Mountain bike tourism economic impacts: A critical analysis of academic and practitioner studies

Abstract

Mountain biking as a sport and recreational activity has grown rapidly over the previous two decades. Consequently, there has been growth recently in efforts aimed at stimulating mountain bike tourism through the development and marketing of mountain bike trails and parks. Various community advocates, academics, and industry practitioners have sought to quantify the economic impacts of mountain bike tourism to garner public and other financial assistance to aid the development of mountain bike tourism. This research critically reviewed 33 academic and practitioner studies reporting on mountain bike tourism economic impacts. Analysis revealed widespread inconsistency in instrumentation and variable measurement contributing to a fragmented body of knowledge pertaining to economic impacts of mountain bike tourism. Recommendations for improved rigor and consistency in future research measuring mountain bike tourism impacts are provided.

Ibiza dances to the rhythm of pedals: The motivations of mountain biking tourists competing in sporting events

“…From the literature review, many studies were identified that evaluate different categories of sports cycling events in different parts of the world. Many of these studies assess the profile of the mountain bikers' profiles or analyze the economic impact of the events ( Buning et al, 2016 ; Buning & Lamont, 2020 ; Perić et al, 2019 ). The main conclusions suggest that holding mountain bike events is beneficial to the host destination, through positive economic returns and an enhanced image.…”

“…Over the last twenty years, the most commonly studied aspects of mountain bike events have been analyses of participant profiles ( Cessford, 1995 ; Getz & McConnell, 2011; Roberts, Jones, & Brooks, 2018), comparisons of mountain biker profiles with other sports participants (Getz & McConnell, 2011; Kruger, 2014 ), analyses of the economic impacts for host locations ( Buning & Lamont, 2020 ; Moran, Tresidder, & McVittie, 2006 ) and studies of sustainability and environmental impacts ( Freeman & Thomlinson, 2014 ; Goeft & Alder, 2001 ; Symmonds et al, 2000 ).…”

“…To identify the participants in events, a wide variety of variables and techniques have been used in academic studies ( Buning & Lamont, 2020 ). As well as characterizing the participants through the use of sociodemographic variables (age, gender, etc.)…”

“…), analyses have also been made in the literature of the motivations for participating in mountain bike events ( Cessford, 1995 ; Kruger & Saayman, 2014 ; Kulczycki & Halpenny, 2014 ; Skar, Odden, & Vistad, 2008 ). Motivational studies mainly conclude that there is some heterogeneity in the stated motivations due to the absence of a standardized measurement instrument or a common theoretical framework ( Buning & Lamont, 2020 ), with the main theoretical frameworks tending to study push-pull or intrinsic-extrinsic motivations in accordance with the Self-Determination Theory ( Deci & Ryan, 2008 ; Kruger & Saayman, 2014 ).…”

Drivers and Frequency of Forest Visits: Results of a National Survey in the Czech Republic

“…In recent years, the popularity of cycling tourism has grown, not only mountain biking but also e-biking, which has started to become popular [39,[51][52][53]. A recent study from Austria reported that bike tourism will be a significant part of rural economics.…”