Pedaling Through the Past: Sport Heritage, Tourism Development, and the Tour of Flanders

Abstract

Sport and heritage, individually, are widely viewed as important catalysts in tourism development. However, the potential role that combining sport and heritage could have in tourism development initiatives is little understood. This article considers the tourism development potential of sport heritage via the Tour of Flanders—a nearly century-old 1-day cycling race held each spring in the Flanders region of Belgium—by discussing the role of heritage in cycling tourism, the background of the race, current local tourism challenges surrounding the race, and potential avenues for developing heritage sport tourism year round in the region. It is argued that the Tour of Flanders case suggests that sport heritage could be a potentially important avenue for tourism development, although it may need to be combined with other forms of local non-sport heritage to reach a broader, international audience. Furthermore, it is speculated that developing a sport heritage emphasis may also positively contribute to addressing other tourism challenges, such as place promotion. The article concludes that further testing and evaluation is required to demonstrate the link between sport heritage and tourism development, particularly as demonstrated through the Tour of Flanders.