Introducing the afternoon plenary speakers at the EuroVelo and Cycle Tourism Conference 2018.
The EuroVelo and Cycle Tourism Conference 2018 will take place in Limburg, Belgium on 26-28 September. In this article, we present you the speakers who will speak at the afternoon plenary session on 27 September, ending the day’s formal programme. Visit the Conference’s website to find out more about the conference and discover the full programme here!
Full house at the EuroVelo and Cycle Tourism Conference!
With more than 150 registered participants, which is twice the number of the previous edition, the EuroVelo and Cycle Tourism Conference 2018 is sold out. We are delighted to welcome visitors from 30 different countries to Limburg on 26-28 September, and we believe that this edition of the Conference will be the best yet!
Last 24 hours to register for the EuroVelo and Cycle Tourism Conference!
The EuroVelo and Cycle Tourism Conference 2018 is almost at our doors, and the registrations are closing tomorrow, 12 September! There are only 20 seats left and no registrations will be possible on the spot, so make sure to register in time for the premier cycle tourism event in Europe. In two weeks, speakers and participants from all around Europe will be heading toward Limburg for two days full of discoveries about the EuroVelo routes and cycle tourism in general. In this article, you will find a summary of the Conference’s programme.
Get to know the plenary speakers! Part 3: Dries & Yuri.
Before the EuroVelo and Cycle Tourism Conference 2018, discover the plenary speakers in a series of mini-articles. Today we invite you to meet Dries Henau and Yuri Vandenbogaerde. The least you can say of Dries & Yuri, the inventors of the WASBAR & Chez Claire concepts , is that they have a non-conformistic way of viewing things . They’re always on the hunt for new trends and flows in retail. In this inspirational keynote they will show you how they managed to add uniqueness to two rather mainstream products. Disruption is only one step away. The only thing you’ll have to do is to step out of your box . If you’re curious, make sure to attend the morning plenary session, from 9:20 to 10:45!
EuroVelo and Cycle Tourism Conference Parallel Sessions: Session F – Perfect companions: cycle tourism and public transport.
The EuroVelo and Cycle Tourism Conference 2018 will take place on 26-28 September. In this series of articles, we present you the six parallel sessions of the conference , in which speakers from 11 different nationalities will address cycle tourism topics such as innovations, communication, infrastructure and intermodality. All sessions are linked to the theme for this year’s Conference, which is “Experiencing the Unique” .
EuroVelo and Cycle Tourism Conference Parallel Sessions: Session E – Effective cycle network management.
The EuroVelo and Cycle Tourism Conference 2018 will take place on 26-28 September. In this series of articles, we present you the six parallel sessions of the conference , in which speakers from 11 different nationalities will address cycle tourism topics such as innovations, communication, infrastructure and intermodality. All sessions are linked to the theme for this year’s Conference, which is “Experiencing the Unique” .
EuroVelo and Cycle Tourism Conference Parallel Sessions: Session D – Developing experiences: The future of cycle tourism products.
The EuroVelo and Cycle Tourism Conference 2018 will take place on 26-28 September. In this series of articles, we present you the six parallel sessions of the conference , in which speakers from 11 different nationalities will address cycle tourism topics such as innovations, communication, infrastructure and intermodality. All sessions are linked to the theme for this year’s Conference, which is “Experiencing the Unique” .
EuroVelo and Cycle Tourism Conference Parallel Sessions: Session C – Communicating the cycle tourism experience.
The EuroVelo and Cycle Tourism Conference 2018 will take place on 26-28 September. In this series of articles, we present you the six parallel sessions of the conference , in which speakers from 11 different nationalities will address cycle tourism topics such as innovations, communication, infrastructure and intermodality. All sessions are linked to the theme for this year’s Conference, which is “Experiencing the Unique” .
EuroVelo and Cycle Tourism Conference Parallel Sessions: Session B – Cycle highways and cycle tourism: Is there a synergy?
The EuroVelo and Cycle Tourism Conference 2018 will take place on 26-28 September. In this series of articles, we present you the six parallel sessions of the conference , in which speakers from 11 different nationalities will address cycle tourism topics such as innovations, communication, infrastructure and intermodality. All sessions are linked to the theme for this year’s Conference, which is “Experiencing the Unique” .
EuroVelo and Cycle Tourism Conference Parallel Sessions: Session A – Blazing a trail: Innovation in cycle tourism.
The EuroVelo and Cycle Tourism Conference 2018 will take place on 26-28 September. In this series of articles, we present you the six parallel sessions of the conference , in which speakers from 11 different nationalities will address cycle tourism topics such as innovations, communication, infrastructure and intermodality. All sessions are linked to the theme for this year’s Conference, which is “Experiencing the Unique” .
