Ride Here, Ride Now - Mountain Bike Tourism Workshops, Scottish Borders

These exciting free workshops are launching out the gate in both Innerleithen and Selkirk with the aim of encouraging longer stays, improving rider experiences, and increasing profitability that is presented by the continued growth of mountain biking in the area.

Each workshop will bring local accommodation, cafe, and restaurant businesses together with event organisers and local bike businesses to create networking opportunities, encouraging partnerships and collaborative business products with guiding, coaching, and retail offerings.

It will showcase the colourful and thriving mountain biking events coming to the area this year and be host to the launch of a new grant opportunity and support package specifically for accommodation businesses.

Save the Date:

23rd March 2022: The Santa Cruz Room, Traquair Arms Hotel, Innerleithen 09:15- 13:00 - REGISTER NOW

24th March 2022: The Philiphaugh Suite, Selkirk Rugby Club, 12:30- 16.30 - REGISTER NOW

We strongly encourage all local businesses to sign up and attend one of the above workshops to learn how they can better benefit from visiting cyclists.

From hotels, restaurants to physiotherapists, so many organisations can cater to cyclists. We are especially keen that all accommodation providers big or small can attend, because they will certainly benefit from learning about what is on offer to their guests. Indeed, the workshops will also launch the DMBinS Secure Bike Storage Scheme in the Scottish Borders and will be an opportunity to find out how businesses can use this grant to improve their offer to riders.

There will be an opportunity for short speed pitches from local cycling businesses to explain what they currently offer and to highlight ways they can work with you to package services together.

This will be mixed with sessions giving inspiration from inside the cycling industry.

There will be complimentary hot and soft drinks as well as a lunch buffet to allow businesses to network.

We hope the output from the event will bring new partnerships, packages and ways to make the visitor journey easier and more attractive. All supported by the resources we have at DMBinS to help this process. The easier it is for cyclists to book accommodation, rent or repair a bike and to eat good local food the more will visit and return, and the longer they shall stay.

The events are hosted by Developing Mountain Biking in Scotland (DMBinS) and are funded by UK Government through the UK Community Renewal Fund.

We will be working with partners including South of Scotland Enterprise, Scottish Borders Council, South of Scotland Destination Alliance, and Go Tweed Valley alongside local businesses to deliver the workshops.

If you are a business operating in the cycling industry and would like to present a short speed pitch at the event, please book a space to attend.