eurovelo & cycling tourism conference 2023

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About EuroVelo

EuroVelo, the European cycle route network, is an initiative of the European Cyclists’ Federation (ECF) in cooperation with national and regional partners. EuroVelo incorporates existing and planned national and regional cycle routes into a single European network.

Investing in EuroVelo

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EuroVelo & Cycling Tourism Conferences

The EuroVelo & Cycling Tourism Conference gathers all those involved in the cycling tourism sector – destination managers, cycling tourism experts, universities and academia, tourism officials, public authorities, user representatives, tour operators, public transport companies, representatives of accommodation providers, and more.

Once a biannual event, the EuroVelo Conference will be held annually from 2023 onwards due to steadily increasing attendance and interest. The event is organised by ECF in partnership with a host city or region situated along a EuroVelo route.

The EuroVelo & Cycling Tourism Conference 2023 will take place in Izmir, Türkiye from 11 to 13 October 2023 .

Detailed information about the EuroVelo Conference 2023 can be found on the dedicated event page on the EuroVelo website, as well as on the Conference website: euroveloconferenceizmir.com .

Info and registration

The objectives of the EuroVelo Conference are:

• Transfer and exchange high-quality knowledge and expertise on cycling and tourism
• Raise awareness of EuroVelo and contribute to the realisation of comprehensive cycle route networks
• Encourage the recognition of cycling tourism as top-priority type of tourism and economic activity
• Highlight the benefits of cycle route networks and cycling tourism in the host city/region
• Integrate EuroVelo and cycling tourism into all relevant policy sectors
• Seek involvement from all relevant stakeholders
• Involve and support local cycling associations and civil society organisations.

The event features an exciting mixture of sessions where the focus is on dialogue, participation, and information exchange. Plenary sessions, panel discussions, workshops, social events and technical visits make up a lively and enticing programme.

The call for bids to host the EuroVelo & Cycling Tourism Conference 2024 is now closed. We will open a call for 2025 soon. Contact us if you want to know more at [email protected] .

Find more information about the future and previous editions of the EuroVelo Conference at the links below.

EuroVelo & Cycling Tourism Conference 2023 - Izmir, Türkiye

25 years of EuroVelo online event - Laying the foundations for cycling tourism in Europe

EuroVelo & Cycling Tourism Conference 2021 - Barcelona, Spain

EuroVelo & Cycling Tourism Conference 2018 – Limburg, Belgium

EuroVelo & Cycling Tourism Conference 2016 – Vienna, Austria

EuroVelo & Cycling Tourism Conference 2014 – Basel, Switzerland

EuroVelo & Cycling Tourism Conference 2012 – Nantes, France

Call for Abstracts

The Call for abstracts for the EuroVelo & Cycling Tourism Conference 2023 is now closed. Thanks for your interest!

Selected contributions will feature the programme of the Conference, bringing best practices and insightful presentations on stage. If you have submitted an abstract, you will be contacted by email once the selection process is completed. 

For any questions related to the call for abstracts, contact [email protected]

Empowering Cycling Tourism: Bikenomist at EuroVelo & Cycling Tourism Conference

In the city of Izmir ( called also the Perls of Aegean) Turkey, from October 11-13, 2023, cycling enthusiasts and industry experts from around the world gathered for a groundbreaking event – the EuroVelo & Cycling Tourism Conference 2023. This year, the conference, held under the theme “Cycling: a New Perspective on Heritage,” became a pivotal moment in the world of cycling tourism, and a shining star at the forefront of this event was the esteemed company, Bikenomist.

With lively discussions, exciting announcements, and passionate commitments, the conference provided an inspiring platform and a cause for celebration for the future of cycling tourism. The event was graciously opened by key local and national Turkish representatives, including Mehmet Nuri Ersoy, the Minister of Culture and Tourism of the Republic of Türkiye; Tunç Soyer, the Mayor of Izmir Metropolitan Municipality; and Süleyman Elban, the Governor of Izmir, setting an enthusiastic tone for the days to come.

