Travel Oregon, the state’s official tourism booster, has created the first statewide Bike Friendly Business program in the nation to encourage businesses to cater to bicyclists.
The program provides tips and tools for businesses to attract cyclists by offering amenities they seek. Once officially recognized as Bike Friendly by Travel Oregon, tourism-related businesses will receive special recognition through Travel Oregon's marketing channels, including TravelOregon.com and RideOregonRide.com.
“Enhancing the biking experience for visitors and Oregonians is one of our top initiatives at Travel Oregon,” said Scott West, chief strategy officer for Travel Oregon. “In Oregon, we value the multitude of world-class outdoor adventures we offer, while also being stewards of the land. Improving cycling infrastructure within the state can help us enrich both.”
Bicycle-related tourism contributes $400 million into Oregon's economy annually, according to a 2012 study by Dean Runyan Associates. The Bike Friendly Business program is designed to help local businesses tap into this growing segment of the state's economy by delivering a premier experience for people biking in Oregon.
Oregon has been a bicycle-tourism innovator since 2010, when Cycle Oregon and the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department co-created the only Scenic Bikeways program in the nation. Beginning with the Willamette Valley Scenic Bikeway, the program now boasts 11 stunning bike-friendly routes throughout the state.
Interested parties can read more about the Bike Friendly Business Program and Oregon's Scenic Bikeways program online.
The Oregon Tourism Commission, dba Travel Oregon, aims to improve Oregonians' quality of life by strengthening economic impacts of the state's $9.2 billion tourism industry that employs more than 91,000 Oregonians.
