Five years ago, I would have hardly believed that Brown County would become the mecca of Midwestern mountain biking. Brown County is now a contender for that title, and it may even have its sights set higher in the very near future. However, Brown County isn't alone in seeking that title. There are towns all over that are in various stages of developing mountain bike trails and tourism. Competition will be fierce, but I am confident that Brown County will continue to rise to the top in this category because of its convenient location to so many urban areas, its beautiful and interesting topography, its amazing quality and amount of purpose-built trails, and its existing tourism economy.
Last week I found this article about devoloping mountain bike tourism in Jackson County, Alabama. It's amazing how similar that situation is to where we were in Brown County just a few years ago. I've been giving the same sales pitch to people in Indiana and in Brown County for going on five years now. Today we find ourselves in the position of actually being a mountain biking tourism destination and a potential mecca for Midwest and eastern US riding. The problem is that it's hard to convince people in the Brown County area that it is true.
If the people in and around Brown County want to take full advantage of what they have been given then they need to take a crash course in catering to mountain biking tourism very soon. No doubt many Brown County business owners will continue to sell knick-knacks and fudge to fill their tills. Hopefully there will be some saavy business owners that will also harvest the potential of mountain bikers that come to town and want to spend lots of money. A good part of Brown County's viability in the future may rely on catering to outdoor recreation, especially mountain biking.
Will Brown County take notice in 2009? I believe that their very survival depends on it. The economy is in the dumps. Brown County's tourism numbers have been on the decline for several years. Local businesses are hurting. Will they use the amazing amenities and potential that has been placed at their feet? This coming season will be the litmus test.
If anyone reading this would like some help in this regard we have all kinds of talented people and resources at our disposal to help you make it happen. The Hoosier Mountain Bike Association and advocates like myself can't do it by ourselves. We need buy-in and participation from the local community. Without that, we may just be spinning our wheels.
Good reading:
Destination Mountain Biking: Positioning Your Community for Mountain Bike Tourism
No comments:
Post a Comment