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Open call for cities/regions to host the EuroVelo & Cycling Tourism Conference 2023

Tuesday, March 29, 2022
ECF is currently looking for a city/region to host Europe’s leading cycling tourism conference. Read to find out more about the conference and how to apply.
Call for host cities/regions

The EuroVelo & Cycling Tourism Conference focuses on harnessing the growing interest – and further potential - of the intersection between cycling and sustainable tourism.

With a growing number of participants in each edition, the EuroVelo & Cycling Tourism Conference is the leading European event to inspire and connect the cycling tourism sector and harness the potential of cycling to transform tourism for a green and inclusive future.

European Cyclists’ Federation (ECF) co-organises this international conference, with a host city or region, to attract the interest of relevant public, private and third sector organisations to inform, inspire and connect. Participants share experiences, form partnerships and contribute to the growth of cycling tourism all over Europe (and beyond).

EuroVelo, the European cycle route network, provides a frame for many of the discussions, as it acts as an accelerator to increase more and better cycling for all as well as fostering sustainable tourism.

Plenary session at the EuroVelo & Cycling Tourism Conference 2021, Barcelona

The EuroVelo Conference aims to gather professionals from the tourism and cycling tourism sectors from around the world.

The conference is unique in several ways and does not just attract one type of professional but brings together all those who are involved in the tourism sector: accommodation providers, public transport companies, tour operators, universities/academia, tourism officials, public authorities, cycling advocates, NGOs, cycling tourism world and user groups.

The EuroVelo Conference objectives are:

  • Spread high quality knowledge, expertise and information about cycling tourism.
  • Cities/regions/countries with good cycling tourism policies can showcase the benefits they provide to their citizens, businesses and others through the conference-generated publicity.
  • Encourage the recognition of cycling tourism as an efficient, healthy, environmentally friendly type of tourism and economic activity.
  • Integrate cycling tourism into all relevant policy sectors where cycling tourism plays an important role.
  • Raise awareness of EuroVelo, the European cycle route network, and contribute towards realising international, national, regional and local cycle route networks.
  • Seek involvement from all relevant stakeholders (SMEs, universities/academia, decision makers, local, regional and national governments, tourism boards, tour operators, cycling tourists, media etc.).
  • Involve and support local cycling tourism associations and related civil society organisations.
Welcome drinks at the EuroVelo & Cycling Tourism Conference 2021, Barcelona
Welcome drinks at the EuroVelo & Cycling Tourism Conference 2021, Barcelona EuroVelo

We believe that the EuroVelo & Cycling Tourism Conference success is based on collaboration in co-organising between ECF and the host city/region. As ECF we utilise our expertise as organisers of the global cycle Summit, Velo-city and as representative of the interests of bicycle users from over 70 member organisations across over 40 countries, serving as an international voice of cyclists in Europe and beyond.

The latest EuroVelo & Cycling Tourism Conference 2021 took place in Barcelona, Spain, with over 300 participants joining in person and over 60 joining online. There were over 50 speakers participating along three plenaries and nine parallel sessions, eight technical visits rounded off the three-day-programme. The conference offered plenty of social opportunities to network and enjoy the city as a cycling destination. The EuroVelo & Cycling tourism Conference 2023 will be the sixth edition, these were the host cities/regions from the previous editions of the conference.

2012 Nantes, France
2014 Basel, Switzerland
2016 Vienna, Austria
2018 Limburg, Belgium
2021 Barcelona, Spain

Learn more about the previous editions of the EuroVelo & Cycling Tourism Conference here.

What are we looking for?

  • A city or region located on a EuroVelo route keen to show off their work on cycling tourism to an international audience and raise their profile.
  • A city/region with an enthusiastic team ready to work with ECF’s EuroVelo Management Team to deliver a high-quality event
  • A city/region aiming to lead on developing sustainable tourism and aspire to realise a long-term strategy for cycling tourism.

The benefits of hosting the EuroVelo Conference for the host city/region fall into three categories:

Boost cycling and cycling tourism developments

Hosting a EuroVelo Conference is integrated in a strategy to improve sustainable tourism in general and cycling tourism in particular. In all phases of the process (preparation of the conference, the conference day, the evaluation phase) the city/region will benefit from a boost to the development of cycling tourism. The responsible departments in the city/region will be motivated to showcase their work on cycling tourism planning and promotion. All the cities/regions that have hosted the conference have been able to develop their provision for cycling tourism around the event. Working on the conference is a very good way to improve confidence and foster a more productive working relationship between the city and cycling tourism stakeholders.

Increase international visibility of the city/region as a cycling destination

Technical visit at the EuroVelo & Cycling Tourism Conference 2021, Barcelona

The EuroVelo Conferences are well known and well respected as important events in the cycling tourism field in Europe. The event, above all, generates added international prestige for the host city/region and the involved organisations and institutions because it will attract opinion leaders and media in the fields of cycling and tourism.

Economic benefits

The EuroVelo Conference promotes and publicises the host city/region by attracting visitors and boosting the local economy through the Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Events (MICE). The conference attracted over 300 participants in the last edition.

How to apply?

If you are interested in bidding to host the next EuroVelo & Cycling Tourism Conference get in touch with [email protected] to receive the bid manual with all the details to prepare your bid.