Count yourself lucky. I've lived in Scotland all of my forty-five years and those are the only ten days of sunshine we've had !! 3

Regards,
Gordon

Avatar
leodhasach | 9 years ago
0 likes

There's a bit more info here Mike: http://mediacentre.visitscotland.org/pressreleases/riding-high-1101762?u...

Avatar
KiwiMike replied to leodhasach | 9 years ago
0 likes
leodhasach wrote:

There's a bit more info here Mike: http://mediacentre.visitscotland.org/pressreleases/riding-high-1101762?u...

There's still no before/after context. Don't get me wrong - I love Scotland and have more trips in mind next year. It's just that this is unsubstantiated hype. Just like politicians love to bang on about 'The Wiggins/Froome/whoever Effect' on overall cycling numbers, when the truth is watching a TV program or in this case a video has zero overall impact. If someone was gonna go they'd go.

I'm assuming as no hard numbers are forthcoming from anyone concerned it's just hype.

Avatar
KiwiMike | 9 years ago
0 likes

"It has led to a 20 per cent increase in bookings at Skye Adventure, which partnered with MacAskill for the film. Meanwhile, VisitScotland says that 7stanes, which comprises seven mountain biking areas in the Borders and Dumfries & Galloway, received more than half a million visitors last year."

Not to seem negative but wary of govt/tourism board spin/hype: Do we have any context here? Skye Adventure might only have 5 clients a month. 7stanes might have had more visitors last year than this.

Latest Comments