Happy Friday. I hope you get a chance to go outside this weekend. Not just because it’s good for you, but because it also helps the economy. No really, at least according to one study, and anecdotally, Oregon is seeing ahuge economic benefit by encouraging outdoor recreation, specifically bikeways and bike tourism:
During a special hearing on bicycle tourism at the House Transportation and Economic Development Committee in Salem, OR, on May 9th, representatives from Travel Oregon released a major new report on the economic impact of bicycle-related travel. The Travel Oregon study, The Economic Significance of Bicycle-Related Travel in Oregon Detailed State and Travel Region Estimates, 2012 (PDF), looked at bike tourism’s impact throughout the state during 2012. The big number — which garnered a headline in The Oregonian and has been adjusted up since our story in March — is $400 million. That’s how much people “involved in bicycle-related activities” spent in Oregon last year.
One key reason for the ascension of bike tourism in Oregon are initiatives like the nation’s first State Scenic Bikeway program.
The Oregon Parks and Recreation Department named two new Scenic Bikeways that same day. They’ve got the right idea about increasing revenue by making their state fun to hang out in!
You can read more about the economic impacts, but it’s so far a pretty effective strategy to promote tourism.
Related articles
- Bicycling contributes $400 million to Oregon tourism, new survey says (oregonlive.com)
- Test Your Bike IQ: Bikeways vs Highways (sierraclub.typepad.com)
Mental Flowers 