Over the last years most of the ski resorts worldwide have decided to expand their activities using their infrastructure and operate as bike parks during summer season, perceiving the rapid increase in mountain bike tourism.
Snowing season has significantly shrunk, so ski resorts need to expand their seasonality not only for their economic sustainability but also to support the local community and enterprises.
In March 2016, the administration of Vasilitsa ski resort, decided to assign to Outline the planning and development of the first bike park in Greece, taking under consideration the international trend plus the perspective to increase the sport tourism for the wider area.
Our company in collaboration with Local Champ of Greece in Downhill race, Mr. Danis Karamichailidis, has conducted their research under the title “Proposal of Developing Vassilitsa Ski Resort”, which received a very positive feedback from the administration of Vasilitsa Ski Resort, as well as from the National Secretariat of Sports, and the Technological Educational Institute of West Macedonia.
The first stage of the project was completed in summer of 2016 at the same time with the official opening of Vasilitsa Mountain Bike Park and provided the formation of a Downhill track according to the specifications of UCI, the upgrade of an existing all-mountain singletrack, the signing of the bike park, the creation of the business identity and the formation of the Official Facebook page for VBP.
The whole project had a huge success. The Downhill track was elected as “the best downhill ride in Greece” and the whole event as “the best event of the 6th Greek Downhill Championship of the year of 2016”.
The success of the project showed in the most convincing way that development of mountain bike destinations constitutes a perfect, sustainable and efficient way of developing alternative tourism that benefits the local communities.