Last chance to register for the EuroVelo and Cycle Tourism Conference 2018!
The EuroVelo and Cycle Tourism Conference 2018 will take place in Limburg, Belgium on 26-28 September . The deadline for registering is fast approaching ( 12 September 2018 ), so don’t delay and register here for the conference.
Introducing the morning plenary speakers at the EuroVelo and Cycle Tourism Conference 2018.
The EuroVelo and Cycle Tourism Conference 2018 will take place in Limburg, Belgium on 26-28 September. In this article, we will introduce you to the speakers who will be opening the conference during the morning plenary session on 27 September. Visit the Conference’s website to find out more about the conference and make sure to register here before 12 September !
Get to know the plenary speakers! Part 2: Josh Ibbett.
Before the EuroVelo and Cycle Tourism Conference 2018, discover the plenary speakers in a series of mini-interviews. Today we invite you to meet Josh Ibbett who will give, in the morning plenary session, a presentation titled “Ever wonder what goes in an around-the-world bikepacking kit?”
Get to know the plenary speakers! Part 1: Ward Segers.
Before the EuroVelo and Cycle Tourism Conference 2018, discover the plenary speakers in a series of mini-interviews. We begin with Ward Segers from Toerisme Limburg who will give, in the morning plenary session, a presentation titled “The cycle node network in Limburg, adding new experiences”!
EuroVelo and Cycle Tourism Conference programme.
It is time to disclose the programme of the EuroVelo and Cycle Tourism Conference 2018 ! The European Cyclists’ Federation and Toerisme Limburg are very pleased to welcome more than 40 speakers in Hasselt on 26-28 September 2018.
North West Greenway Network Project: good news for EuroVelo 1.
Two EuroVelo routes are crossing Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland: EuroVelo 1 – Atlantic Coast Route and EuroVelo 2 – Capitals Route. But leisure cycling and cycle tourism are relatively new pastimes in those regions. Cycling needs to be promoted in order to encourage people to change their habits and switch to the bicycle for short journeys and longer leisure trips – reducing at the same time the amount of carbon dioxide produced.
Become a sponsor of the EuroVelo and Cycle Tourism Conference 2018!
The EuroVelo and Cycle Tourism Conference presents exciting networking, marketing and sponsorship opportunities. Becoming a sponsor of the EuroVelo and Cycle Tourism Conference means making contact with professionals of the tourism sector from all over Europe and beyond – experts tied to universities, private companies and governmental organisations with wide networks.
Discover the ECO-CICLE project: European network for the promotion of cycle tourism in natural areas.
Members of the County Council of Huelva, including the President Ignacio Caraballo, came to the ECF office in Brussels last month for a meeting with the European Cyclists’ Federation about the ECO-CICLE project. ECO-CICLE , the new European network for the promotion of cycle tourism in natural areas , aims to improve natural and cultural heritage policies.
15th international cycle tour “WEEK of CYCLETOURISM” along EuroVelo 4 – Central Europe Route.
More than 50 participants from Czechia, Slovakia, Austria and other countries went on a cycle tour on 19-26 May to launch the traditional “ WEEK of CYCLETOURISM” event , organized every year by the Czech Environmental Partnership Foundation Nadace Partnerství on EuroVelo 4 – Central Europe Route . It is the longest EuroVelo route in Czechia: over 900 km, crossing the entire country.
Cycle tourism at Velo-city 2018.
At this year’s Velo-city conference in Rio de Janeiro, each of the four days featured a session on cycle tourism . The second day of the conference even included a plenary on cycle tourism – a first for a Velo-city conference! If you could not make it to Rio then this article aims to give you a little overview of what took place in those sessions.
New ECF president attends the launch of the Scandibérique.
The French part of EuroVelo 3 – Pilgrims Route was launched on June 1 st in Bobigny, Seine-Saint-Denis. The event was attended by Christophe Najdovski who was appointed president of the European Cyclists’ Federation (ECF) during its AGM on 19 May. Indeed, it was his first public appearance since becoming president!
EuroVelo at the Med Community Midterm Conference in Rome.
The “Med Sustainable Tourism Community’s Community Building event and Midterm Conference” took place in Rome on 29-30 May. EuroVelo was in on it, presenting the MedCycleTour project , which is based on EuroVelo 8 – Mediterranean Route.
EuroVelo and Cycle Tourism Conference 2018: Registration is open.
The registration for the EuroVelo and Cycle Tourism Conference 2018 that will take place in Belgian Limburg on September 26th – 28th is open! You can now register here.
