1. Eurovelo Les Lumsdon

Institute of Transport and Tourism Institute of Transport and Tourism

The European Cycle The European Cycle Route Network: Route Network: EuroveloEurovelo 20092009

Les LumsdonLes LumsdonLeisure and Tourism Cycling Conference: Leisure and Tourism Cycling Conference:

Aveiro, PortugalAveiro, Portugal66thth November 2009November 2009


European Study on CyclingEuropean Study on Cycling

• Requested by the European Parliament's Committee on Transport and Tourism

• Assessed the challenges and opportunities for sustainable cycle tourism

• The report focuses specifically on travel between places by bicycle for leisure purposes


Aims and ObjectivesAims and Objectives

• Evaluate the potential benefits of long distance European cycling routes for tourism purposes

• Three key objectives:– to determine the current scale and scope of cycle

tourism in Europe – to evaluate EuroVelo as a sustainable tourism

network across Europe– to investigate the potential to develop a themed

trail, currently known as The Iron Curtain Trail.


The Cycle Tourism MarketThe Cycle Tourism Market

• No reliable data sources regarding overall volume and value of the existing cycle tourism market

• France and Austria most important destinations for cycle tourism

• Germany and the UK are the main outbound markets of the European tourism sector

• Universal needs- a continuous, safe, pleasant route with good signage


Trends & Tourism MarketTrends & Tourism Market

• Marginal increase in cycle tourism• Uneven provision and market growth across

Europe• Model produced to evaluate the value of cycle

tourism in the EU (EU27+Norway and Switzerland).

• The total economic impact for the estimated 2.8 billion cycle tourism trips in Europe with a value in excess of €54 billion per annum


Motivational FactorsMotivational Factors

• Health• Relaxation• Nature• Pleasant scenery and landscapes• Learning about other areas• Social


Most important factors of route Most important factors of route designdesign

• Safety (low or no traffic density)• Ease of use (signposting)• Pleasant landscapes • Accommodation/refreshment• Of lesser importance are:

– information material– public transport access– route network density– cycle maintenance shops – infrastructure such as resting places


ImpactsImpacts

• Economic impact:– Cycle tourists spend average €53 per day

(inc. accommodation).– Day excursion cyclists estimated average

spend of almost €16 per day.• Environmental and Social Impacts:

– Minimal negative impacts– Disturbance of wildlife/flora– Crowding (impact on recreational quality)


The The EuroveloEurovelo networknetwork• EuroVelo: a European cycle route network

which seeks to offer a sustainable Trans-European Network.

• Comprises twelve long distance cycle routes covering a distance of 66,000 km.

• Managed by the European Cyclists’Federation

• The report assesses whether or not this network could enhance the overall transport and tourism offering in Europe.


The The EuroveloEurovelo NetworkNetwork


The challengesThe challenges

The challenges are at different levels:• Lack of vision to mitigate climatic change• Institutions and tourism associations slow

to translate sustainability principles into practice

• The lack of investment in low carbon tourism

• The gap between transport and tourism


VisionVision

• The EU documentation states that tourism has not progressed much in terms of sustainable development

• There’s a real need for a tourism ‘product’which highlights a vision of the future

• EuroVelo has the potential to offer this:across all countries, low impact, high economic impact


Stakeholder InvestmentStakeholder Investment

• A major challenge for leisure cycle tourism is the need to invest in routes

• Major tourism institutions need to get behind a European cycle tourism product

• Currently cycle tourism ‘products’ are fragmented-need to be coordinated

• EuroVelo not sufficiently developed as a flagship


Low Carbon TourismLow Carbon TourismCycle tourism has a very significant advantage over

other forms of transport in reducing climate changeBut only if cyclists travel shorter distances to cycle and

by train-not airplane Analysis of German data shows that 7% of cyclists

flying to destination: this accounts for 40% of total cycle holiday emissions

Rail based cycle holidays account for 28% of trips butonly 7% of the total cycle holiday emissions

There’s a need to design EuroVelo as a low carbon product


The transportThe transport--tourism gaptourism gap• A need for integration between modes of transport and

tourism • Cycle hire for the more casual day excursionist at railway

stations is ideal• Train operators in different countries have varying

approaches to carriage of cycles. • The coach and cycle offer is currently very limited• Provision for cycles on ferries is an important element• Switzerland is the best example of a coordinated

approach to transport and tourism


The report recommendationsThe report recommendations• In summary we recommended the following: • That EuroVelo is incorporated into the TEN programme.• That more funds are made available for coordination of development

and coordinated marketing of the EuroVelo network • Funds for bi-annual monitoring of cycle tourism.• Funds to further develop and maintain the demand forecast model

(CRDFM).• More focused and detailed appraisal is made (projects, seminars,

cost-benefit analyses) on railways to improve the carriage of bicycles, specifically on long distance trains

• To proceed with Iron Curtain Trail as an example of green tourism

Education

1. Eurovelo Les Lumsdon