The EuroVelo & Cycling Tourism conference will be held in Turkey from October 11-13, 2023. The conference will take place in the ancient city of Izmir, known for its ancient and majestic architecture, beautiful coastline and numerous cycling routes. This event will bring together all the major players in European cycle tourism.
The EuroVelo & Cycling Tourism Conference was organized to develop EuroVelo (the European network of cycle routes) and cycling tourism all over Europe. The professionals of the sector, who will participate in the conference, will be accommodated in ancient Smyrna and will be able to discover the services of the certified “Bike Friendly” hotels. The EuroVelo & Cycling Tourism Conference has been held twice a year in a different country since 2012. For the first time, Turkey has been chosen to host the 2023 edition of the conference and is located on EuroVelo 8 – Mediterranean Route .
The conference is organized with the collaboration of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of Turkey, the Tourism Promotion and Development Agency of Turkey (TGA) and the European Cyclists Federation (ECF), as well as local authorities in cooperation with the Metropolitan Municipality of Izmir. The starting point of EuroVelo 8 is in Andalusia in Spain and connects the entire Mediterranean coast, crossing France, Italy, Slovenia, Croatia, Montenegro, Albania and Greece, Turkey ( including Izmir) and southern Cyprus. Two iconic UNESCO heritage sites, Ephesus and Pergamon, are also on the Izmir section of EuroVelo 8.
Heritage and cycling at the center of attention
The EuroVelo & Cycling Tourism conference stands out as the most important international meeting for cycle tourism. An ideal pillar for sharing information regarding the cycle tourism environment, the conference also offers attendees the opportunity to follow the latest infrastructure innovations in the cycling industry and strengthen network ties, exchanging ideas. .
Focused on the development and future of responsible tourism, the conference will bring together experts in cycle tourism, representatives of international cycling associations, specialist tour operators, representatives of universities and academies, tourism and public authorities, but also accommodation and public transport companies.
The theme of the EuroVelo & Cycling Tourism 2023 conference is “Cycling: A new perspective on heritage”. It will offer its participants an engaging programme, centered on panels, dialogues and exchanges of information on the future of cycle tourism. The conference program includes sessions, workshops and live social media events that will increase understanding of cycle routes, highlight best practices in cycle tourism and foster information exchange. between the stakeholders.
The conference is expected to showcase Turkish culture and tourism and raise public awareness. It fits directly into Turkey’s emphasis on responsible tourism. Technical visits will be organized during the conference: participants will be able to discover, while pedaling, some of the routes included in EuroVelo 8 – Mediterranean Route, while discovering the historical and gastronomic richness of Izmir.
| A unique cycling experience, where history and nature mingle |
| The EuroVelo is a pioneering international cycling network that connects the European continent, via 17 distinct long-distance routes. This network, managed by the ECF (European Cyclists’ Federation), is made up of routes that meet ecological and sustainable development criteria. Often favored by tourists and residents motivated by bicycle travel, the EuroVelo facilitates two-wheeled tourism in the cities located on its routes, by participating in the installation of bicycle infrastructure/transport. |
Turkey has countless routes specially created for visitors who wish to discover the country’s cultural heritage, natural areas and alternative tourism centers by bicycle such as:
– European side forest route, created for cyclists from Istanbul route
– Köyceğiz – Ortaca – Dalaman roads (designed for MTB, gravel and e-bikes in Muğla, the tourist paradise of Türkiye)
– the Lycian Way – Maden Beach road in the Kemer district of Antalya
the Güvercinlik Valley – Göreme Open Air Museum route, which combines the breathtaking natural landscapes of Cappadocia.
About the European Cyclists’ Federation (ECF)
Founded in 1983, the European Cyclists’ Federation is an independent, non-profit association, based in Brussels, dedicated to improving and increasing cycling for all in Europe. It is the only European organization that oversees transport and leisure cycling. With more than 60 member organizations in more than 40 countries, it unites the European cycling movements as the only voice of civil society at pan-European level and as the largest and best-known cycling advocacy organization in the world. For more information, visit ecf.com.
EuroVelo, the European network of cycle paths, is an initiative of the European Cyclists’ Federation (ECF) in cooperation with national and regional partners. EuroVelo integrates existing and planned national and regional cycle routes into a single European network. It is a network of 17 long-distance cycle routes that connect and unite the European continent. The routes can be used by cycle tourists and locals who make daily trips. For more information on EuroVelo, visit www.EuroVelo.com, and to find out more about the implementation of the project, visit pro.eurovelo.com.
