Our mission in northwest Iceland was to analyze and understand whether and in what form mountain biking and/or cycle tourism can be used as an instrument for the economic development of the region.
In other words, it was necessary to determine whether the region has potential in the area of cycling and mountain biking.
Concept development in Iceland
Few countries offer as much untapped gravel potential as Iceland.
Iceland is currently experiencing a boom in popularity. However, these tourist flows are not evenly distributed, but rather concentrated in certain seasons and hotspots. One of the challenges lies in better managing these flows and distributing the added value accordingly.
With precisely this goal in mind, we conducted a cycling and mountain biking analysis in the Northwest Island region. This analysis, which is crucial for gaining a comprehensive understanding of the situation, yielded initial insights that can then be incorporated into a concrete business model and an action plan.
In such cases, one is in the first phase of the development process for a bike destination. At this stage, it is crucial to understand what the destination has to offer and to align this with the needs of its guests. This includes analyzing market mechanisms, trends, and future development prospects. This analysis provides initial indications of the strategic guidelines that the destination should follow.
These hypotheses must then be tested – both through on-site visits and discussions with key stakeholders. During this phase, a large amount of information is collected, analyzed, and translated into a series of initial recommendations.
We carried out exactly this process in northwest Iceland.
Based on the insights gained, we then identified potentially suitable gravel routes. A sound understanding of the target groups, a structured methodology, and the previously developed overall understanding enable us to develop a coherent, realistic, and sustainable concept.
However, the product does not end with the route.
While the route forms the basis and must meet certain requirements, the expectations of gravel riders often extend far beyond the path or road: they want to discover, be surprised, and perhaps connect with other people. The real product, therefore, is the overall experience the rider has at the destination. The better this experience, with all its components, meets the expectations of the target group, the more attractive the offering becomes. This is why the involvement of tourism service providers is of central importance.
Equally important – but only after the product has been developed – is marketing.
Choosing the right channels, creating content tailored to the defined target groups, and coordinating marketing activities are essential prerequisites for efficient and effective market development.
To support Northwest Iceland in this process and create a comprehensive understanding of destination development, we have supplemented our work with a business model and an action plan. These include timelines, planned investments, and an analysis of the project's potential economic impact.
ALLEGRA Conclusion:
Northwest Iceland is an excellent example of how a destination can proceed when it wants to understand in which direction it should develop its tourism offering.
Ask VANESA
Hardly anyone at ALLEGRA is as deeply involved with this topic as our tourism and mobility expert, Vanesa Gorgal. Together with our teams in Switzerland and the Nordic countries, she supports destinations in developing genuine tourist experiences from the potential of gravel roads. Her work demonstrates how gravel roads can become successful destinations.
Would you like to learn more about how we arrived at these findings and what opportunities they present for destinations? Then we look forward to a personal exchange.
The journey continues…
…towards developing a successful gravel destination. Take a look at Step 1: Potential analysis using Graubünden as an example and Step 3: Product development using Ruka-Kuusamo in Finland as an example.
Potential analysis for Graubünden
Inspiration close to home is worthwhile. With its rich cultural heritage, stunning landscapes, and history shaped by significant agricultural use, Graubünden offers ideal conditions for unforgettable gravel riding experiences. It's no wonder that we, as part of Graubünden Bike, have taken a closer look at the potential of gravel tourism.
Product development in Ruka-Kuusamo
How about discovering the land of the happiest inhabitants by gravel? In Ruka-Kuusamo, Finland, we developed a marketing strategy based on a gravel route concept, including branding, personas, channels, a roadmap, and integrated key stakeholders into the development process. By the way: The vastness of Finland may seem remote at first glance. In fact, Ruka-Kuusamo is just a few hours' flight from Zurich.
