PARCOURS 3

P3 – GETTING ACQUAINTED WITH OUTDOOR RECREATIONAL SPORTS PARTICIPANTS

Issue:
How can organizers of outdoor recreations get to know better their participants?  It’s necessary to understand the participants’ needs, their social and geographical background, and observe trends and any innovations to improve outdoor recreational activities.

Expert : Vincent Chaudel, responsible of Sport Department, Ineum Consulting

Tuesday May 4, 2010 – 2: OO pm to 4:30 pm.

Workshop 1 – What is the inventory of information about participants of outdoor recreational sports?  Actions: observations, innovations…?
Animator : Pascal Mao, conference master, geography, UMR Pact- Territory, University of Jacques Fourier, Grenoble

The traveling hiker’s  profile
Everyone is talking about it – elected representative of territories and regions, professionals, involved federations and associations, tourist organizations – and its all for the best.  Yes, treks and tours are “in mode”.  Because now more than ever, clients demand a significance to their trip.  They want to meet with history, heritage, and nature.  When one valorizes the existent potentials: the itineraries, the lodgings, local touristic offers, one clearly participates in a logic for sustainable development because when the offer is diversified, it meets new standards for the mountain.  The consequences of global warming, the stagnation of the clientele, the effects of consumer crisis, the emerging desires for a change of scenery… Trekking and tours is a new chance for the mountains. But we need to act now.  Quickly and together.  We need to evaluate, strengthen, and promote what exists.  Create and engage innovative actions.  We need to publically affirm an engagement and decisively place actions to promote mountain destinations.
This will mean, of course, to know better the reality of touring habitudes, its clients, and to propose a legitimate offer – best adapted and so then more efficient in marketing and in ecological matters.  This is the goal of the studies undergone by GTA in 2009 by the consulting agency Versant Sud and Altimax, in partnership with the French Federation of Trekking, the National Syndicate of guides, and the Federation of Alpine Clubs and Mountains.  The study is an ambitious project now will have to see itself placed on a national level to see the light.  
http://www.grand-traversee-alpes.com/

Observing Outdoor Sports Participants – Association for Professionals and Enterprises of Sports and Leisure (FPS)
The professional distributors and retailers of sports and recreation equipment are waiting for precise facts about the sports practices to make an appropriate offer.  There exists few facts about this market.  In the last 40 years, only 12 studies have been done and only 3 under their initiative with the institute Ipsos.  In 2007, they wanted to broaden their investigations and were interested in the beliefs and values associated with sports.  These questions were directly related to the sporting practices and the sports material consummation.
http://www/filieresport.com/

Evolving Practices, Expectations and Comportments of young people at the UCPA
Presentation to come
http://www.ucpa.com/

Wednesday May 5, 2010 – 9:00 am to 12:00
Workshop 2 - How to build an approach on the practice of outdoor recreational sports and all the persons concerned ?
Animator : Francis Gaillard, Project leader, CREPS Rhône-ALpes site de Vallon Pont d'ARc - Pôle ressources national des sports de nature

Observing Outdoor Practices as seen by manufactures (under reserve)
Presentation to come

Sports and Leisure Time in France (TNS Ineum Audencia)
Presentation to come

Using surfing for social issues in France
The number of surf schools (both private businesses and social associations) during the summer period has exploded in France.  This increase has a direct impact of economic, social, and touristic importance.  But this impact is just during the summer vacation period (mostly in July and August) in coastal areas.  Yet a national survey carried out in 2008 shows that there is a real potential to develop surf activities during other periods of the year (spring and fall) and therefore spread out the touristic seasons in some areas.
http://universdusurf.free.fr/