A new mountain bike trail website has Southern NSW tourism officials hopeful that can tap into a market worth $1 billion last year.
Great Southern Trails was launched by Destination Southern NSW (DSNSW) and features 10 networks which take in 10 towns, across the South Coast, Alpine and ACT regions.
The website was launched at the inaugural Sea Otter Australia MTB Festival in Batemans Bay last month.
“Mountain biking is one of the fastest-growing tourism segments in regional Australia,” DSNSW general manager for destination Richard Everson says.
“Tourism Research Australia estimates cycle tourism contributes $1 billion annually to the visitor economy; every trail network brings riders to local cafes, pubs, accommodation, visitor attractions, and tours.”
CLICK HERE: Tourism Research Australia infographic on the benefits of the cycle industry in 2024
TRAIL TOURISM
He says Great Southern Trails tourism can help visiting cyclists plan a trip with longer stays, higher visitor spend and stronger year-round visitation delivering real economic and social benefits to towns.
The website details a 1000-km mountain biking road trip, taking in 10 locations that can easily be broken into smaller segments of 2, 3, and 4-day journeys.
“Southern NSW is home to some of Australia’s best mountain biking networks, which is the reason we brought our business and the internationally renowned
Sea Otter Australia MTB Festival to Batemans Bay and Mogo,” says Juliane Wisata, the founder and marketing director for Rocky Trail Entertainment.
“It makes sense to collectively market the MTB networks in this region and ensure riders of Australia know the incredible experience on offer here,” she says.
Great Southern Trails features 10 networks across Southern NSW (Mogo, Narooma, Tathra, Eden, Cooma, Jindabyne, Thredbo, Tumbarumba) and ACT (Stromlo and Majura Pines).
The network offers different terrain and experiences for riders of all levels, from the mountains to the coast.
