Cariboo Mountain Bike Consortium Markets the Shangri-La of Mountain Biking

In 2011, Williams Lake Cycling Club received a $19,570 grant from Northern Development through the Marketing Initiatives program towards this $70,000 project. This has been a funding partnership of Williams Lake Cycling Club, Northern Development, and Cariboo-Chilcotin Beetle Action Coalition

2012-Williams Lake and the Cariboo area have become known as the Shangri-la of mountain biking. The Cariboo Mountain Bike Consortium is a regional committee of bike clubs and businesses that are implementing a comprehensive marketing initaitve that promotes mountain biking in the Cariboo as a means to diversify the economy into this growing sector. The first step has been to create a stunning new website at ridethecariboo.ca that provides interested people with tons of information regarding mountain biking in Williams Lake, 100 Mile House and Wells.

There are links to dozens of businesses within the region promoting them as places to eat, stay, or frequent when visitors are not mountain biking. Up until the development of the website and the launch of the marketing initiative, the mountain biking industry in the Cariboo lacked a formal marketing strategy despite the presence of some of the best biking trails in British Columbia.

Visit www.ridethecariboo.ca to see the fabulous website that was produced under this project, and to learn more about mountain biking in BC’s Cariboo region.

"The new dimension to tourism created by awareness of mountain biking in the region has also created a great deal of community pride. What started out as passion and synergy has resulted in real economic benefits for the community."

Marc Savard, Owner of Red Shreds Bike and Board Shed

"The public and private sector partnerships that have evolved have been key to the success of this initiative. The money raised is going right back into the community in the form of infrastructure development."

Justin Calof, Consortium Chair

Featured Videos

Positive Economic Impacts in the Cariboo

The Cariboo is in an advantaged position compared to other provincial jurisdictions attempting to compete for market share in the mountain bike tourism sector. A solid legal infrastructure base, a well established culture and a regional steering committee of businesses leading this effort add to this advantage and significantly strengthen the likelihood of success. This marketing initiative is designed to assist in the effort to diversify regional economies impacted by the declining resource sector, and increase the livability of interior communities.

A key outcome for the initiative is to attract young families to move and remain in the Cariboo, which will sustain tax bases and services into the future. The primary economic development benefactors of this initiative will be the service, accommodation and small business sectors in the participating communities.

Marketing Initiatives

The Marketing Initiative program provides funding to support new marketing campaigns or projects that position a community or region to take advantage of opportunities that support economic vitality and diversification. These marketing projects must be new initiatives that stand alone from existing marketing activities.

View Funding Program

Smithers Builds A Bulkley Valley Mountain Biking Mecca on Hudson Bay Mountain

The Smithers Mountain Bike Association employed the services of an independent local contractor, Treeline Wood Products, to manage the construction project. Due to the excellent working relationship with this contractor, the association was able to employ over fifty-two person months of employment during the project, including employment of over ten…

View Story