Velo-city day 4: Creating successful cycle tourism routes.
The final cycle tourism session at this year’s Velo-city was an interactive workshop on developing cycle tourism routes . The participants were given the opportunity to stretch their legs and express their view of how appropriate various examples of infrastructure were for different target groups by moving to the four corners of the room.
Velo-city day 3: Cycle tourism.
Thursday’s session on cycle tourism showcased experiences from around the globe. The first presentation by Anna Gurnhill , Global Operations Manager at CycleLife HQ, gave an overview of the company’s research on global cycle tourism destinations centred around the following questions:
What is the scope and size of the market? What are the industry conditions? What are the challenges? What are the better practices? What’s the path to success?
Velo-city day 2: Cycle Tourism (afternoon plenary)
Velo-city day 1: Governance, the Wheels Behind Cycle Tourism.
The importance of good governance was the focus of the first of four sessions on cycle tourism during this year’s Velo-city. Ádám Bodor, Advocacy and EuroVelo Director at the ECF, was the moderator for the session and explained that he was interested to hear the differences and the similarities between the European and the Latin American models.
Categories of EuroVelo routes.
We have noticed that the categories of EuroVelo routes are not always perfectly clear for everyone. This article aims to clarify the meanings of the different kinds of EuroVelo routes: certified, developed, under development and at the planning stage. We hope that this summary will be useful both for professionals working with us to improve the network and for cycling tourists planning their next journey!
Iron Curtain Trail Conference in Berlin.
On 4-5 May 2018, the EuroVelo team participated in the EuroVelo 13 – Iron Curtain Trail Conference held in the German federal parliament. Representatives of 20 European states came to Berlin to discuss how to improve the Iron Curtain Trail (ICT). Green Member of the European Parliament Michael Cramer was there to present this project which he has been actively involved in since 2005.
Trieste welcomes the MEDCYCLETOUR project partners.
The partners of the three year MEDCYCLETOUR project met on 19-20 April in Trieste, Italy for their 3 rd steering committee meeting. MEDCYCLETOUR stands for “MEDiterranean Cycle route for sustainable coastal TOURism” and its focus is the development of the EuroVelo 8 – Mediterranean Route. The overall objective of this project is to promote sustainable and responsible tourism in coastal areas across the Mediterranean, using the route to influence regional and national policies. The project has a budget of €2.5 million.
Call for abstracts and new website for the EuroVelo and Cycle Tourism Conference 2018!
The 4 th edition of the EuroVelo and Cycle Tourism Conference 2018 will be held in Belgian Limburg on 26-28 September 2018 . This exciting event is expected to welcome over 150 participants and 20 speakers from different countries. Registration will open in early June, but the call for abstracts is now open and the website of the conference has been launched. All you need to know about the event is available here!
EuroVelo Route Inspectors Training in Letterkenny, Ireland.
The latest EuroVelo Route Inspectors Training took place in Letterkenny, Ireland, on 23-24 April. More than 40 prospective EuroVelo route inspectors and the EuroVelo Management Team met in this charming town close to the Irish north-Atlantic shores for a busy training session.
A bright future for EuroVelo 4 in France.
The French part of the EuroVelo 4 – Central Europe Route follows the shoreline of the English Channel and the North Sea for more than 1400km, from Brittany to the Belgian border. The western part of this route is already well developed, but some work is still needed in Normandy (where the itinerary is developed at 85%) and in Hauts-de-France (where it is developed at 45%). Following an initiative of partners from Brittany and Normandy, over 30 public actors met on 19 th April to launch a steering committee for the project in 2019.
Blue Velo project: a new cycle route along the Oder river in Poland.
On the 20 th April, the Marshal of Lubusz Province Elżbieta Anna Polak, together with the Marshals of other regions of Western Poland and Silesia, met in Wrocław to sign the agreement for the construction of the Blue Velo Bicycle Route. This 1000 km long route will follow the course of the Oder river from its source in the Czech Republic to its mouth at the Baltic coast and will form part of the EuroVelo 9 – Baltic-Adriatic.
Belgian Limburg to host the EuroVelo and Cycle Tourism Conference 2018.
The European Cyclists’ Federation (ECF) is pleased to announce that it has selected Belgian Limburg to host the fourth edition of the EuroVelo and Cycle Tourism Conference. The premier Cycle Tourism Conference in Europe will take place in Limburg (Belgium) on 26-28 September 2018.
Transdanube.Pearls: 4th Partner Meeting in Vukovar, Croatia.
