The Tour de Georgia bike race isn't returning in 2009, but a North Georgia town has a plan to boost tourism using bicycles anyway.
Hotels in the historic town of Alpharetta are offering special packages that enable tourists to have bicycle rental, delivery and pick-up all included in their room rate.
The offer enables visitors to ride the bicycles to attractions around town or head out to ride the scenic Big Creek Greenway bike path.
Bike path
That bike path runs for 6.2 miles through the Alpharetta area and was recently connected to another 3-mile section in Roswell. The long-range bike path plans call for the trail to hook onto Milton's trail in the north and to the Chattahoochee National Recreation Area in the south.
The bicycle rental program between Roswell Bicycles and 23 hotels in Alpharetta is coordinated by the Alpharetta Convention and Visitors Bureau. Bicycle delivery will require a 72-hour notice.
Several months ago, I wrote about tourism entrepreneurs using bicycles to lure visitors to their resorts — “Complimentary bicycles offered at vacation spots.”
By setting up this package, the Alpharetta convention bureau is acknowledging that there's a market for catering to people who enjoy the outdoors, especially by bicycle. It's also another case where a bicycle trail — the Big Creek Greenway — is used as a tourism draw.
They plan to advertise the special package on their website and newsletters, as well as in the Charlotte, Birmingham, Chattanooga and North Florida markets.
Image above from Divine Vessel at flickr.com
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