The native of cycle-friendly Ireland was already familiar with the joys of two-wheeled tourism.
Pedalling through wine country in Canada, however, was a whole new world for O'Connor and fellow Emerald Isle native Yvonne Hurley.
"The microclimate is such a wonderful surprise. You hear abut New World wines, but it's not something you'd necessarily associate with Canada," said O'Connor, who is visiting a sister in Toronto and decided to include a trip to Niagara.
Hurley and O'Connor planned to stay overnight in Niagara Falls, but decided to spend the day exploring with Niagara Wine Tours International.
"I've seen the falls before and wanted to do more than that," O'Connor said during a wine-tasting break at Riverview Cellars along the Niagara Parkway. "I don't like to be stuck in a car all the time, and the countryside is so lovely here."
BURGEONING TREND
O'Connor and Hurley are part of a burgeoning bike tourism trend in Niagara that has managed to weather the recession -- and the weather. Tourism took a recession-inspired beating this year, particularly early in the summer, when visitor spending in Canada dropped to its lowest level in five years. A wet, cool summer hasn't helped, but Lance Patten figures bike tourism is holding its own.
"Sure, rain can put a damper on things," the owner of Niagara Wine Tours International said. "But I'd say cycling tourism is still expanding significantly ... we're seeing an uptick on rentals and tours."
Like many tourism businesses, Patten said U.S. visitors are down compared to previous years. But he's seen a tradeoff with more international tourists and visitors from Toronto and the rest of southern Ontario.
Tourism Niagara doesn't track cycling tourists, but manager Betsy Foster said they're acknowledged as a large and growing segment of annual visitors to the region. A special bicycle trail map produced by Niagara Region routinely sells out at Toronto bike shows, for example.
BIKE TRAIN
A regional study published in 2003 showed more than two million cyclists spent more than $164 million in the region, where more than 5,000 people work in related bi-pedal businesses.
That was before the Bike Train or Go Transit, Justin Lafontaine said.The Toronto resident founded the Toronto-Niagara Bike Train three years ago, partnering with VIA Rail to get cyclists to St. Catharines and Niagara Falls every summer weekend.
The service has delivered more than 1,250 cyclists to Niagara in that time, Lafontaine said.
Local hotels and inns have recognized the pedal potential. A group of inns and B&Bs recently partnered on an ad campaign and website, cycleandstayniagara.com, to show bike tourists where they can stay along the Greater Niagara Circle Route.
Patricia Szoldra, owner of the Inn at Lock Seven, said she's noticed more cyclists at the Thorold Inn.
"I'd say they're here on a weekly basis," she said. Wineries like Riverview Cellars in Niagara-on-the-Lake and Henry of Pelham in west St. Catharines report an increase of bike tours. Gillian Norton of Riverview said "staycation" weekend tour groups have been common, as well as biking bachelorette parties.
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