The cycle tour market
With our English language website usabiketours.com we focus on the global cycling community. We also operate local French, German and Dutch language websites to target more than twenty million cyclists in seven different European countries. Although cycling facilities and infrastructure are generally good and safe in their home countries, the Europeans are always seeking new challenges regarding cycling vacations in other countries and continents - these can include 'slow' tours on upright bikes, challenging race tours, or mountain bike adventures.
What we do
Reliable U.S. tour operators and outfitters can present their bike tours on our intuitive websites. It is our aim to present the widest possible range of tours. Different types, different activity- and support levels, all year round. Presentation of the tours is free. We carry out the entire booking, client information and payment processes. We create a bridge between the (European) clients and the U.S. bike tour operators.
Website tour presentation
Our website is very intuitive, and tour information is easily accessible. Website visitors can find their favorite tour using the "Tourfinder". After specifying destination, tour period, type of tour, or level of guidance, the Tourfinder returns a list of relevant tours with brief descriptions. Tours are presented as a list or on a U.S. map. Tours can also be selected via a list of Cycling Regions (States). Each tour can be clicked open for complete details and a booking option.
Our website policy
We apply the following principles in the use and presentation of our websites.
Less is more
- Our website has a sober look and a sophisticated color scheme. In our opinion this makes it easier to navigate and to make choices and it increases the concentration of the visitor. The art of omission.
Pop-up windows
- On many websites unsolicited pop-up advertisements or surveys just appear. They are seldom looked at by visitors and the response to online surveys is low. USA Bike Tours only uses informative pop-up windows which are related to the content.
Music
- Music on wesites usually starts unsolicited and sometimes cannot even be turned off by the visitor. It is assumed that this increases the website's atmosphere, but is normally experienced as being annoying by most visitors. Therefore we do not use music on our web pages, not even the ring of a bicycle bell ...
Applications
- Heavy or poor use of Flash or Web 2.0 technologies can sometimes slow down a website considerably or even make the visitor's webbrowser crash. We implement these technologies (i.e. Google-Maps) only when they are reliable and stable and add value to the presentation.
Data integrity
Delivery
- it is often the case that unnecessary personal information is required for information and registration of applications over the Internet. The amount of data we need for the relationship with our partners and clients is limited to a functional minimum.
Data use
- The external data we store is only used for the purposes of the cooperation and/or periodic information regarding our partners and clients.
Confidentiality
- The external data we store will never be handed over to third parties and will never be exchanged.
