Tourism Central Otago will be flying the flag for cycling in Central Otago at the Flight Centre Active Travel Cycle Epic near Brisbane, Australia on 12 and 13 September.
Representatives from Tourism Central Otago (TCO) will be at the Cycle Epic off-road mountain bike, trail run and walking event, to promote the region and cycling holiday opportunities with this key sector of our visitor market.
It is the first time that TCO has partnered directly with an Australian-based event organiser and TCO General Manager Anne Pullar said the event was a great fit for Central Otago.
"The Epic weekend has something for everyone from the novice rider through to the professional; and we pride ourselves here in Central Otago on being a premier cycling destination that offers a range of cycling experiences to cater for both the adventurous or leisure cyclist."
TCO is sponsoring one of the events - the 4.2km Trail Run – and will have a presence throughout the weekend to actively target those who want to know more about Central Otago and cycling trails in the region. Thanks to the generous support of local operators TCO is also able to offer up the chance to win amazing Central Otago cycling holiday prize package to those who visit their tent at the event.
"When they want to know 'Why choose Central?' we'll be promoting the fact we have been in the game for the last 20 years, our region has excellent infrastructure in terms of package operators and we are the specialists in cycling tourism," said Ms Pullar.
"We can guarantee people a fantastic holiday on a bike. But it's more than the cycling – it's all those unique iconic Central moments that will make their holiday with us unforgettable.
It's the stunning scenery, the rich heritage, the food and wine, the friendly locals and the diverse 'off the bike' experiences like river cruises down the Clutha, curling in the Maniototo or ripping around the track at Highlands Motorsport Park.
"Cycling in Central Otago is about the entire experience – and our ability to tap into the inherently social nature of cycling."
In addition to its presence at tourism and cycling events TCO has also recently reproduced its popular 16-page brochure on Central Otago cycling, launched a revamped responsive website and worked with Tourism New Zealand to produce videos highlighting our local great rides.