Bicycle tourism and trail tourism contribute significantly to local, state, and national economies, as well as internationally. Several states have commissioned studies and surveys of the economic benefits of bicycle and trail tourism, linked below. While the studies use different methodologies, they all demonstrate significant economic impacts that can be used to build support for bicycle tourism.
INTERNATIONAL STUDIES
DOMESTIC STUDIES
RELATED RESEARCH
- Travel Economic Impact Calculator is an interactive tool that enables users to simulate the effects of changes in spending by travelers in each state. It measures the effects in both direct and indirect job creation, payroll, and taxes.
- Economic Benefits of Trails and Greenways is a composite of studies done about rail trails across the U.S. and highlights economic benefits, property values, business investment, and quality of life.
- Economic Impacts of Trails is an overview by American Trails of studies measuring the many economic benefits of trails, including job creation, rural economic development, increased tax revenues and sales, etc.
- Bicycle Tourism and Rural Community Development: An Asset Based Approach by Sally Broadaway is a graduate study that demonstrates how communities can use existing assets to build bicycle tourism.
- Bicycle Tourism as a Rural Economic Development Vehicle by Heidi Beierle at University of Oregon examines the different kinds of self-contained bicycle tourists, their spending patterns and the benefits to communities along the TransAmerica Bicycle Trail.
- Estimating the Employment Impacts of Pedestrian, Bicycle, and Road Infrastructure found that on-street bike lanes and pedestrian infrastructure projects create more direct, indirect, and induced jobs per dollar than either road upgrades or road resurfacing.