March the 22nd, 2023 - Accession to the borderless, passport-less Schengen zone has been excellent for Croatia and will be for its strongest economic branch - tourism. One type of tourism, however, Croatian cycling tourism, is set to benefit the most.

As Marija Crnjak/Poslovni Dnevnik writes, entry into Schengen is an enormous opportunity for Croatian cycling tourism, given that borders no longer exist even administratively, we can begin to see the whole of Europe as a single, large market that needs to be discovered, its needs and wishes understood, and the huge cycling tourism potential of this country fully valorised.

''That said, we'll hardly hardly be able to use this huge potential without making some significant investments in infrastructure, catering and hospitality services and stronger support from local and national tourist agencies,'' warned Karlo Kucan, an organiser of the three-day Days of Cycle Tourism conference, which will be held from May the 10th to the 12th in Sinj.

It's the first and so far the only Croatian specialised professional conference intended for this segment of the tourism offer, and it brings together various representatives of Croatian cycling tourism stakeholders, from ministries, the Croatian Tourist Board, agencies, local self-government representatives to clubs and equipment manufacturers.

The conference is held in a different place every year, and the Adriatic and continental destinations alternate. The fifth edition of the Day of Cycle Tourism is going to be held in Sinj, given that the gorgeous Dalmatian hinterland has numerous excellent predispositions for the development of this type of tourism.

"In addition, the proximity of the largest coastal tourist centres, good traffic connections, well-preserved nature, a dynamic and diverse landscape and a wealth of heritage attractions, as well as food and wine offers, make this region valuable in terms of resources. We chose the theme ''No borders, no limits'', because after several challenging years, in which special forms of tourism, especially Croatian cycling tourism, have shown remarkable resilience, it's now time to fully develop its potential by using the incredible opportunities provided by Schengen's freedom without borders.

Suffice it to say that the cycling tourism market in Europe is worth a massive 44 billion euros, which is more than the entire cruising industry, which receives significantly more attention in Croatia. In addition, the global coronavirus pandemic has done a lot for the promotion of Croatian cycling tourism, because people have turned much more towards outdoor activities, to destinations that aren't overcrowded,'' Kucan explained.

"Croatia declares itself declaratively a country that wants to invest in cycling tourism, but the Slovenians have invested more in the Drava cycle route alone than we have in the infrastructure of the entire country. When building new roads, we're oriented towards motor vehicle traffic and the plans don't include paths that would be not only for tourists but also for local residents on two wheels. There are a lot of ungraded roads that could get such infrastructure if it were thought about at the local level. Another important factor is the offer. Cycling tourists come outside the summer season, and in many destinations in Croatia, they have nowhere to sleep, hotels, restaurants, and shops are no longer open. It's a question of the cooperation of all of those involved at the level of local government units, and not merely a question of one single ministry,'' Kucan added.

In addition, agencies specialising in Croatian cycling tourism can still be counted on one hand, so it happens that partners from abroad cannot find a local agency that will help them organise a trip.

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September the 18th, 2022 - The Danube Cycle Plans project hopes to increase the number of safe and secure cycle tracks throughout the Danube region, which includes Croatia. Makarska and what it has to offer cyclists is now being eyed up.

As Morski writes, there are more and more cyclists on the world's roads, with this free and environmentally friendly (not to mention healthy) method of getting from A to B being promoted across the board. It isn't only kids who need to be vigilant at all times when using the roads on two wheels, and in order to increase the number of safe cycle paths, the "Danube Cycle Plans" meeting was held in gorgeous Makarska. It was attended by representatives of nine countries of the wider Danube region as well as some of the leading experts in the field of bicycle transport and cycle tourism development from Austria, Slovenia, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Slovakia, Serbia and Romania.

By cycling together along the Makarska Riviera and conquering the highest peaks of the stunning Biokovo, guests had the opportunity to see part of the cycling paths in this truly beautiful area which boasts some of the most amazing views you could imagine. Representatives of the respective ministries of the aforementioned nine countries of the Danube region also exchanged their own experiences in the development of cycloturism as part of the Danube Cycle Plans meeting.

