In 2022, the European Commission published the Transition Pathway for Tourism to drive a green and digital transformation to bolster the resilience of the EU tourism sector. The Pathway outlines 27 key action topics and invites stakeholders across Europe to co-create this transition by submitting pledges for action. At that time, ECF responded with a pledge that positioned cycling and EuroVelo as essential components of the sustainable mobility transition within the tourism ecosystem. ECF has now expanded its pledge to address 12 of the 27 action topics, broadening its focus beyond sustainable mobility. We call on all cycling tourism stakeholders to make the voice of our sector heard and submit their own pledges. 

Cycling tourism is key to achieving the objectives of the European Transition Pathway for Tourism

The ‘Transition Pathway for Tourism’ policy report outlines five priority areas—policy and regulation, green transition, digital transition, skills and resilience, and stakeholder support—across 27 action topics and 70 concrete actions. While ‘sustainable mobility’ is one of the 27 action topics, cycling tourism as a whole is not sufficiently represented in this trans-sectorial policy report. Still, ‘sustainable multimodal and active transportation modes in cities and regions’ and cycling as one of the ‘local travelling options at destination’ are mentioned under ‘sustainable mobility infrastructure’ (page 18).

As cycling’s contribution to the transition of the tourism ecosystem goes beyond sustainable mobility, ECF submitted pledges under 12 action topics, highlighting the sector's cross-cutting positive aspects. Cycling tourism plays a crucial role not only in comprehensive tourism strategies and local destination governance but also in the green transition of tourism companies and the availability of information on tourist offers.As a result, ECF’s pledges were cited multiple times as a good example in the report on stakeholder pledges and commitments published on 2 August 2024 by the Tourism Unit of the European Commission.

Submit pledges to demonstrate how powerful and relevant cycling tourism is for the EU!

As the coordinator of EuroVelo, the European cycle route network, and the organiser of the annual EuroVelo & Cycling Tourism Conference, ECF represents the interest of cycling tourism in Europe. But to make our voice heard and demonstrate that cycling tourism is not a niche, we need more European stakeholders to submit pledges for the Transition Pathway for Tourism!

Submit your pledge with the concrete and measurable actions you are taking to support cycling tourism and the transition of tourism. Get inspired by ECF pledges and do not forget to indicate your connection with the EuroVelo network.

Contact: Agathe Daudibon, a.daudibon@ecf.com

 Read more on ECF’s cycling tourism advocacy:

Cycle route networks and tourism in the European Declaration on Cycling 13/11/2023.

• https://ecf.com/news-and-events/news/cycle-route-networks-and-tourism-european-declaration-cycling

How cycling tourism and EuroVelo should be supported by the European Agenda for Tourism 2030 13/12/2022.

• https://ecf.com/news-and-events/news/how-cycling-tourism-and-eurovelo-should-be-supported-european-agenda-tourism

EuroVelo and cycling tourism: key elements to “rethink tourism” and achieve its sustainable transition 27/09/2022.

• https://pro.eurovelo.com/news/2022-09-27_eurovelo-and-cycling-tourism-key-elements-to-rethink-tourism-and-achieve-its-sustainable-transition