Over 30 people attended the latest meeting of the transnational Transdanube.Pearls project in the small but fascinating Croatian town of Vukovar on 21-22 March 2018 to discuss the project’s progress, goals and next steps. The EuroVelo team is to undertake a route survey of the Danube Cycle Path, which is a part of EuroVelo 6 – Atlantic-Black Sea, as part of this project.
EuroVelo 3 – COSME project kicks off!
More than 15 participants from seven different countries came together on 11-12 April to discuss a new 18-month project focusing on EuroVelo 3 – Pilgrims Route and funded by the European Commission’s Executive Agency for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (EASME).
EuroVelo attends the Swedish National Cycle Tourism Conference.
Sweden has a lot of potential for becoming a leading cycle tourism destination . It is home to four EuroVelo routes connecting the country’s vibrant towns and cities with its beautiful natural areas. To help realise this potential, a National Cycle Tourism Conference was held on the 11 th and 12 th of April in Gothenburg to share experiences and best practices between all the participants.
The European Parliament proposes a budget line for tourism.
The Tourism for Growth and Jobs Manifesto was created in 2015 by Europe’s tourism actors , ECF included, to address the lack of political support for tourism policy within the European Commission. Since then, it has quickly established itself as an important lobbying tool for the tourism sector with the European institutions. Its efforts were rewarded o n the 14 th of March by the European Parliament which agreed that the EU budget for 2020 to 2027 should include a specific budget line for tourism .
ITB Berlin 2018.
The EuroVelo team returned to the world’s leading tourism travel show, the ITB in Berlin from 7-11 March. It is the occasion to promote cycle tourism to professionals and the general public in the largest cycle tourism market. The big development this year was the organisation of a Cycle Tourism Day together with the ADFC, the German Nationla EuroVelo Coordinator. As part of that day’s programme the EuroVelo Cycle Tourism Awards were launched.
ADFC presents latest cycle-tourism trends.
The German National Cyclists’ Association ADFC just presented its Bicycle Travel Analysis 2018 here at the ITB Berlin , the world’s leading travel and tourism trade fair. The analysis revealed which routes and regions convinced cyclists in 2017 and what they plan to do this year. Moreover, regions could learn how the trend towards electric bicycles will affect them, and the ADFC awarded prizes to cycle routes and regions for their quality. Your EuroVelo correspondent explains the highlights.
The EuroVelo Cycle Tourism Awards go to France and EuroVelo 15 – Rhine Cycle Route.
The inaugural EuroVelo Cycle Tourism Awards were held at ITB Berlin, in Germany on Friday 9th of March. The awards were presented to France, as the most popular cycle tourism country , and EuroVelo 15 – Rhine Cycle Route, as the most popular EuroVelo Route in 2017.
Three new national EuroVelo coordinators in 2018 – Welcome to the network!
EuroVelo is honoured to welcome three new members to its network of National EuroVelo Coordination Centres and Coordinators (NECC/Cs) this year. The new NECCs in Belgium and Hungary and the new NEC in Greece will strengthen the link between the European and the national and regional levels regarding cycle tourism.
New monitoring study on EuroVelo 1 launched in France.
The partners operating “La Vélodyssée“, the French stretch of EuroVelo 1 – Atlantic Coast Route, are set to launch a monitoring study on the usage of the route . In a team effort, the three regions and nine French departments also want to measure the route’s economic impact . The results are expected to be released next year.
EuroVelo 8 – New MedCycleTour website online.
We recently launched the new MedCycleTour project website to support the development of EuroVelo 8 – the Mediterranean Route. It is a long-distance cycle route that connects the whole Mediterranean from Cádiz to Athens and Cyprus. The overall objective of the MedCycleTour project is to use this route as a tool to influence regional and national policies in favour of sustainable and responsible tourism , providing transnational solutions in coastal areas across the Mediterranean.
ITB Berlin 2018 – Cycle Tourism Day.
EuroVelo will be attending ITB Berlin , the world’s leading travel and tourism trade fair, on 7-11 March 2018 . You are all invited to visit us at hall 4.1b, booth no. 245 . The ITB will bring many innovations this year, including a Cycle Tourism Day on 9 March and the EuroVelo Cycle Tourism Awards. For more information and updates, please see below.
EuroVelo diary : learn about the upcoming events in 2018.
Last year was a successful year for EuroVelo, and we are happy to report that 2018 is also to be a busy and fascinating year. We have set out below the major events happening throughout the coming year for your calendars.
How the use of transfer services helped boost the local economy and attract more cyclists in Northumberland.