''One of the goals of the future development of the tourism strategy is the extension of the season and then year-round tourism. The activity itself, cycling or cyclotourism, wants to see an improved level of cycling infrastructure, an extension of the tourist season and some financial progress,'' said Ivica Jujnovic, the national coordinator for the development of cycling traffic across the Republic of Croatia.

Croatia wants to increase the number of bicycle paths it has, and the experiences of its European partners can help it greatly in this.

''I think that Croatia has some wonderful conditions for cycle tourism from Istria down to the Makarska Riviera and I hope that it will get better and better in the coming years,'' said Stasa Kraljic from the Ministry of Infrastructure of neighbouring Slovenia.

It's worth noting that one of the most attractive European cycling routes, Euro Velo 8, which connects Portugal with Greece, also passes through Makarska, as reported by HRT.

For more, make sure to check out our dedicated lifestyle section.

April 30, 2021 - After a great start with their learning-by-cycling app, a Bikademy virtual loyalty card with discounts on bicycles and parts is now available for its users.

Hrturizam.hr reports that a Bikademy virtual loyalty card has been announced by its creators who, through a strategic partnership with the Giant cycling store, will offer discounts and offers for the Bikademy students.

The only step that users have to take is to register on the Bikademy app, which is available in both Google Play and the Apple App Store. ‘‘Once installed, you will find in the upper right corner of the Index your virtual card with which you will have additional benefits from our partners. And the first partner is Bikademy sponsor: Giant Croatia! When you buy in the Giant Store, you must show your Bikademy virtual loyalty card with the code, and the following benefits are provided: -10% on Giant Liv bikes, -20% on Giant Liv accessories -5% on Maxxis tires and tubes, Shimano, Salomon, BikeWorkx, Endura, Basil and a complete range of other brands and brands”, says Krešimir Herceg from Bikademy.

Credit: Ivan Vuksa (Pixabay)

The Bikademy app was launched as an interesting concept that shows destinations through studies, consisting of natural and cultural heritage sites, representing the Bikademy Exams. Ideal for exploring the entire destination and connecting with tourist attractions and entities.

It promotes micro-regions (cities and regions) as desirable cycling tourist destinations in an interactive, educational and fun way. The basis of this product is a platform with fields of studies that represent certain regions or cities. Each study has its own exams (locations). Exams are passed when a user, also called Bike Student, visits that location with their bicycle and takes a selfie at the location.

For users to pass any exam, they shall first register if they are new users (Bike Student). Their tasks are visiting locations (also known as the exams) of certain studies, by bicycle. They have to take a selfie with their bikes at that location through the app (GPS and data have to be turned on). After passing every exam of a certain study, they will be rewarded. There is no order to pass the exams, as they can be taken randomly.

“Many thanks to Giant Croatia for its great long-term support to the entire project. We certainly plan to introduce other partners who are primarily in the world of cycling, and then cycling as a sport. We will continue to build this story so that our customers can have even more benefits’’, stated Herceg.

The platform is primarily intended for an increasing number of cyclists, both foreigners visiting our country and domestic, and thus can serve as an excellent tool and added value in the tourist offer of destinations. How to extend the tourist season? By creating quality content, especially in the post-corona era where the focus is on active and sustainable tourism.

Currently, Bikademy has ten exams or studies in Croatia and one in Berlin, and soon Bikademy will be implemented in Šibenik as well. ‘‘We just found out how the project passed us in a tender of the Ministry of Tourism which will make several trainings on the use of the Bikademy application and concept, and we will open a new study: the region of Sibenik. I hope that we will soon come out with more concrete information and details’’, concludes Herceg.

To learn more about Bikademy, visit their official website.

For more information about cycling in Croatia, go to Total Croatia's dedicated page.

For more on travel in Croatia, follow TCN's dedicated page.

April 12, 2021 - The tourist boards of the Municipality of Dugopolje, the Municipality of Klis, Sinj, Trilj, and Vrlika have joined forces to launch a project for the developing a modern cycling tourism offer in their area. The Cycling tourism development in Inland Dalmatia - Split Hinterland project was presented in Dugopolje.

