Spend Cycle: How bicycle tourism impacts small communities
“When you have successful cycle routes, many services spring up to cater for the tourists,” says Philipp Halmanns, who works for EuroVelo, the European cycling network that coordinates the development of 15 intercontinental cycling routes across the continent. “The classic example is EuroVelo 6–Atlantic- Black Sea. For many years Budapest marked the farthest east that most cycle tourists would venture. However, some ‘pioneer’ cyclists continued down to Belgrade and as their numbers increased, campsites, guesthouses, bicycle repair shops, cafes and restaurants were established to serve them. The infrastructure developed for cycle tourists can sometimes be used by local communities as well.”