In the early 2000’s, Saddle Skedaddle, a cycling holidays company located in the county of Northumberland in North-East England wanted to expand its business. With most of the cycle and walking routes being linear in the region, and as there were limited public-transport options, the transfer of luggage and people was highly needed. To attract more cyclists, the tour operator therefore needed to cooperate with the taxi companies.
Generating comparable data across the EuroVelo network.
Together with experts from around Europe, ECF has developed a set of common core questions for user surveys on EuroVelo routes. It was prepared based on existing user surveys and in collaboration with our Atlantic on Bike (EuroVelo 1 – Atlantic Coast Route), MedCycleTour (EuroVelo 8 – Mediterranean Route ) and Biking South Baltic! (Eurovelo 10 – Baltic Sea Cycle Route) partners.
Andalusia announces new EuroVelo investment.
In a meeting with the ECF, the Andalusian Minister of Public Works, Transport and Housing announced a commitment to complete the EuroVelo 8 – Mediterranean Route in Spain’s southernmost self-governing region.
Combining cycling with public transport: new EuroVelo guidance document published.
in the frame of the ongoing Transdanube.Pearls project, a new EuroVelo manual has been published providing guidance on measures that can be introduced across Europe to encourage the combination of cycling with public transport.
EuroVelo review 2017: Read about successful stories that shaped the year.
The end of the year is fast approaching, which provides a good opportunity to look back over what has been a successful year for EuroVelo. Great events, important achievements and unforgettable moments shaped 2017. This is EuroVelo’s year in review.
EuroVelo Route Inspectors Training Course 2018 – Registration opened.
Every year, EuroVelo organizes a Route Inspectors Training Course. In 2018, the training course will take place in Letterkenny, Co. Donegal (Ireland) between Monday 23rd and Tuesday 24th of April. It is, since December 12, 2017, possible to register for this event. The deadline is on the 16th of February 2018.
Call for Tenders: EuroVelo Integral IT Solution.
The ECF is looking for a consortia/company to develop a EuroVelo integral IT solution. Offers should be submitted by Thursday 11th January 2018.
Rostock hosts Biking South Baltic! workshop and project meeting.
The partners of the EU-supported Biking South Baltic! project converged on the German city of Rostock for a combined project meeting and internal workshop in October. Over the course of three days the partners learnt about the current status of the EuroVelo 10 – Baltic Sea Cycle Route and the related attractions and touristic services in each country.
MedCycleTour: an ambitious project for the development of EuroVelo 8.
On the 8th and 9 th of November 2017, the Interreg MedCycleTour project partners met in Nice, led by the Andalusia Region and hosted by the Département des Alpes-Maritimes.
Open call to host the EuroVelo and Cycle Tourism Conference 2018.
The European Cyclists´ Federation (ECF) is looking for a city/region to host the next EuroVelo and Cycle Tourism Conference in Autumn 2018.
ECF attend Connecting Europe Conference to promote EuroVelo and Cycle Highways.
Following the enthusiastic reaction to the ECF’s EuroVelo booth at the TEN-T Days events in Riga (2015) and Rotterdam (2016), the team attended this year’s Connecting Europe Conference in Tallinn, Estonia. The aim was to promote the fact that measures related to EuroVelo routes and cycling generally can be included in TEN-T projects and that measures such as the development of cycle highways can ease the pressure on the networks of other transport modes.
EuroVelo in Montenegro – the land of the black mountains.
Last month EuroVelo Council Member Jens Erik Larsen visited Montenegro. Here he reports back on his experiences in this increasing popular (cycle) tourist destination and in particular the development of EuroVelo 8 – Mediterranean Route.
New signposting on EuroVelo 4 in Prague.
This autumn EuroVelo 4 – Central Europe Route received new signposting and promotion in Prague and the Vysočina region of Czechia. It is the longest of the four EuroVelo routes in the Czech Republic at over 900 kilometres (almost a quarter of the route’s entire length).
EuroVelo 1 – AtlanticOnBike project kicks off!
Over thirty participants from seven countries came together for the first time on September 13th to discuss a new EU-funded project focusing on the EuroVelo 1 – Atlantic Coast Route.
New toolbox launched in the UK to promote cycling and walking schemes.
Sometimes it is difficult to provide the economic justification for investing in cycling infrastructure. To help solve this problem Sustrans, the British National EuroVelo Coordinator, have created a simple new tool to assist local authorities and their partners to make a case for and improve cycling and walking schemes.
Completion of EuroVelo 15 – Rhine Cycle Route in the Bas-Rhin Region.
Last month a 3 km long section of EuroVelo 15- Rhine Cycle Route was inaugurated between Sessenheim and Auenheim in the Bas-Rhin Region in France. It was the last ‘missing section’ of the EuroVelo 15 in the region and its opening was the focus of a double celebration because it also represented the 1,000th km of realised cycle routes in Bas-Rhin.
