Bid to lure ‘cycling tourists’ to Cape

'Aside from the Cycle Tour, the Western Cape is an ideal cycling tourism destination.' Picture: Leon Lestrade

'Aside from the Cycle Tour, the Western Cape is an ideal cycling tourism destination.' Picture: Leon Lestrade

Published Jun 20, 2013

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Cape Town - The Western Cape could become the world’s favourite cycling destination, according to Tourism, Economic Development and Finance MEC Alan Winde.

The provincial government has set a target of attracting 100 000 “cycling tourists” a year, within the next 10 years.

Winde recently returned from an official trip to the Netherlands, where he met the Dutch Cycling Embassy, a network of cycling experts.

“The Netherlands has about 16 million cyclists and 1.1 fatalities per 100 million kilometres, one of the lowest in the world,” he said.

“I shared my goal to have 100 000 ‘cycling tourists’ come to the Western Cape each year by 2023.

“To assist, the Dutch Embassy has offered to host a workshop here. Talking points will include the social and economic impact of cycling. It will also help with an economic impact study on the benefits of cycling for the Western Cape.”

Dave Bellairs, director of the Cape Argus Pick n Pay Cycle Tour, was delighted by Winde’s plan.

“Attracting overseas cyclists has been a cornerstone of our strategy for about 10 years.

“We now attract around 3 500 (overseas) cyclists a year to the Tour,” he said. “(Some of their) partners often travel with them, so the total is around 5 000 inbound tourists.”

“Aside from the Cycle Tour, the Western Cape is an ideal cycling tourism destination, what with our coastal routes, Winelands routes, our mountain biking – there’s an untapped variety of options for people.

“From a European perspective, we sit on the same time zone, and yet we’re sunny during their European winter.

“Our road infrastructure is superb, and is in fact better suited to cycling than many European countries.

“The one challenge we have is creating an environment conducive to safe cycling,” Bellairs said.

The plan will be complemented by co-marketing the Cape Argus Pick n Pay Cycle Tour with a new race in London – where the Cape tour’s blueprint is being replicated in a new race on the roads of the UK capital.

 

Bellairs said yesterday the two races would now “co-market” each other. This would bring many more international cyclists to Cape Town.

Kevin Vermaak, founder of the Absa Cape Epic, said of the campaign: “No other country can boast such a full calendar of international mountain bike (MTB) races – not even Switzerland, which currently boasts the best MTB riders in the world.

“I believe mountain biking for South Africa is what surfing is for Hawaii,” Vermaak said. - Cape Argus

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