Is gravel riding more than just a trend?
Gravel biking is booming. But why exactly? We've been exploring this very question.
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.
- Does Graubünden have the potential to position itself as a gravel destination?
- What prerequisites are already in place?
- And what measures are necessary to successfully develop this market segment?
To find answers, we conducted a comprehensive potential analysis as part of the graubündenBIKE project. In doing so, we examined the market and the destination from various perspectives. First, from a broader perspective, and then with a detailed look at the specific local conditions.
Market research, social trends, framework conditions, and many other sources of information were combined to form a comprehensive picture. Valuable recommendations for action can be derived from this picture.
The real challenge…
However, the challenge lies not in collecting the data. It lies in analyzing this information objectively, in a networked and interdisciplinary manner. Often, insights from other industries must be incorporated to properly contextualize developments.
Because gravel bikers aren't just cyclists. They are people with individual needs, expectations, and motivations. Understanding these allows you to develop truly relevant offerings.
You often hear people say that gravel is just a short-term trend. However, our analysis paints a different picture. Gravel is not a fad, but rather an expression of societal developments:
The desire for freedom, flexibility, nature experiences, and authentic adventures shapes the behavior of many people. And this is precisely where gravel biking comes in.
The better we understand the expectations of this target group, the more successful we can be in creating attractive products and experiences.
ALLEGRA Conclusion:
The potential for Graubünden is high, and this also applies to many other regions.
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. Why not also take a look at step 2: Concept development using Iceland as an example and step 3: Product development using Ruka-Kuusamo in Finland as an example.
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.
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.
