Insights from the EuroVelo Conference: Boosting Cycling Tourism among SUB partners

The SUB team of East Lapland, Sanna and Tytti, participated in the EuroVelo & Cycling Tourism Conference, held in Viborg Denmark, in September 2024.The event was organized by the European Cyclists’ Federation (ECF).

Attendance gave us a possibility to network and gain insights into the development of the cycling tourism industry in Europe, thereby supporting the professional development of all SUB partners.

Led by ambition and professionalism, the comprehensive program featured high-level keynote speakers and cycling tourism professionals from across Europe. The SUB team was particularly interested in the following topics:

• Ambitious Strategies in Cycling Tourism
• Understanding the Diversity of Cycling Tourists
• New European Data on Cycling Tourism

Getting the overall picture

The extent of interest and activity surrounding cycling development in Europe is remarkable. The expansion of cycling route networks and the frequency of cycling in countries like Denmark and the Netherlands serve as impressive examples.

Another notable example of ambition is the Paris Olympic Games initiative. Operated by Paris City Hall, Vélib’ proposed a bike-sharing service offering 20,000 (!) affordable rental bikes with 1,500 stations scattered throughout Paris and its surrounding cities during the olympics.

Cycling is clearly viewed as a key strategy to combat climate change, especially in the realms of everyday transportation and tourism development in Europe. The recently published European Declaration of Cycling is the most ambitious EU initiative on cycling to date. It recognizes cycling as a fully-fledged mode of transport and commits to adopting and strengthening cycling policies and strategies at all levels of governance.

Key findings relevant to SUB partners

Although Arctic and peripheral areas face very different challenges in cycling development—including attitudes, long distances, and accessibility of equipment and trails—the European examples highlight the immense potential for cycling tourism. As Europeans are already accustomed to cycling, offering access to local sights by bike can create attractive tourism products.

One clear global trend in 2024 is the booming popularity of cycling tourism. To better understand the dynamics of this industry, the Adventure Travel Trade Association (ATTA), CycleSummit, and the European Cyclists’ Federation-EuroVelo collaborated to launch the first independent online survey of cycling tour operators: The State of the Cycling Tour Operators Industry (2024): In Europe and Beyond.

According to representatives from ATTA and CycleSummit at the conference, cycling tourism caters to two primary markets:

1. Cycling enthusiasts – individuals with sport-specific interests.
2. Nature-oriented explorers – travelers who see bicycles as a means of transport for exploration.

Further, the rapid adoption of e-bikes over the past 10–15 years has been particularly significant. A majority of tour operators now offer both traditional bicycles and e-bikes to meet growing demand.

Understanding the differences among visitor segments and keeping track of key trends within cycling tourism is crucial for developing travel products, cycling routes, and effective marketing strategies for SUB regions.

By leveraging European perspectives and applying these findings through collaboration and local adaptation, SUB partners are well-positioned to contribute to the ongoing boom in cycling tourism. The knowledge gained from the conference will help SUB regions to pedal toward a more sustainable and dynamic tourism future.

Text by Sanna Kyllönen