120km section of EuroVelo 1- Atlantic Coast Route opened in Ireland.
Last month, Wexford County Council opened a new 120km long section of the EuroVelo 1- Atlantic Coast Route in the Republic of Ireland. The section connects the Rosslare Harbour with the Wexford border.
Two new routes plus a major extension move a step closer to joining the network.
The proposed EuroVelo 14 – Waters of Central Europe Route and EuroVelo 19 – Meuse Cycle Route, as well as an extension to EuroVelo 8 – Mediterranean Route along the Izmir coast in Turkey, have all become official ‘Candidate Routes’ following the decision of the EuroVelo Council at the beginning of July. The applicants will now have until the end of 2019 to implement the routes before a final decision is taken on whether they can formally become part of the network.
Czech-Austrian cycle tour along the EuroVelo 13 marked the beginning of new Interreg V-A project.
An international promotional cycle tour, organised by ECF member Nadace Partnerství, promoted the EuroVelo 13 – Iron Curtain Trail along the Czech-Austrian border. From the 20th to the 27th of May 2017, 30 cycle tourists from the Czech Republic, Austria and other countries cycled 570 km (alt. over 6 000 m) from Vyšší Brod, South Bohemia to Schloßhof, Lower Austria.
Strong showing for cycle tourism at Velo-city 2017.
The world’s largest cycle planning conference took place in Arnhem and Nijmegen earlier this month and there were numerous sessions related to cycle tourism and leisure cycling across the four days, many of which featured our National EuroVelo Coordination Centres and Coordinators. Here we provide a little overview of some of the key sessions.
National EuroVelo Coordination Centres network ‘Go Dutch’ during study tour.
As part of this year’s Annual National EuroVelo Coordination Centres and Coordinators’ (NECC/Cs) Meeting, the participants had the opportunity to explore the fantastic Dutch cycle route infrastructure firsthand during a guided tour along the EuroVelo 15 – Rhine Cycle Route.
Diverse programme highlights development of NECC/Cs network.
Visiting the Netherlands is always inspiring for anyone working in cycle route development, so it was no surprise that this year’s Annual National EuroVelo Coordination Centres and Coordinators’ (NECC/Cs) Meeting was one of the best attended to date.
Cycling Tourism: Stimulating Urban Cycling – Speed Date.
The promotion of cycling is not always easy, especially not when faced with challenges such as missing cycle infrastructure or low bike ownership. The main focus of last week’s speed date session at the Velo-City 2017 was on how cycle tourism can help to start and grow urban cycling.Over 20 participants attended the interesting and inspiring speed date session in which speakers from three very diverse countries (Japan, Denmark and Italy), presented and exchanged their experiences and best practice examples on how cycle tourism can be used as a means to stimulate and advance urban cycling.Cycle tourism is a new alternative to traditional tourism in which the bicycle is the primary mode of transport. It enables tourists to discover appealing localities from a different perspective- from a bike.
Biking South Baltic Project- Bike Travels are on the Rise!
Summer has just started, the school holidays are around the corner and there is already heavy traffic on the EuroVelo 10 – Baltic Sea Cycle Route. We know this because two new automatic bicycle counters which have been installed in Świnoujście and Rogowo on the Polish Baltic Coast in the frame of the Biking South Baltic project.
New EuroVelo Overview Map available on EuroVelo.com!
Are you wondering about the current state of the EuroVelo network and the road conditions on the various EuroVelo routes? Every 3 years, the EuroVelo Overview Map is updated in order to offer the most accurate information about the current development status of the EuroVelo network to cyclists.
Good news! EuroVelo 1 – AtlanticOnBike project approved.
A new project called´AtlanticOnBike´ has recently approved. Supported by the Atlantic Area Interreg Programme, an international partnership will now work over the next 3 years to develop and promote one of the longest and most fascinating European long distance cycle routes: EuroVelo 1 – Atlantic Coast Route.
Sopron conference marks end of Iron Curtain Trail Experience Project.
During a well-attended conference held in Sopron, Hungary, the partners in the Iron Curtain Trail Project officially launched the EuroVelo 13 app for mobiles and tablets. This was the culmination of the successful EU-funded Iron Curtain Trail Experience (ICTE) project, which came to an end in April.
MedCycleTour project kicks off in Andalusia.
Thirty participants from seven countries came together for the first time on 19th April to discuss the new three-year EU-funded project focusing on EuroVelo 8 – Mediterranean Route.
ConBici to become National EuroVelo Coordination Centre in Spain.
