Independent bicycle tourism: a whole tourism systems perspective

Leiper’s model of whole tourism systems is a useful conceptual framework for generic research into tourism. However, several limitations can be identified regarding its capacity to describe elements that comprise whole tourism systems involving independent bicycle tourism. This paper draws on a combination of empirical evidence, existing literature and critical analysis to demonstrate how two geographic elements of whole tourism systems: transit routes and tourist destination regions, can be reconceptualised to better reflect tourist flows associated with independent bicycle tourism. It is suggested that for independent bicycle tourists, the concept of a destination is multi-dimensional. Furthermore, two distinct transit routes used by such tourists are identified. An adapted model of whole tourism systems specific to independent bicycle tourism is proposed and implications for theory and practice are discussed as are avenues for future research.