One of the key figures who illuminated the conference with her insights and expertise was Pinar Pinzuti from Bikenomist. As a dedicated member of the EuroVelo Council , Pinar was deeply involved in the conference program committee. Her contributions ranged from the selection of abstracts to defining panel sessions and moderating discussions related to cycling’s role in heritage protection. Pinar, also the director of the Cycle Tourism Show in Bologna, took the stage as a keynote speaker alongside journalist Alex Crevar from the USA.

During her address, Pinar focused on the community’s crucial role in cycling advocacy, highlighting initiatives such as the Fancy Women Bike Ride, which originated in Izmir in 2013 and rapidly expanded to 30 countries. She emphasized the significance of establishing networks of routes and services and stressed the importance of collaboration between public and private entities to develop cycling tourism in economically underdeveloped regions. Drawing from her experience, Pinar presented compelling case studies showcasing successful collaborations that facilitated the creation of diverse cycling holiday packages catering to a wide range of enthusiasts.

Pinar’s vision for Turkiye as a cycling tourism destination was particularly inspiring. With over 500 km of EuroVelo routes fully developed in the country, she underscored the need for a collective effort to expand the route network nationally, fostering connections between people and places.

The conference reached its peak with a thrilling announcement by Jesper Pørksen from Dansk Cykelturisme, Chair of the EuroVelo Council, and Michael Andersen, a representative of Viborg. They revealed that Viborg, Denmark, would be the host city for the EuroVelo & Cycling Tourism Conference 2024. This revelation filled the attendees with anticipation, promising another year of groundbreaking discussions and initiatives to further elevate the world of cycling tourism.

Bikenomist’s active participation and Pinar Pinzuti’s invaluable contributions illuminated the EuroVelo & Cycling Tourism Conference 2023, making it a resounding success. As the cycling tourism community looks forward to the future, these moments of collaboration and inspiration will undoubtedly continue to shape the landscape of cycling tourism, paving the way for sustainable, enriching, and inclusive experiences for cyclists and enthusiasts worldwide.

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• Mission & Principles

EuroVelo & Cycling Tourism Conference 2025 – Call for bids!

The EuroVelo & Cycling Tourism Conference is the professional event that fosters the growing interest in cycling and sustainable tourism, and explores what the future holds for these sectors. It aims to inform, inspire and connect on EuroVelo, cycling tourism and cycle route networks.

ECF co-organises the EuroVelo Conferences with a host city or region, in order to reach and involve a diverse range of stakeholders who are involved in the cycling and tourism sectors. EuroVelo – the European cycle route network – provides the framework for the main discussions as a European success story and an accelerator for active and sustainable travel.

Who can apply?

The next host city/region of the leading conference on EuroVelo and cycling tourism should:

• Be located on a EuroVelo route
• Be keen to show and promote its work on cycle route networks and cycling tourism to an international audience, thereby raising its profile
• Aspire to deliver a 3-day high-quality event with around 300-400 delegates (depending on domestic interest) thanks to an enthusiastic team ready to work with ECF’s EuroVelo Management Team
• Aim to lead in developing sustainable tourism and aspire to realise a long-term strategy for cycling tourism.

Why host the EuroVelo Conference 2025?

There are several benefits of hosting the EuroVelo Conference 2025. The key ones are:

Boost cycling and cycling tourism developments

Hosting a EuroVelo Conference should be integrated into a strategy to improve cycling, sustainable tourism and cycling tourism. All cities/regions that have hosted the conference have benefitted by developing their provision for cycling tourism around the event. Working on the conference has also proven to be a good way to grow productive working relationships between the city/region, cycling and tourism stakeholders.

Increase international visibility of the city/region as a cycling destination

As a key event in the cycling tourism field, the conference helps raise awareness and enhance the reputation of the city/region and even the country as a cycling tourism destination. It generates added value in terms of international prestige by attracting renowned speakers, opinion leaders, and media in the fields of cycling, tourism and beyond.

Enhance public support

The publicity generated by the EuroVelo Conference can also help the city/region raise awareness and present the benefits that their cycling policies and accomplishments provide to their citizens, businesses and others. This could lead to enhanced public support for further pro-cycling measures.

