Bring on the bikes: How every destination can gear up for cycle tourism

Back in 2025, we wrote about the surging popularity of cycle tourism, a trend that not only blends sustainability with practicality, but brings joy with every push of the pedal. A means of active travel that’s being embraced by both visitors and destinations alike, this is a trend that’s showing no sign of slowing down. This is why — ahead of World Bicycle Day on June 3 — we’re looping back to explore why cycle tourism matters and remind ourselves how destinations can make the most of this phenomenon.

This time around, however, we’re taking a slightly different route; that is, rather than just highlighting some of Europe’s most cycle-friendly destinations, we’re exploring how some of our clients are packaging their offerings to bring on the bikes!
 

A trend that makes an impact without an impact

While it certainly ties in with the growing trend for a slower, more sustainable travel experience, cycle tourism makes a considerable contribution to the visitor economy of Europe. In fact, you could say that this is a trend that makes an impact without making an impact, a point backed by research from charity Cycling UK, which shows that the European cycle tourism sector is worth more than €44 billion.

With a network of well-established paths — as well as an ever-growing host of bike-friendly accommodation and amenities — cycle tourism is popular both in the UK and on the European continent. Multiple destinations across the region are doing all they can to ensure their visitor offering is optimised for sightseeing on two wheels, giving cyclists all they need to make the most of their time in any given place.

If you’re eager to make the most of this phenomenon, here’s how you can set out on the right path. Consider:

• Highlighting what can be seen and done by bike within the place you represent. Is your destination known for its nature or scenery? Its culture and history? Alongside this, take stock of your bike-friendly cafes, accommodation, and even storage sheds for cycles and any associated equipment.
• Using maps to show your trails and paths. We’ll cover this below but it’s worth adding in the details that best showcase the kind of cycling experience your destination has to offer (i.e., family-friendly or a more intense off-road experience, etc.).
• Using imagery to highlight the real experiences of real visitors. More than anything else, this helps to sell the true story of your place in a way that only a picture can.
   

Real-world examples: Working a trend with smart sites

From Norway to the New Forest, everyone knows that Europe is a place to have a wheel-y good time (sorry, we couldn’t resist). But whether you want to inspire and excite or inform and educate, the microsite is the top tool of choice for destinations seeking to attract the cycling crowd. As the following examples show so well, microsites provide a kind of one-stop-shop, a place where visitors can find all they need to explore by bike. Smart destinations appeal to cyclists by filling these spaces with content that helps to differentiate or highlight their unique offering.

For example, the Cycling Telemark microsite offers plenty of detail on tours and trails while Visit Ost Norge presents all of the information needed to circumnavigate Mjostrakk, Norway’s largest lake. Visit Lillehammer uses its microsite to appeal to diehard mountain bikers while Visit Valdres plays things a little softer, using its platform as a tool to highlight the family-friendly nature of the region’s trails and routes.

In the UK, Visit East Devon’s cycling microsite holds a veritable cornucopia of detail, even allowing visitors to filter routes by difficulty. But sightseeing by bike is, of course, thirsty work, which is why Visit Isle of Man has used its site to mention not just its diverse network of trails, but its fantastic local food and drink scene. The English regions of Cumbria and the New Forest are both well-known for their unique scenery and cultural heritage, so it only makes sense that they use their respective cycle content to highlight these to cyclists.
 

Tools to take the lead

But microsites aren’t the only tool in helping destinations to bring on the bikes. A closer look at our client examples shows that nearly all incorporate some kind of map, which is where our Map Publisher tool comes into its own. Going a step further, you might also consider integrating the You.Smart.Thing platform into your cycling microsite or landing page. With this map-based travel assistant, your visitors can steer their own itinerary, thus allowing them to uniquely experience your destination while reducing their carbon footprint, all on two wheels.

While it’s certainly a thrill to the senses, cycling is nothing if not a feast for the eyes, which is why all of the aforementioned clients lean so heavily on striking imagery. This is where user-generated content (UGC) — like that produced by our partnership with CrowdRiff, as deployed by Visit Telemark in its cycling microsite — is helpful. This serves as an example that, by showcasing authentic content from real visitors, destinations can attract and inspire ever-increasing numbers of travellers to explore by bike.

Practical, sustainable, and a joyous way to explore the world, cycle tourism is here to stay. By using technology to smartly showcase their offering, destinations can ensure they appeal to cyclists of every speed.