More and more planned events and trips are being cancelled. More and more cancellations and rebookings are the result. The corona crisis is not only ruining exciting mountain bike adventures and long-awaited cycling holidays for customers, but bike tour operators and providers of guided mountain bike tours are also suffering from the effects of the corona pandemic. How ULPtours, one of the largest MTB tour organisers in GermanyManaging Director Uli Preunkert told us how the company is facing up to the current situation and dealing with the coronavirus crisis.
"There is a lot of understanding and tolerance in the current situation"
BIKE: Due to the coronavirus pandemic, events have had to be cancelled. How are you dealing with the cancellations? By when did you cancel your tours?
Uli Preunkert: The situation has changed very dynamically in recent weeks. We will cancel tours if there are travel warnings from the Foreign Office or if we are not allowed to enter a country (e.g. Austria). All of this must be considered in good time before the event. That's why we will cancel at the earliest one week before the event. Unless it is already foreseeable that events cannot take place due to entry regulations (e.g. our trail camp in the Czech Republic).
One week before the start of the trip is short notice. Don't customers want to know this earlier in terms of preparation and training? How do customers react to such spontaneous cancellations?
Yes, this is very short-term and in normal circumstances no customer would accept this. But in the current situation, the vast majority of customers are showing understanding and tolerance. We can only look from week to week at the moment.
Are there many cancellations at the moment or are people still waiting?
There are very few cancellations. Most of our customers wait and keep open the possibility of being able to organise their trip after all.
The cancellations have further consequences. What have you agreed with the hoteliers, shuttle drivers and return transport in this regard?
We are in contact with the hoteliers and will certainly find joint solutions with our important partners. We organise the shuttle trips and some of the return transport ourselves. We therefore have control over this area ourselves. We have long-standing partnerships with our coach companies and will certainly find joint solutions.
Not all small accommodation providers will survive the crisis economically. Do you assume that you will have to re-plan your routes accordingly?
We are not currently worried about this. Our hotel partners are mostly economically sound, family-run businesses that live primarily from summer tourism. I don't believe that the cancellation in May and June will immediately lead to bankruptcy for our partners. We have not yet rescheduled anything and have assured the hoteliers that we will honour our commitments for the time being. However, should a hotel have to close, we have plenty of alternative options. However, we remain optimistic and are not (yet) rescheduling our routes.
What do you tell customers?
We have described our approach in a newsletter. This has already provoked one or two reactions. In general, however, I have the impression that most people are still taking a relaxed approach. We are also offering free rebookings and extending our season into October. In this way, we want to try to get our programme through and accommodate our customers in the best possible way.
Are cancellations currently free of charge?
For tours that we have not yet cancelled, 20% of the tour price will be charged. If we have to cancel a tour, such as our trail camp in the Czech Republic, the cancellation is of course free of charge.
How high do you estimate the decline in Transalp tours this year?
There will definitely be a decline this season. Mainly due to the postponed holiday planning. But financial reasons will also play a role. Many are already suffering from the operational measures and will simply no longer be able to afford Transalp holidays. In the long term, however, I don't see a slump. On the contrary. I am sure that Alpine region holidays (especially the bike business) will see a noticeable increase after the crisis. E-bikes in particular can open up a completely new market here. More and more people will opt for active Alpine holidays in small groups in the future as a result of the coronavirus crisis.
Tour operators in the USA have already put their tour programme for 2021 online. Are you already reckoning with the fact that summer 2020 could be a total cancellation for you?
We are expecting cancellations in May and June, of course. But from July onwards, we want to carry out everything as planned, provided the lockdown does not last another four weeks or longer. That would mean a collapse for the entire economy. But we are optimistic. As we are expanding our offer and extending the season into October, we do not expect a total cancellation.
The state has promised support. Will the emergency aid announced by the state work?
The applications were easy to download, filled out quickly and sent to the relevant authorities. However, there has not yet been any feedback. There must be a huge rush for state aid in Bavaria.
What do you think? How will the tour operator market for bike tours develop after the crisis?
I am convinced that the market (biking in the Alps and Tuscany) will emerge stronger from the crisis. The tours will be organised in small groups. What we have just experienced will change people's booking behaviour. Boat trips or holidays in regions that require travelling by plane will certainly find it difficult to maintain the same market share as before the crisis. Our tours take place in the Alps. They are easy to reach by car or train. The guests/riders are all fit, which means the risk of infection is rather low. In my opinion, cycling in the mountains can be a very safe form of travelling during the coronavirus crisis. I am therefore convinced that we can emerge stronger from the crisis. However, it is important to convey to our guests that we are dealing with this issue very sensitively and that the safety of our guests and employees is paramount.
Do you already have creative ideas for the future?
Frankly, I don't want to think about creative ideas right now. Our focus should be on making the trips as safe as possible, provided we can organise them. As guides, we also provide first aid in the event of accidents outside our groups, for example. How should I deal with this in future? Which face mask do I need? What protective clothing? In times of corona, gloves like we used to wear will no longer be enough. How do we deal with these things? How do we protect our guests and employees? These are the issues that are currently shaping my work.
