Biking Dalarna starts cooperation with Sweden by Bike. Biking Dalarna has 16 areas with marked trails for both cross country and downhill. There is common trail marking and grading that makes it easy for the cyclist to choose. Andreas Hermansson, who is responsible for outdoor business development at Biking Dalarna, believes that there is great potential to develop both well-known areas such as Idre Fjäll and many smaller areas that are attractive to visitors.
For many years, you have made a determined effort to develop cycling within Biking Dalarna. What potential do you see in developing cycling tourism in Dalarna?
We see great potential in continuing to develop the Biking Dalarna concept because it is about cycling routes that many people enjoy. We have several well-known areas that are included in Biking Dalarna. Idre Fjäll is developing its mountain into the Bikeland concept, Rörbäcksnäs was named trail center of the year by Happyride's readers and the Vasaloppsarenan is known to everyone. We also have Orsa Grönklitt, Bjursås Berg & Sjö and Lugnet in Falun. Then we have several smaller areas that are less well known, but which have great development potential. Some examples are Rättviks IK Jarl area, Lima and Säter, says Andreas Hermansson.
What development activities are you currently undertaking?
We are now working purposefully to increase awareness of Biking Dalarna and focus on spreading our cycling guests to more areas and getting more people to come and visit us throughout the bare ground season from May to October. We also conduct trail construction meetings in several areas during the bare ground season in 2024, says Andreas Hermansson.
Are there any target groups that are particularly important and that you have focused on?
We have developed the Outdoor Qualified concept for hotels & accommodation facilities that want to be bicycle-friendly, and that can offer extra service linked to several outdoor-related experiences. At these facilities that are located in connection with Biking Dalarna areas, there is secure bicycle storage, bicycle washing, simpler tools on loan and the staff have undergone hospitality training linked to cycling and outdoors to better offer the right type of service and experiences to their guests. What we aim to attract is active families with children, curious summer guests and classic cycling enthusiasts. All these categories can find mtb trails and accommodation that suits them in Dalarna.
Biking Dalarna is now starting a collaboration with Sweden by Bike. What do you hope this will lead to?
Biking Dalarna is Sweden's largest mtb cycling area and we hope that even more people will discover our fantastic cycling. Biking Dalarna should be a paradise for mtb cyclists. Now we hope that more people will discover it throughout the bare ground season. When it comes to Sweden by Bike, we see it as a matter of course to collaborate with a talented actor who contributes powerfully to getting more people to discover how incredibly beautiful Sweden is seen from the bike saddle.
According to Katarina Bergstrand, CEO of Sweden by Bike, it is with pride that they are starting a collaboration with such a well-known and strong player as Biking Dalarna.
Biking Dalarna is very professional and has for a long time worked systematically to develop quality-assured trails of the highest quality. Sweden by Bike highlights bike-friendly destinations throughout the country, all with their own character. We believe that the different places strengthen each other and together form a critical mass that makes it easier to reach out both nationally and internationally. Now it gets even better. Everyone knows what a national treasure Dalarna is as a landscape and Biking Dalarna is a very strong player in its field.
