Communication in outdoor tourism and cycle tourism is essential to creating an authentic connection between destinations and travelers. A clear, inspiring, and consistent message can convey values such as sustainability, hospitality, and authenticity—elements increasingly sought after by tourists.
However, the promises made through marketing and storytelling campaigns must be upheld in the field: an experience promoted as immersive and accessible must actually provide well-marked routes, bike-friendly services, for example, and a warm welcome that caters to the needs of outdoor vacation enthusiasts.
Effective communication not only attracts visitors but also builds trust and loyalty, turning every trip into a memorable and shareable experience.
Outdoor communication according to komoot
All of this is well understood by komoot, one of the leading platforms for planning hiking and biking trips. For two years now, the company has been presenting the komoot Partner Awards, a recognition given by komoot to the best tourism marketing campaigns related to hiking, cycling, and other outdoor activities.
These awards stand out for their unique approach: they are not assigned by a traditional jury but are based on interactions within the komoot community, one of the largest in Europe for outdoor activities. This method allows for recognizing and rewarding content that has truly engaged and inspired the platform’s users.
The 2025 edition of the komoot Partner Awards was presented at the latest CMT Stuttgart fair, dedicated to tourism and travel.
Who participated in the komoot Partner Awards?
All partners who promoted outdoor content on komoot as a Sponsored Collection in 2024 were automatically considered eligible for the award. Destinations and tourism boards that progressively created and published itinerary collections on komoot were automatically nominated by launching a sponsored campaign.
Who won?
Among the many categories, one particularly caught our attention: Most Responsible Impact & Most Creative Concept. The award was won by Spain for its innovative and sustainable approach to promoting outdoor tourism.
This award aligns with the commitments expressed by Turespaña, the Spanish Tourism Board. In fact, during the recent FITUR fair in Madrid, in addition to highlighting that with 94 million international visitors in 2024 and a record tourist expenditure of 126 billion euros, Spain remains a global leader in the tourism sector, the country also reaffirmed its growing focus on outdoor sustainability.
Furthermore, Spain reiterated its commitment to responsible tourism through the enhancement of natural and cultural heritage, the extension of the travel season, and the distribution of tourist flows towards lesser-known destinations.
With initiatives such as “Spain Talks. Caring for the Future” and the campaign “Spain, a Slow Travel Destination”, the country is positioning itself as a model of sustainable tourism, attracting conscious travelers and contributing to environmental protection and local development.
And let’s not forget that authentic and consistent communication not only attracts visitors but turns them into ambassadors of the territory, fostering more conscious and sustainable tourism.
