Forum

April 4, 2025 - Piazza Lucio Dalla, Bologna

The Cycle Tourism Forum is the meeting point for cycle tourism operators to get to know each other, create networks, find shared solutions to common problems and learn from the mistakes and experiences of others.

Cycle tourism is growing rapidly, with Europe leading the way. The 2025 Cycle Tourism Show in Bologna is a key event for professionals, with the Cycle Tourism Forum at its heart: an opportunity to collaborate, promote innovative projects and develop services.

Simultaneous translation service from Italian to English is available. Please remember to collect your headset.

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Program, April 4th

Piazza Lucio Dalla, Bologna

CONFERENCE

10:00
Cycle Tourism Trends and the Power of Events
Cycle tourism is the fastest growing tourism segment, but its development is uneven: some niches are emerging with greater strength, offering unique opportunities. What are the most promising trends? How can events accelerate the transformation of a territory into a successful cycle tourism destination? From the start-up phase to consolidation and international recognition, events represent an unparalleled accelerator.
Paolo Pinzuti, CEO Bikenomist
Mattia Santori, President of the Bologna - Modena Tourist Territory
Elisa Gallo, Journalist
Barbara Bonori, Event Organizer

10:45
Cycle tourism and the European Declaration on Cycling: how not to miss the train
The European Union has decided to push hard on cycling as a tool to achieve the Millennium Development Goals and this heralds great waves of investment and acceleration on the topic. The challenge is not to be caught unprepared and to be found ready. For Italy, the challenge is to exploit the trend to reach the best: a look at the results of France will help us better understand the prospects ahead of us.
Roberta Frisoni, Councilor for Tourism of Emilia Romagna
Domenico Scida, Director, Business Intercity Trenitalia
Agathe Daudibon, EuroVelo Director / ECF
Samuel CHEVRIER, Global Market Leader , Eco-Counter

11:30
Report Travelling with the Bike 2025: focus on Italian cycle routes
Cycle tourism continues to grow, but beyond the aggregate data it is appropriate to look at the results of individual itineraries: this is the purpose of the 10 regional oversamples that will be the subject of the new Isnart-Legambiente report on cycle tourism.
Paolo Bulleri, Director, IS.NA.R.T. - National Institute for Tourism Research
Sebastiano Venneri, Legambiente
Manuel Massimo, journalist/editor in chief of Bikeitalia

12:15
Storytelling: How to Conquer the International Press
Cycle tourism represents a unique and compelling story, going beyond the simple travel story or the promotion of a product. But how can we tell the story of the territory through the magnifying glass of the bicycle to ensure rural communities a way to prosper? A short user manual.
Alex Crevar, journalist (The New York Times, National Geographic, Lonely Planet)

12:45
Best Practices & Success Stories
The stage will feature examples of good practices and success stories, both national and international, related to projects, services and products for cycle tourism. The interventions will follow the Pecha Kucha format.
The Tuscany Region, a pioneer in women's travel and cycling tourism experiences.
Bicitalia, a dedicated cycling tourism portal created by FIAB.
India is a fascinating land, rich in stories and breathtaking landscapes, yet it is often not considered a cycling tourism destination. Delhi By Cycle aims to change this perception.

13:30 - 14:00
Managing and Enhancement of a Cycle Path: The Treviso-Ostiglia Case
What are the challenges and opportunities in managing a large cycle path? The Managing Body of the Treviso-Ostiglia has developed a strategic Management Plan based on direct experience in the governance of the path, addressing key issues such as ordinary and extraordinary maintenance, the development of primary services and the growth of the linear lowland forest that crosses the Veneto. But above all, this plan introduces a new vision: the cycle path is not just a cycling route, but a real longitudinal tourist destination. During the training, we will explore strategies to encourage travellers to discover the surrounding areas, enhancing villages, local services and the peculiarities of the landscape, thus transforming the cycling infrastructure into a driver of tourism and territorial development.

14:00 - 14:50
What Do Cyclists Want? How to Communicate
Who are cyclists and what are they really looking for? Everyone has their own idea of cycling in their head and therefore everyone has their own answer. But what would happen if we started with the data? Bikeitalia has been one of the most read online magazines on the world of cycling for over 10 years and in 10 years it has collected a lot of data. Looking inside, we will discover the needs, expectations and preferences of cyclists, providing concrete tools to create targeted and effective communication. From choosing the right channels to building engaging messages, up to the best strategies to promote bike-friendly destinations, services and facilities. An opportunity to better understand the world of cycle tourism and learn to communicate with its audience in an authentic and persuasive way.
Giulia Quarta, Cyclists’ Media Manager @ BIKEITALIA

15:00 - 15:50
Digitizing Pathways: Strategies, Tools and Best Practices
How do you digitize a territory to make it accessible and attractive to cycle tourists? What resources are needed and what promotion strategies work best? In this training session, we will explore the process of digitizing cycle tourism destinations, analyzing national and international success stories. Thanks to the collaboration with komoot, we will discover how to use digital platforms to enhance routes, services and points of interest, improving the traveler experience and the visibility of the territories.
Fiorenza Favero: Sales Manager @komoot for business
Andrea Girlanda: PR, Media and Community Manager @komoot

16:00 - 16:50
Strengthening the attractiveness of a tourist destination: the key to cycle tourism
Finale Ligure Outdoor Region and the Delta Pool Service Consortium represent two models that are at opposite ends of the spectrum, both in terms of their territorial conformation and their cycling offerings, which are aimed at different audiences. In all of this, however, the territorial marketing strategy has some elements in common. Repower has been a common element for the enhancement of both territories.
In collaboration with Repower

17:00 - 17:25
Bike Rentals and Fleets
Bike rental is a key service for cycling destinations, but what are the best practices for managing a fleet efficiently and sustainably? This training session will provide practical tools and advice for structuring an effective bike rental service, from choosing the vehicles to maintenance, from logistics to managing reservations and customer support. An opportunity for those who want to offer a quality service, improve the experience of cycling tourists and optimize their business model.
Giovanni Martinelli, Bike 4 Bliss

17:25 - 17:50
Rent More, Rent Smarter: Grow Your Bike Rental Business
Lokki provides bike rental operators with practical, targeted training to enhance operational efficiency, improve customer experience, and increase revenue. The workshop will cover the following topics: Effective strategies to start and grow a bike rental business, methods to boost online visibility and reach more customers, management optimization to maximize profits and profitability.
Stefano Crespi, Lokki Solutions
Clarisse Tonon, Lokki Solutions

18:00 - 18:30
Networking Event: Women in Cycling
The first in-person gathering of Women in Cycling Italy! A special opportunity to bring together professionals from the bike, mobility, and cycling tourism sectors. After a brief introduction by the WIC Italy representatives, there will be a networking session to connect, share experiences, and build new relationships.
Pinar Pinzuti, Women in Cycling Ambassador

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The Cycle Tourism Forum, wanted and organized by Bikenomist, aims to create networks and spread good practices for the growth of the cycle tourism sector. Through the involvement of bicycle tourism operators: a moment of comparison and debate on the economy of cycle tourism and trends, between new professions and opportunities for operators in the sector.