Economic benefits

The EuroVelo Conference promotes and publicises the host city/region by attracting visitors and boosting the local economy. In order to maximise these benefits, tourist and convention bureaus should be involved in the bidding process.

How to apply?

ECF invites all European cities or regions committed to shaping a better future through cycling and sustainable tourism to bid for EuroVelo & Cycling Tourism Conference 2025. The bidding procedure is now open until 31 January 2024 .

To know more and receive the complete bid documentation, please contact Maria Scandurra at  [email protected] .

We look forward to submissions and expressions of interest!

Leading the way: key role for cycling in the future of tourism

Even when bidding to host the EuroVelo & Cycling Tourism Conference back in 2019, Barcelona made it clear that they wanted to focus on how cycling tourism can help to address the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). If anything the necessity of reaching these goals has become even more apparent since then, with weekly reminders appearing in news reports of the impact of climate change across the planet.

The past two years have also emphasised that cycling tourism can indeed play an important role in responding to the challenges that we are facing as a society. Our daily lives have been thrown upside down by the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and many industries have been negatively effected, perhaps most notably the tourism sector. However, during this period the numbers of people taking up cycling for tourism or leisure has actually been increasing as people discover its many benefits.

As identified through our collaboration with Eco Counter , over the past two years there has been a general growth of 2% on the EuroVelo Network, including a 12% increase at weekends suggesting that much of this growth can be connected to tourism and leisure use.

In the opening plenary of the EuroVelo & Cycling Tourism Conference, Dr Fiona Bull, Head of the Physical Activity Unit at WHO, recognised the important contribution that cycling can make and spoke of how decision makers should therefore make walking and cycling a cross-governmental policy priority. It is not only a transport policy - it is also a health, environment, social and economic policy.

During the same session, Dirk Glaesser, Director of Sustainable Development at UNWTO, acknowledged that the tourism sector has to play its part to address society's challenges and agreed that cycling tourism is increasingly part of the solution. However, he stressed that it is important to be able to measure the positive impact cycling has on global activities. The UNWO will be launching the Glasgow Declaration on Tourism and Climate Change to coincide with the UN Climate Change Conference COP26 in Glasgow to accelerate climate action in tourism.

During the conference's second plenary, three diverse destinations from across Europe explained how cycling tourism has helped them become more resilient to the challenges - both local and global - that they are facing. In Limburg, cycling tourism has been embraced as a solution to the economic restructuring that the region had to undergo follow the closure of its mines. A thousand kilometres to the south, the Italian city of Bologna has also decided that cycling tourism can help too by encouraging more sustainable travel patterns that bring tourists to new areas.

There was also the example of La Molina ski resort, which sees cycling tourism as a solution to shorter winter seasons with the impact on their sensitive environments reduced by encouraging visitors to bring their own bikes with them on the train.

In the final session of the conference, tourism expert Nagore Espinosa tied these threads together in a lively presentation that called for a change in the way we approach tourism in the future. More focus should be given to ensuring that the sector works for the communities in the destinations, as well as the visitors. And not for the first time that day, cycling tourism was identified as being well placed to do just that! ciclobcn21.cat/en/

Velo-city 2023: leading a pedal-powered transition

Velo-city is the world’s cycle summit taking place this year in Leipzig, Germany, from 9 to 12 May. Running since 1980, the conference aims to bring together stakeholders from the public and private sectors, accelerate the development of sustainable bicycle-friendly cities and foster innovation in the everyday cycling industry. This year broke many records in terms of speakers, exhibitors, and was likely the biggest-ever edition, with enthusiastic participants from all continents.

Despite no EuroVelo routes passing by the city of Leipzig, in Saxony, EuroVelo was featured in many ways at Velo-city. All Velo-citizens who visited the ECF booth could get a copy of the new EuroVelo Overview Map , learn more about the network and even relax on some comfortable EuroVelo Partnership-themed seats while imagining their next cycling holidays. The EuroVelo Management Team was sometimes asked uncomfortable questions, such as ‘What is your favourite EuroVelo route?’. Impossible to choose, really.

