Please educate me - why do they do the "Free Weekend"?

[Puggz]

I'm assuming its a marketing ploy - get more people out and they'll sell more trail passes as a result..  I can't see this working.  Anyone with a real interest in the sport will have a pass. IMHO, it opens up the trails to marginal machines and a high likely-hood of people running on red trails.  At least in Ontario, the cost of a 3 day trail is very reasonable which is enough to give anyone a taste if they're on the fence about getting into it.

 

Am I wrong?

[oldslowsledder]

1 hour ago, Puggz said:

 

 

Am I wrong?

 

Not in my opinion

[Sksman]

Have you ever been to QC for the free weekend?

 

Police checks are numerous   Checking for permits and paperwork on any older sleds.  Also exhaust noise.   I did not see the feared old beaters out running trails especially when you ride longer remote sections  

 

I have been a few times as part of a group ride   3 or 4 QC sleds with passes   3 to 5 ON sleds   Leave from a friends place  stay in hotels for 2 nights.

 

Sure no pass on ON sleds but a bigger group, hotel rooms, meals and fuel.  It is a boost to local businesses.  And we buy a one day for Friday   
 

if you look at it on most weekends our QC friends ride from their cottages and return.

 

so 4 or 5 hotel rooms for 2 nights.

 

More fuel for 10 sleds doing longer loops or rides 

 

meals

 

Good economy boost in a province where sled trails are treated with respect for most part by locals.

 

And when we were out the trails were busy but not crazy.   I also think the trails are wider and more open for most part   I do not remember getting beat up too bad.  No where near as bad as a Muskoka weekend.

 

Only reason we did not go is our group decided with current snow conditions we would ride Northern Ontario this year instead.

[stoney]

Freeloading / freeloaders …. 
lol

[Ox]

 

I would think that weekend to be as much or more aboot out-of-towners?

 

Pulling folks in from Michigan and New Yawk to give it a try would seem to possibly have and ROI in time.

ON tags are NOT cheap by any stretch! I haven't bought a Mich tag in decades that I can think of, so not sure what current pricing is, but a season pass here would be cheaper than a 2 day pass yonder, and quite likely by a noteable margin at that.

 

I would think that it would be better to offer a "one time per person" free 2 day pass, for any 2 days. But only once - ever.

This way folks can come up to see what it's like and to see if it's worth it for future.

But to be able to git to ride fee one weekend every year, then why not just plan your trips around that and save the Loonie?

 

.

[skidooboy]

Michigan seasonal sled tag is 52.50 USD (I believe). not a fan of freeloader weekends, be it fishing, sledding, orv/atv/cycle weekends. we have several in michigan per year. it is the weekend to avoid the northwoods. every yahoo with a hoopty sled, tow vehicle, rv, and or trailer is on the roads, breaking down, and overcrowding the trails, lakes, rivers, parks, and camping. Ski 

[signfan]

It's marketing. Ontario gave up on the idea. In Quebec they seem to have taken a somewhat different approach. 

 

 Brp and intact sponsored it which hopefully offsets some of the costs to the fcmq. I expect marketing materials to arrive from both companies. 

 

 

 

 

[Spiderman]

From a marketing standpoint - it made sense.

Did it really cost much? doubtful.

Did it gain much? we will never know the answers - but those that need to, do - my guess is it had very little impact if any.

 

Can't cast blame on trying something new, it was for the right reasons and with 100% good intentions.

 

Some ideas work, some don't - what works in one place - does not always work in others. 

 

is what it is