As a selective form of high value-added tourism, cycling tourism is one of the fastest-growing niches in the tourism industry. Simultaneously, cycling tourism is an extremely sustainable and valuable catalyst for the tourist and economic and social development of areas and regions that traditionally are not considered active in tourism. At the heart of its users' motivation lies the desire to enjoy the preserved spaces and get to know the authentic local cultures.

Bruno Radotić and Petar Čavlović

For tourist-developed destinations, cycling tourism provides much-needed diversification of the offer, the extension of the season, and guests with higher added value. To them, complementary to rural areas, it opens the door to tourist activity. The potential of cycling tourism is also recognized at the strategic level, so in the Tourism Development Strategy of the Republic of Croatia, it is stated as a strategically important product in which it is necessary to invest. Also, in the conditions of the "new normal," cycling tourism acquires an additional positive dimension as one of the most resilient forms of tourism in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Bruno Radotić and Petar Čavlović

Cycling requires a systematic approach to developing infrastructure and services and creating fresh promotional patterns. Collaborating with the brand "Trail - Full Cycling Experience," specializing in the development of cycling destinations, which in Dalmatia develops a cycling offer of Makarska Riviera and Zabiokovolje and the Neretva Valley, and created a unique micro-destination Polje Jezero between Vrgorac and Ploce, began in late 2020 is an extensive field and analytical work of assessing resources, potential, and the current situation in the area of Dugopolje, Klis, Sinj, Trilj, and Vrlika.

During November and December 2020, cycling tourism experts drove all existing and marked routes in the area of all cities and municipalities involved in the project. In total, they analyzed 21 routes with 656 kilometers of bike routes. They assessed the types of routes, their adaptation to market needs, safety status, coherence of marking, complementarity, connectivity, and equipment and tourist attractiveness.

Bruno Radotić and Petar Čavlović

Based on the collected data, a detailed analytical-reporting document was prepared, which was presented to the client's representatives at the meeting held in March in Dugopolje.

The document provides a picture of the current situation, assesses the quality of existing infrastructure, highlights the challenges and obstacles to positioning the area in the cycling market, and provides basic guidelines for the necessary interventions and modifications of existing resources. It recognizes the exceptional potential of Inland Dalmatia as a cycling tourist destination. Preserved nature, diverse landscape, an extensive network of roads and local roads with low traffic intensity, and accessibility from the most important European markets make this branch of sports and adventure tourism a logical step.

Accordingly, the tourist boards of Vrlika, Trilj, and Sinj and the municipalities of Klis and Dugopolje continue to focus on the development of cycling tourism with the aim of greater recognition of the destination in key markets and developing sustainable tourism.

Follow the latest travel updates and COVID-19 news from Croatia HERE.

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January 28, 2021 - Red bull has promoted cycling tourism in Croatia on its official website, inviting cyclists to experience a winter adventure on Croatia's most beautiful bike trails.

Namely, HRTurizam reports that the energy drink brand known for its sponsorship of a range of sporting events and teams has announced cycling in Croatia, which is a great advertisement for the country and destinations located on selected bike routes. The trails marked as the most beautiful in Croatia are located in Istria, Krka National Park, on the island of Brač and the Zadar archipelago.

Deservedly, two trails recommended by the Red Bull brand are located in Istria, one in Grožnjan, the other in Rabac, which is a recognition that Istria deserves because they have invested in the development promotion of cycling tourism for years. Today, it is reaping the results. The development of cycling tourism in Istria County has been of strategic importance for many years for the stakeholders of the Istria County Tourist Board, the Istria County Tourism Department, large hotel companies, and local tourist boards. The same has been systematically coordinated since 2014 within the Bike & Outdoor Department at the Istrian Development Tourist Agency.

Today, one-hundred-forty-five objects have the Bike & Bed label. 

Zadar County also turned to cycling tourism and, in 2015, launched a program for the development of the cycling-tourist destination Zadar Bike Magic. On the website www.zadarbikemagic.com, in addition to bike paths, destinations are promoted. The Zadar Bike Magic application is an excellent tool that certainly contributes to the fact that this county is recording increasing interest from bike guests. The app is handy and is related to destinations and stories that cyclists need to experience. 