And there was more: Velo-citizens could play a scavenger hunt based on EuroVelo routes, spinning the wheel and guessing a EuroVelo route after collecting clues around the large Velo-city exhibition. Exclusive EuroVelo merchandise was the prize for a lucky winner at the end of the day!

Cycling tourism-themed sessions

Cycling tourism and EuroVelo were the topic of several sessions. In particular, in a panel discussion titled 'Lessons from EuroVelo: 25 years of cycling tourism in Europe', EuroVelo Council Chair Jesper Pørksen was joined on stage by two EuroVelo Council members: Camille Thome, Director of Vélo & Territoires, Spiros Papageorgiou of Cities 4 Cycling. Former MEP Michael Cramer, whose input was key to create EuroVelo 13 – Iron Curtain Trail, was also part of the panel.

The dream of connecting Europe by bicycle dates to the early 1990s. Since then, EuroVelo has become the largest cycling network of its kind in the world. And “EuroVelo is a ride through history, politics, culture and nature” as aptly put by Michael Cramer, citing the example of EuroVelo 13 – Iron Curtain Trail, a Cultural Route of the Council of Europe. Known for being ‘champions routes’ in France, with high urban usage, EuroVelo routes make a good economic case to further develop national cycling networks. To multiply this effect, cycling needs to be marketed as a lifestyle, added Spiros Papageorgiou. The panelists concluded the session by pondering how to accelerate the development of EuroVelo with a new study on its economic impact, consistent branding and signing, better multimodality, and services along the routes.

Over at the Freewheel Stage, a fast pedal talk on the topic 'Cycling tourism: Slower can get us further!' included a presentation of the latest EuroVelo network usage figures by Enrico Durbano from Eco-Counter. German National EuroVelo Coordinator ADFC presented its latest Bicycle Travel Analysis , and EuroVelo Council Member Pinar Pinzuti introduced the highly successful Cycling tourism fair in Italy. Other speakers shared examples from the Trans Canada Trail, Hungary – which has been investing lots in cycling tourism –, the Netherlands, and Stuttgart in Germany.

On Thursday, a session about TEN-T deep-dived into the importance of integrating cycling into large infrastructure projects, and bringing EuroVelo into the TEN-T network. ECF’s Aleksander Buczyński discussed the work that ECF is doing and the current momentum with the recent report by the European Parliament Committee on Transport and Tourism on the topic.

Cycling tourism and its growth were also highlighted by Alessandra Priante, Director of Europe at UNWTO, in a session on global initiatives for more cycling. Going from global to local, investments in EuroVelo route development in Romania were presented by Radu Mititean, while Michele Mutterle of FIAB (Italian National EuroVelo Coordinator) discussed the Italian National Cycling Plan, which includes EuroVelo routes.

Velo-city 2023 also had lots of side events, including the famous bike parade, get-togethers of various ECF networks and the Women in Cycling network, filling Leipzig with the festive ringing of bicycle bells – and a catchy Velo-city song ! If you are curious to read more, ECF has produced daily reports with the best quotes and pictures from the event.

As we already look forward to Velo-city 2024 in Gent, Belgium, aka bike paradise, do not forget that Izmir, Türkiye, aka bird paradise, will host the EuroVelo & Cycling Tourism Conference from 11 to 13 October 2023. This year’s theme is ‘Cycling: a new perspective on heritage’. Want to share your projects and ideas with the broader cycling tourism community? A call for abstracts is open until 7 June!

Relive the EuroVelo & Cycling Tourism Conference

Watch the eurovelo & cycling tourism conference 2021 online.

If you couldn't join us for the EuroVelo & Cycling Tourism Conference 2021 in Barcelona, or you would like to watch again a favourite presentation, you can now access videos of all the sessions at your own pace via the official CICLOBCN21 website.

In addition, you can also view all the presentation slides and the professional photographs that were taken that week in Barcelona.

Click here to access the information