VISITFLANDERS
VISITFLANDERS Tourism Agency of the Flemish Government
STAFF VISITFLANDERS 150 colleagues in the head office Grasmarkt 61 - 1000 Brussels -----50 colleagues in 10 foreign offices and 6 representative offices ------
FOREIGN OFFICES USA & Canada
New York
China
Beiji ng
Japan
Tokyo
representative offices
Scandinav ia Ind ia
United Kingdom & Ireland Vejle
The Netherlands
(Denmark)
New Delhi & Mumbai
Russia Switzerla nd
The Hague Germany
Colog ne
Moskou France
Z端ri ch
Australia & New Zealand Brasil
London
Paris
Sydne y
Italy
Sao Paulo Spain
Asi Johor a Bahru regional management
Austria
Barcelon a
Milan
Vienna
Mission We invest in the sustainable development and promotion of Flanders-Brussels as a top tourist destination.
Destination Flanders with: FLEMISH ART CITIES AND BRUSSELS
FLEMISH REGIONS
FLEMISH COAST
Product lines:
RICH GASTRONOMY
HERITAGE AND ARTS
FASHION
CYCLING AND BIKE CULTURE
CYCLING AND BIKE CULTURE LEISURE CYCLISTS CAN ENJOY: -
40%
1,2OO km of long distance cycle routes Over 100 of themed cycle loops Over 500 bicycle friendly accommodations Cycle node network of around 8,000 miles of cycling routes
OF THE TOURISTS STAYING IN THE
FLEMISH REGIONS CYCLE DURING THEIR HOLIDAY
MORE THAN JUST BICYCLE ROUTES. CYCLING IS PART OF OUR HERITAGE. IT’S IN OUR BLOOD.
OUR CYCLING CULTURE IS ONE OF OUR UNIQUE SELLING PROPOSITIONS.
FLANDERS LIVES AND BREATHES CYCLING.
CYCLING AND BIKE CULTURE
CYCLING AND BIKE CULTURE - WORLD TOUR ROAD RACES E3 Harelbeke Gent-Wevelgem Ronde van Vlaanderen Eneco Tour (stage race) - TOUR DE FRANCE departures/finishes - WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS in Road cycling, Cyclocross, BMX
FACTS AND FIGURES RONDE VAN VLAANDEREN 191 3 FIRST RACE
NOW: one of the five big ‘monuments’ of cycling, UCI World Tour Race
1 million of spectators from all over the world.
Global TV audience 50 160 million: million: Direct viewers
Total viewers
16,000 people ride the sportive before the race
500 ACCREDITED JOURNALISTS
€14.1 million of added value for the destination Food & drinks: €7.25 million Transport: €3.50 million Other: €2 million Overnights: €1,35 million
CYCLING AND BIKE CULTURE --
Home to some of the best cyclists --
1
2
3
4
5
EDDY MERCKX
RIK VAN LOOY
FRANCESCO MOSER
BEL - POINTS: 8020
BEL - POINTS: 4900
ROGER DE VLAEMINCK
BEL - POINTS: 4110
RIK VAN STEENBERGEN
6
7
8
9
JOHAN MUSEEUW
PAOLO BETTINI
TOM BOONEN
FAUSTO COPPI
SEAN KELLY
BEL - POINTS: 3460
ITA - POINTS: 3460
BEL - POINTS: 3330
ITA - POINTS: 3130
IRE - POINTS: 3080
ITA - POINTS: 3600
WWW.CYCLINGHALLOFFAME.COM
BEL - POINTS: 3530
10
CYCLING AND BIKE CULTURE --
Cutting edge bicycle industry --
- Ridley bicycles - Lazer helmets - Bioracer clothing - Eddy Merckx Cycles - ‌ - Flanders Bike Valley
HOW DO WE TRANSLATE THIS INTO A TOURISM EXPERIENCE?
2013 marked the 100th anniversary of the Ronde van Vlaanderen
CATALYS T Unique opportunity to develop, position and promote Flanders as a cycling destination
STRATEGY VISITFLANDERS + Flanders Classics Tourism sector \ Media \ Trade \ Cycling sector RONDE 100 Focus: DEVELOP touristic cycling products & reputation building
RONDE #100 Focus: Product promotion Conversation
OUR GOALS Flanders is an all year round cycling mecca for cycling fans!
