The fifth edition of the Cycle Tourism Show opens with the Cycle Tourism Forum, an opportunity for discussion and vision that brings together an international conference, training events, meetings, and networking opportunities. A day designed to encourage dialogue between institutions, operators, and professionals, and to reflect together on the present and future of cycle tourism.

One year after the FIAB Veneto / ANCI Veneto conference “Bikes and Cities,” local administrations across Veneto come together again to discuss best practices and challenges in promoting cycling and improving urban livability, at the intersection of cycle tourism and urban cycling.

Moderated by Susanna Maggioni, Vice President of FIAB Italia and Vice Coordinator of FIAB Veneto.

Presentation of the latest ISNART report on the economic impact of cycle tourism, produced with Legambiente in collaboration with Bikenomist. An analysis of data that reveals the economic value of cycle tourism for local areas and regions, including local development, sustainable tourism, and new opportunities for local economies.

At the Cycle Tourism Show, we present a European index that shows where cyclists went cycling in 2025, outside their regions of residence. A data-based analysis that offers an overall picture of the most cycled regions in Europe, useful for understanding the flows, trends, and geography of contemporary cycle tourism.

On stage, routes, projects, services, and products dedicated to cycling and cycle tourism will be presented through timed, fast-paced presentations designed to deliver dynamic and impactful content.

Pollino Sybaris – A tourism product promoted by Catasta Pollino together with the Pollino National Park and the Sibaritide area, based on slow travel experiences and sustainable, responsible tourism practices.

Bike Parking & Rental – Weelo solutions provide cyclists with 24/7 accessible services, with no waiting time, fully managed through an app.

The Molise Region is developing a regional automated bike rental network with 136 Weelo Boxes distributed across all municipalities and over 1,000 e-bikes available, including city and mountain bikes. The service will allow 24/7 booking and pick-up via app, with secure stations for collection, parking and charging. The system, monitored in real time and supported by continuous assistance, aims to strengthen cycle tourism and enhance the territory, thanks to funding from PinQUA – PNRR / Next Generation EU.

Cycling tourism can generate lasting value only when embedded in a shared destination strategy. The growth of bike operators can no longer be isolated: structured alliances with local authorities and destination governance bodies are essential to access joint projects, funding opportunities, and medium- to long-term development strategies.

Clear collaboration models, shared planning tools, coordinated communication, and integrated access to funding calls are key elements to overcome fragmentation and build a truly win-win system.

The goal is to transform cycling tourism from an individual initiative into a strategic lever for territorial development, enabling both operators and destinations to grow together.

A journalist for 30 years, Alex focuses on responsible travel coverage, especially by bicycle, and paying respect to local voices. A regular contributor to The New York Times, National Geographic, Adventure Cyclist, BBC, and Lonely Planet, Alex is also one of the creators of the Trans Dinarica Cycle Route — the first cycle route to connect all eight countries in the Western Balkans: Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Albania, Kosovo, North Macedonia, and Serbia.

A session dedicated to accommodation providers, destinations, and tourism operators who want to attract and retain the cycle tourism market. The specific needs of cycling travelers will be explored — from essential services (bike rooms, repair facilities, route information) to the overall guest experience — along with practical actions to become truly bike-friendly. Through real-life examples and best practices, we will discover how to turn hospitality into a distinctive and competitive asset, capable of creating value for the territory and generating new business opportunities

The workshop “2 wheels and a fork: slow travel toward a tasty, healthy and sustainable tourism (for real!)”, scheduled from 2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m., is part of the European project GUSTI, co-funded by the Interreg Italy–Croatia programme, of which CESCOT Veneto is a partner.

The initiative proposes a concrete reflection on the value of cycle tourism and slow tourism as strategic levers for truly sustainable territorial development, capable of integrating soft mobility, landscape culture, and the promotion of local food and wine excellence.

