2-wheel tourism at the 10 billion mark

From passion to lifestyle for trips and holidays on the pedals. Cyclotourism is liked and in Europe it conquers millions of people who know that in Italy they will find hundreds of kilometres of tracks along coastlines and lakes, villages and sporting, historical-artistic, wine and food destinations with unique backdrops. All factors that made cycling tourism reach 89 million presences in 2024, up 54% on the previous year. Presences that fuelled a business that came close to 9.8 billion euros. After years of steady growth, cycle-tourism followers now account for around 10% of tourist presences of which around half are millenials, between 30 and 44 years of age. A potentially high-spending demand with a declared economic situation at least medium-high in more than half of the cases. This is what is revealed in the fifth edition of the report 'Travelling by bike 2025' produced by Isnart-Unioncamere for the Observatory on the Economy of Tourism of the Chambers of Commerce in collaboration with Legambiente.

"The growth of cycle tourism in our country is now constant and should no longer come as a surprise," says Loretta Credaro, president of Isnart. "It is certainly a product chosen by enthusiasts, but increasingly a transversal tourist experience capable of attracting a wider public. It is a phenomenon that Isnart has been monitoring for some years now and that is taking on increasing value in terms of redirecting tourist flows towards villages and inland areas, generating new opportunities for economic growth, work and also the redevelopment of many disused structures and assets that, thanks to this new demand, are coming back to life, from the North to the South of the country'.

To bring all potential to the ground, a team effort is needed, a nationally coordinated policy to enhance cycling tourism. According to the report, investments should continue to be made to increase the safety of cyclists, both through consistent regulatory interventions and cultural awareness actions. Adequate resources should be invested in the National System of Cycle Routes and the process for defining the figure of the bicycle touring guide should be speeded up by harmonising regional regulations.

"We wanted to dedicate a section of the Report," adds Sebastiano Venneri, head of tourism at Legambiente, "to the story of a series of new entrepreneurial initiatives generated by cycle tourism and which have brought good economy to the country's inland areas. From Liguria to Sicily, we have uncovered numerous realities that have allowed many young people to stay, and in some cases return, to start a family and a business in contexts marked by demographic decline: a wonderful sign of socio-economic rebirth that sees the bicycle as the absolute protagonist".

The average age of cycle tourists is between 30 and 44 years (47.7 per cent), plus 35.4 per cent of Generation X (45 to 60 years old), who are characterised by a higher spending power than the very young. More than 1 in 3 cycle tourists travel in pairs (36.7%), 31.1% solo and 27.5% with friends. 63.1% of tourists are influenced by the Internet to organise and carry out their holiday on two wheels: of these, 79.9% choose on the basis of online information, 39.3% for web offers, 34.6% "orient themselves" on social networks and 18.9% consult specialised websites and blogs. There is not only the desire to get moving, because 44.6% of cycle tourists indicate the wealth of artistic and cultural heritage as the main reason for choosing a destination after sport. This is followed by 33.1% who choose for ease of access and 30.7% in search of moments of relaxation.