On the 20th April, all the Spanish regions with EuroVelo routes met in Seville to sign an agreement to establish the country’s first National EuroVelo Coordination Centre, which will led by the ECF Member ConBici.
2017 EuroVelo Route Inspectors Training Course.
The European Cyclists’ Federation (ECF) organised its annual Route Inspectors Training Course on the 20th and 21st April 2017. In a change from previous years it took place away from Brussels in sunny Seville, Spain as it involved partners from the current EU-funded route development projects related to EuroVelo 8 – Mediterranean Route and EuroVelo 10 – Baltic Sea Cycle Route.
Opening of longest off-road cycling and walking trail in Ireland.
On Saturday 25th March, a spectacular 46km off-road cycling and walking trail along an old railway line between Waterford and Dungarvan offically opened to the public for the first time. The route forms part of EuroVelo 1 – Atlantic Coast Route.
Putting EuroVelo 10 on the map: The Biking South Baltic! project.
A new Interreg South Baltic project kicked off in February, which focuses on the southern section of EuroVelo 10 – Baltic Sea Cycle Route. The ECF joins partners from Poland, Germany and Denmark to develop and promote the section of the route between Copenhagen and Gdańsk.
Cycling without borders: Developing successful transnational cycling products.
Everywhere you look there is evidence that cycle tourism is booming. According to a study published by the German Cyclists’ Federation (ADFC) at the beginning of March, the number of Germans taking cycle holidays has increased by 30% over the last two years (2014 – 2016).
Seven EuroVelo routes in the Top 10 most popular cycle routes chosen by German cycle tourists.
ADFC, the German National EuroVelo Coordinator, and the Travelbike Vermietung published their annual Bike Travel Analysis earlier this month compiling the latest figures on bicycle tourism and identifying interesting trends in the behavior of German cycle tourists inside and outside their country.
EuroVelo 5 and EuroVelo 15 at the ITB Berlin.
The Rhine Cycle Route EuroVelo 15 and the EuroVelo 5 – Via Romea (Francigena) were presented at the world’s leading travel show, the ITB in Berlin last week. The possibility to maintain and grow a touristic network was used to plan existing and potential projects. During the weekend, the ITB opened its gates to the general public. Many interested visitors used the opportunity to get valuable information about the two routes.
Consultation on an Integral EuroVelo IT Solution.
The EuroVelo Management Team has been working during the last few months on an EuroVelo integral IT solution. The objective is that EuroVelo webs, apps, maps, database, etc. are integrated in a coprehensive solution that facilitate the work of both, the EuroVelo Management Team and our partners.
First EuroVelo 5 Information Panel installed in Department of Bas-Rhin.
The first RIS (Relais Information Services – Tourism Information Panel) on the EuroVelo 5 – Via Romea (Fracigena) was installed yesterday in Obernai in the Department of Bas-Rhin.
Alsace à Vélo created the panel that was paid for by the Department of Bas-Rhin. The first panel has been inaugurated by the mayor of the commune of Obernai.
Official launch of the new EuroVelo Overview Map at the ITB Berlin 2017!
Every three years, a new updated overview map of the EuroVelo network is printed. After the success of the previous edition, the 2017 map will be the main promotional tool for the network over the coming years, inspiring all those wishing to discover Europe by bike.
EuroVelo Route Inspectors Training 2017, Seville (20th – 21st April)
This year, the annual EuroVelo Route Inspectors Training course will take place between Thursday 20th and Friday 21st April 2017 in Seville, Andalusia (Spain). During the two day course participants will be trained in how to survey or certify a section of a EuroVelo route, using the European Standards for long distance cycle routes.
Gdańsk hosts Iron Curtain Trail Experience Project.
There can be few more symbolic locations to hold a project meeting related to EuroVelo 13 – Iron Curtain Trail then Gdańsk – home of the Solidarity (Solidarność) movement, which played such a key role in bringing down the iron curtain.
New Czech-Polish border cycling project launched in Wroclaw, Poland.
The newly launched project „Mutual strategy for development of cross-border cycling and cycle tourism in the Czech-Polish border region” is supported by the Interreg V-A PL-CZ program of the European Union. It contains two of our EuroVelo routes and will foster the development of the EuroVelo cycle route network.
EuroVelo at the ITB Berlin 2017.
EuroVelo will be attending the ITB Berlin, the world’s leading travel trade fair, again this year with a dedicated EuroVelo booth. Between March 8th-12th 2017 you are welcome to visit us in Berlin. Over 100,000 visitors are expected in what is Europe’s leading cycle tourism market.