With the contribution of Sergio Deromedis (Head of the Road Management Service of the Autonomous Province of Trento), the discussion will explore how infrastructure and services along cycle routes are enabling conditions for credible and lasting slow tourism, and a benefit for the local economy. Alessandro Venti (Spinlife srl, spin-off of the University of Padua) will present an overview of the main criteria and standards of sustainable tourism, with attention to the role of the bicycle in certification paths and rating systems.

Alongside the technical and strategic dimension, the narrative of slow travel and the cycle-tourism experience will be enriched by contributions from Maria Claudia Crivellaro (coordinator of the Treviso–Ostiglia cycle route) and Paola Moressa (Federagit, focus on the Euganean Hills), with examples of how to transform a route into an integrated tourism product and how gastronomy can become part of the travel experience.

An opportunity for dialogue between institutions, businesses, and operators to imagine a tourism that is more aware, attractive, and truly sustainable.

The panel brings together managers and experts from the main Italian and European cycle path and trail networks. The aim is to discuss the practical challenges of designing and building cycle paths, cycle routes, and trails: from technical planning to land management, from route safety to promoting tourism. Speakers will share their experiences, highlighting the most common difficulties and the solutions they have found. This is an opportunity to understand what really works, what we can learn from best practices, and how to build routes that make our destinations more accessible to cyclists.

How the tourism supply chain works from the tour operator’s perspective.

What services and quality standards are tour operators looking for in local partners and supply chain stakeholders?
How can businesses position themselves as reliable suppliers to help build a competitive offer for international markets?

Through an analysis of the different components of the tourism supply chain, the session will provide practical guidance and useful tools to develop long-term collaborations, enhance the destination, and ensure it is ready to welcome cycling tourists—meeting their expectations and needs.

The Active Hungary program promotes activities based on experience, community, and physical activity. Among its main initiatives are the Cycling Adventure Camps, state-supported summer camps that since 2017 have involved over 23,000 children on 13 routes in Hungary and, since 2022, also in the Székely Land region of Romania. During the camps, led by trained guides, participants learn to cycle safely, discover the area, and enjoy experiences that promote well-being, socializing, and a lasting relationship with cycling and cycle tourism.

An in-depth look at the strategic positioning of Europe’s first Regenerative Health area and UNESCO MAB Biosphere Reserve. The talk explores how to combine ancient heritage with contemporary tourism, using cycle tourism and slow travel as drivers for sustainable development and active collaboration between institutions and the territory.

A discussion to share visions and projects, strengthening a regional system capable of growing through the collaboration of institutions, operators, and the local community.

Moderator: Laura Favaretti, Manager, Padua Tourism Foundation, Terme e Colli Euganei Convention & Visitors Bureau.

This panel is dedicated to initiatives that bring people closer to cycling and exploring the countryside by bike, through festivals, events, projects, services, and products that make cycle tourism accessible and attractive to different audiences. The aim is to understand how these experiences can contribute to the growth of a new generation of cycle tourists, equipped with the skills, mindset, and awareness necessary to choose the bicycle as a means of travel, discovery, and connection with the local area.

Many local administrators and tourism operators give up on cycling tourism from the outset, held back by common excuses such as “there’s too much uphill,” “we don’t have the budget for bike lanes,” or “our roads are unsafe.” This provocative and highly practical workshop aims to dismantle these myths.

Today, cycling tourism is primarily an experiential product: the “hardware” infrastructure (asphalt, bike lanes) comes well after the “software” (services, storytelling, hospitality). By adopting a lean and “guerrilla” approach, participants will learn how to map routes using secondary roads, build grassroots hospitality networks, and launch a cycling tourism destination by leveraging what already exists—without waiting decades for public funding or perfect infrastructure.

The golden rule: do what you can, with what you have, where you are. And do it now.

Cycling tourism is a rapidly growing sector that is generating new job opportunities, hybrid professions, and emerging skills. This panel, promoted by Women in Cycling, explores the various career paths available in the world of tourism and cycling: from itinerary planning to communication, from hospitality to the management of cycling tourism services and destinations.