Published in MC avisa 14.02.2021 at 10:26 Last updated: 14.02.2021 at 10:38
Press release from Straand Hotel:
The digital Hubriding.no concept is growing to include 9 hotels and 5 counties in 2021.
February 14, 2021 – Hubriding.no, an innovative digital tourism initiative in Norway, will be launched for motorcycles, bicycles and cars in 2021.
The Hubriding.no pilot was created as a direct consequence of the Covid-19 crisis last spring by Straand Hotel in Vrådal, Telemark.
The 156-year-old hotel, which started operating with a focus on the road as a bus station in 1864, is now back with a focus on the road.
Hubriding.no is a new standard for motorcycle, bicycle and car tourism with a fully digital map solution.
The result is more and longer visits to the hotel with overnight stays over several days.
At the same time, visitors get to explore exciting roads in the region and experience many great adventures along the way.
Today’s launch comes at the same time as “Motorcycle Week 2021” starts in Norway.
This is a joint project among more than 500,000 car and motorcycle enthusiasts in Norway who will share information about their interest in motorcycles digitally in the coming week.
Furthermore, the message through Motorsportforbundet will reach the entire sport with 2.1 million members in the Norwegian Sports Confederation.
– “This is one of the most innovative things I’ve seen in Norwegian tourism in the past year,” says innovation professor Tor W. Andreassen at the Norwegian School of Economics, NHH, about the concept.
– “We have used the Corona crisis actively for product and concept development.
We never expected such a good and immediate positive response to the Hubriding.no concept,” says Lars Arne Straand, CEO of Straand Hotel.
“We had a record number of motorcycle enthusiasts who took advantage of the offer last summer.
Now we will be able to offer the same to cyclists and motorists.
Straand Hotel in Telemark has now been joined in the Hubriding.no strategy by De Historiske Hotel og Spisesteder with 91 members throughout Norway.
Thus, the digital Hubriding.no tourism concept will grow and include more hotels from across our vast country.
The following hotels, tourism destinations and counties are currently preparing for Hubriding.no.
More will be added in the weeks and months ahead.
– Straand Hotel – Hubriding in Vestfold and Telemark
– Mrs. Haugans – HubRiding Helgeland in Nordland
– Røros Hotel – HubRiding Røros in Trøndelang
– Kronen Gård Hotel – HubRiding Rogaland in Rogaland
– Gamlaværket – HubRiding Rogaland in Rogaland
– Grand Hotel Egersund – HubRiding Rogaland in Rogaland
– Sola Strand Hotel – HubRiding Rogaland in Rogaland
– Hotel Victoria – HubRiding Rogaland in Rogaland
– Losby Gods – HubRiding Oslo in Viken
– We’re expecting a big influx of guests if the Covid-19 situation opens up as soon as the driving season starts in April.
Last year, we had between 50-150 motorcycles, cyclists and great cars visiting every long weekend.
If it works out, there will probably be many more who will try Hubriding.no this year.
One of the most surprising things for us was that we had to upgrade the wine list.
Motorcyclists, car and bicycle enthusiasts turned out to like good wines and good dinners,” says Katrine Straand, who runs the hotel together with Lars Arne Straand.
The innovative solution is now this fall and winter adapted for bicycle and car tourism.
De Historiske Hotel og Spisesteder has become a national partner and the solution will initially be launched at 9 hotels in 5 counties in Norway.
Innovation professor is impressed with Hubriding.no:
– “It’s interesting to see what has been established in the Hubriding.no concept through the great efforts of Straand Hotel in Vrådal in Telemark,” says innovation professor Tor W. Andreassen at the Norwegian School of Economics, NHH, in a comment.
“Hubriding.no is the most innovative thing I’ve seen in the tourism industry in the Covid-19 era.
– “A number of hotels are now becoming part of the Straand solution as the chain De Historiske Hotel og Spisesteder is using the digital solution with a focus on motorcycles, bicycles and classic cars at other tourism destinations in Norway,” says Tor W. Andreassen.
The road is used as the main ingredient, combined with a digitally facilitated map and service offering.
This will attract more guests, and visitors will stay at the hotel for several days to have the opportunity to explore more routes.
– De Historiske will offer some of the best Norway has to offer and the Hubriding venture provides Norway’s best driving experiences for motorcycles, bicycles and classic cars.
This is the perfect way to experience the best our destinations have to offer,” says Nils Henrik Geitle, CEO of De Historiske Hotell og Spisesteder i Norge.
– Through digital marketing and segmentation, the relevant vehicle groups can be reached in a simple, affordable and targeted way.
In practice, this is a good example of how it is still possible to find innovative solutions in hotels and tourism in these incredibly challenging times,” says Nils Henrik Geitle, CEO of The Historic Hotels and Restaurants of Norway.
– The proportion of repeat purchases is also high, as a result of data being retained and reused in new marketing initiatives.
We see that it helps to create growth in a sector that has been heavily affected by the Covid-19 situation in Norway,” says innovation professor Tor W. Andreassen at NHH in a comment.