The EuroVelo 2017 diary.
The end of 2016 ended with fantastic news about the approved transnational Mediterranean Route project for the EuroVelo 8, which we launched yesterday with the beginning of February. It keeps being busy and EuroVelo is facing a fascinating 2017. The European Cycle Route Network has some major events happening throughout the coming year. The great Velo-City 2017 event is going to take place in the “homeland” of bicycles during June in Arnhem and Nijmegen. A day before the opening EuroVelo will use the event for their Annual NECC/C meeting. Among others the attendance at the ITB in Berlin and the 200th anniversary of the bicycle in Germany are two highlights as well. Check out our diary below!
Wildlife conservation extensions on the UK Cycle Network.
Our National Coordinator Sustrans in the UK has been awarded £400,000 (approx. €464,900 funding by the Esmée Fairbairn Foundation to continue and expand wildlife conservation work across the National Cycle Network for the next three years which partly contains route sections of EuroVelo 1, 2, 5 and 12.
Sustrans has worked with volunteers and partners across the North West, Yorkshire, the Midlands and Wales to record and monitor wildlife along 280km of traffic-free paths, manage habitats to protect and attract a wide variety of plants and animals, and run a variety of wildlife-themed events, as part of the Greener Greenways project.
Advocacy success: Italy’s bold investment in cycling tourism.
Thanks to the continuous work of FIAB, National EuroVelo Coordinator, Italy breaks one milestone after another in putting cycling high on the political agenda. After the proposal of a speed limit of 30 kph in urban areas, the Italian Parliament voted for the development of cycling tourism in the country.
New EU funding for cycling projects in Ireland announced!
At the beginning of December an official press release for the funding of three cross-border greenway projects in the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland was announced that will open up new sustainable cross border travel routes for both cyclists and pedestrians. The EU’s INTERREG VA Programme has offered approximately €23.27 million.This will fund the development of greenways in three different areas including one joining Carlingford to Newry, a route from Monaghan into Armagh along the Ulster Canal and three different routes in the North West, one from Strabane to Lifford and two from Derry/ Londonderry into Donegal. One of these routes is good news for the further development of EuroVelo 1 in Ireland.
EuroVelo review 2016.
The end of the year is approaching, which provides a good opportunity to look back over what has been a successful year for EuroVelo. There have been some unforgettable moments and important achievements in the year 2016. This is EuroVelo’s year in review.
Join the Charter of Silver Cyclists!
The Silver Cyclists project was officially launched in September 2015 with the aim of increasing the number of seniors undertaking cycling holidays both domestically as well as to other European destinations. Now you have the opportunity to join this community.
EuroVelo 8 – Mediterranean Route (MedCycleTour) transnational project approved.
The EuroVelo 8 – Mediterranean route aims to connect Europe’s Mediterranean region, from Cádiz in the West to Cyprus in the East, by a high-quality long distance cycle route. It forms part of EuroVelo, the European cycle route network, which can be used by cycle tourists as well as by local people for day-to-day mobility.
VNF & DRC partnership: a commitment to the development of cycling and river tourism in France.
In line with slow and green tourism, river tourism and cycling tourism are compulsory linked by the tourism products they offer and by the networks on which they rely. Being aware of their common operational areas our National Coordination Centre Départements & Régions Cyclables (DRC) and “Voies Navigables de France” (VNF) signed an interesting partnership agreement in September. A national meeting between the two networks will be held on March 27, 2017 in Paris.
Focus on cycle tourism in Latvia.
The Riga Cycling Conference is held annually on the last Friday of November, because this time of the year nothing else takes place! However, this is the biggest cycling conference in the Baltics and maybe in Eastern Europe, gathering 120 professionals within transport, planning and tourism. This year the topic was Cycling Tourism, and several speakers from abroad participated, invited by the Dutch Embassy. The conference was organized by The Traffic Department of Riga City Council and the Latvian Cyclists Union.
New study on methods for measuring and understanding cycling and cyclists.
Martin Forsberg and Joakim Bjerhem of the traffic and environmental consultants Koucky & Partners have published a new study (in Swedish, conclusions are available in English as well) at the end of September 2016. As the knowledge on cycling and cyclist behaviour and preferences are still limited they decided to undertake a study looking into all the different methods and tools to collect empirical data on cycling and cyclists. They gained some really interesting results and recommendations.
First Greenway established in Serbia!
The City of Užice in Western Serbia rebuilt the first 5 kilometers of abandoned railroad route in the river Djetinja canyon during 2015 and 2016 and intends to extend the next 7 km to the village and lake Vrutci. On of the first steps to apply for a new EuroVelo route.