‘
You can have a Ronde experience in August. If you’re lucky it might even rain…
OUR GOALS
Put cycling in flanders on the bucket list of the passionate cyclist ---
‘
If you call yourself a real cyclist you must at least have ridden once our bergs & cobbles
’
TARGET GROUP
MIDDLE AGED MEN IN LYCRA Trend: women & cycling
PASSIONATE CYCLING COMMUNITY Challenge, suffer, be like a pro
- Sportive cyclists - Spectators for cycling events - Visitors to our cycling museums, cycling heritage, shops, pubs
MARKETS NICHE MARKETING: You will find passionate cycling fans in any market. But we make some choices. NEIGHBOURING COUNTRIES (EASY TO GET HERE): English speaking countries (cycling is very popular) Cycling nations (tradition in cycling) PRIORITY 1
the Netherlands, United Kingdom & Ireland, US
PRIORITY 2
France, Italy, Germany, Spain, Denmark/Scandinavia, Austria & Switzerland
PRIORITY 3
rest of the world
PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT
VISITFLANDERS launched project call
RONDE100 Budget:
â‚Ź3 million 3 CATEGORIES :
1 / Events with a clear link to the celebration of the centenary of the Ronde Van Vlaanderen. 2 / Investments in infrastructure. 3 / Digital & audiovisual products.
FLANDRIE N
WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS
GENTWEVELGEM CYCLOCROSS TOUR OF FLANDERS
EDDY MERCKX
BICYCLE INDUSTRY
BERGS & COBBLES
Projects in each region had to match the positioning we set out in the marketing plan and should contribute to the general mission:
FLANDERS IS CYCLING
30 30 APPLICATIONS SCREENING
15 15 PROJECTS WERE SELECTED
Some examples / Events
De Retroronde
Some examples / Events
Break Away
Break Away
Some examples / Events
Ronde 100 Classic
Some examples / Infrastructure
Restoration Tour of Flanders Visitor Center
Some examples / Infrastructure
New Sven Nys cyclocross experience center
Some examples / Infrastructure
New Tour of Flanders cycling routes with time registration
Some examples / Digital
Websites and apps
DESTINATION PROMOTION
APPROACH Business-to-Business / MEDIA On the anniversary of the Ronde (May 25th), we invited 100 journalists and bloggers to discover our cycling culture. We paid their transfers, accommodation and meals. RESULT: - A great number of stories were published in newspapers, magazines, and on websites, mainstream and specialist - The total estimated promotional value of the press coverage achieved during this period is estimated at over â‚Ź1.5million (AVE).
Stories were published in newspapers, magazines, and on websites, mainstream and specialist, including AD (Netherlands), RennRad (Germany), Telegraph Online (UK), DT (Spain), Velo News (USA), Il Giornale (Italy), Svenska Cycling Plus (Sweden) and Cycle Sports (Japan).
APPROACH Business-to-Business / TRADE We approached cycling tour operators to communicate our offer.
WE WERE PRESENT AT THE MAIN TOURIST FAIRS: - World Travel Market in London - ITB Berlin
FUTURE PROJECTS
CYCLING AS PROMOTION TOOL MAXIMISING THE INTERNATIONAL TOURISM IMPACT OF KEY CYCLING EVENTS Presenting an holistic Flanders experience through major events - Partner with Flanders Classics - Tour of Flanders - helicopter images of points of interest, tourism information on websites, info press package, ...
CYCLING AS PROMOTION TOOL Good example:
CYCLING AS PROMOTION TOOL DESTINATION BRANDING THROUGH A CYCLING TEAM BILLBOARD ON WHEELS Partnership with Topsport Vlaanderen (new branding)
CYCLING AS PROMOTION TOOL BRANDS OF FLANDERS AS AMBASSADORS Joint-promotion with Flemish partners such as Eddy Merckx Cycles, Ridley, Bioracer, … PRESS TRIPS, TRADE SHOWS, OFFER TO TOUR OPERATORS - Pick up your bicycle programme - Merckx travel - Special prices for tour operators who purchase Merckx
100th edition of the Ronde van Vlaanderen