Our journey through the most important Italian locations for MTB tourism continues. This time we have arrived at Plan de Corones, a location in Alto Adige that in recent years has undertaken a development path to consolidate its summer tourism offering. Thanks to a structured and complete bike area, Plan de Corones is establishing itself as one of the most popular destinations for MTB enthusiasts.
We spoke with Thomas Reiter, director of the Plan de Korones ski area, who illustrated the development plan of the resort and the challenges of the season just ended.
Hi Thomas, how do you rate this season that just ended?
“It was a bit of a difficult season due to the unstable weather. Spring and autumn were affected by rain, but summer gave excellent results.”
Who is the biker who chooses Plan de Corones?
“We have a tourism with an average age between 30 and 60 years, people who stay on average from 4 to 8 days. Italians represent about 60% of summer presences. Compared to the past, they are much more active and look for holidays that include outdoor experiences, both for MTB and hiking.”
You mentioned a high average age. What do you think is the reason for this?
“You can still do sports at an advanced age, and MTB is becoming a more 'mature' sport, a bit like skiing. Today's sixty-year-olds are the ones who started riding MTBs in the 90s and, thanks to the e-bike, can continue to do so even now.”
Unlike other locations, tourists stay at Plan de Corones for several days. What does this depend on?
“Being far from the big population centers, those who visit us often prefer to stay longer, to fully enjoy the trip. However, in spring and autumn we also have weekend tourism.”
Which countries do most foreign visitors come from?
“Mainly from Switzerland and Germany.”
You have decades of experience in winter tourism. How much has this experience influenced the development of the summer offer?
"Our long experience helps us, but we have noticed that these are two different types of tourism. For example, in winter we have a significant presence of tourists from Eastern Europe, who do not visit the area in summer."
How did the Plan de Corones bike project come about?
“At the beginning it was all spontaneous, thanks to the passion of some volunteers who built the first trails. Then we understood the potential of the bike sector and we started to develop a more structured offer. Today we have an area more suitable for beginners, in the Gassl area, and more challenging trails towards Riscone-Herrnstein, creating a mix of artificial and natural trails to offer diversified riding experiences.”
What is your communication strategy?
“The winter experience taught us the importance of a mix of PR, events and advertising. We believe in continuity: once we have chosen a message, we maintain it for a few years, in order to consolidate the image we want to convey.”
A growing area with great potential
Plan de Corones is a relatively new place in the MTB scene, but with a professional and well-structured approach, in line with the tradition of South Tyrol. Over time, it will certainly continue to develop, attracting more and more MTB and outdoor enthusiasts from all over the world.