Krka National Park in the spring of 2019 expanded its tourist offer by arranging fourteen cycling routes that connect the most attractive parts of the park. All the advantages of cycling in Krka National Park can be found in one place on the website specializing only in cycling tourism Krka Bike.

Cycling or cycling tourism is a form of sustainable tourism that has been developing more and more in almost all countries. In addition to including day trips that regular tourists or locals take during their holidays or weekends, it also applies to long-distance cycling on cycling routes.

The development of cycling tourism on the continent could be the main driver of guests' increase in continental Croatia. Good examples come from Međimurje County, where they are working on the CycleSeeing Attractour - CSA project, thanks to which the Cycling Information Center with the Goričko Sviralo lookout will be built and equipped on Mađerka Hill. As part of the project, a bicycle information center with a lookout tower, "Goričko sviralo," will be built and equipped. At Nature Parks such as Kopački rit and Papuk Nature Park in Slavonia and Medvednica in central Croatia, many interesting bike trails lack promotion and projects that we witness on the coast. Almost every county in Croatia is working on cycling tourism, but many are not yet close to the final goal.

Croatia is also integrated into the EuroVelo network of bicycle routes that connect the entire European continent. The EuroVelo network includes 15 cycling routes through 42 European countries with a planned more than 70,000 km when the network is fully completed. The Coordination Body's establishment for the Development of Cyclotourism in Croatia enabled the accession to the ECF (European Cycling Federation), which is the holder of the EuroVelo project, a network of European cycling routes connecting the countries of the European Union. 

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As Novac/Martina Hrupic writes on the 25th of September, 2020, Ludbreg is well known for being the centre of the world, but now it wants to become a centre for Croatian outdoor tourism. It presented this ambition at the recently held "Days of cycling tourism 2020." Is Ludbreg tourism about to get a spring in its step?

It was at this event that six new bicycle paths in Ludbreg and its surroundings were presented, from the simple and shorter ones to the long, technically and physically demanding ones. In the foreseeable future, hiking trails, which will also be of different profiles, will be presented to the public, and then in the spring, canoeing and kayaking options in the Ludbreg area will also be a possibility.

The aforementioned conference dedicated to cycling tourism as a sustainable, increasingly popular and valuable branch of the tourism industry is a project launched by the Varazdin company Spot through its cycling tourism brand "Trail - Full Cycling Experience", specialising in the development of innovative and sustainable tourism content.

The conference brought together representatives of institutions, ministries, tourist boards, agencies, providers of services and related products and experts in promotion, marketing and branding, as well as foreign entities that work to reveal Croatia to the European cycling market.

Ludbreg's Mayor, Dubravko Bilic explained that cycling tourism is actually the backbone of the idea of ​​Ludbreg tourism in the sense of it becoming an outdoor destination. Cyclotourists, he claims, are excellent tourists, and cycling tourism is the fastest growing tourist branch.

''Days of cycling tourism are important not only for us but for all destinations. Cyclists, if they come from nearby areas, come by bike, but if they come from afar, they come by car, not by plane, so in that sense there isn't much impact caused by this crisis, which is likely to happen in the future. These are people who like to get tired, but also to relax, we want to take a bite into that part of the tourist cake, and Cycling Days are an event that helped us go in that direction,'' explained Bilic.

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December 5, 2019 - With the start and finish line in Porec, a new cycling event titled Istria300 will launch in October next year, which will bring as many as 1,000 professional and recreational cyclists to Istria, announced the Valamar Diamant Hotel.

Glas Istre writes that the specialty, and therefore the uniqueness of this cycling event, is behind its motto ”Ride your limits". Specifically, participants will be able to choose their desired distance from the three offered during the ride. Istria300 will ride on trails of 155, 235, and 300 kilometers maximum.

In addition to the race, as part of the event, the Istria300 Expo will be held in Porec from October 8th to October 11th, offering visitors and participants a handful of innovations from the cycling industry. In addition to sports facilities, many interesting lectures by renowned cycling coaches and nutritionists from World Tour cycling teams will be organized.

This international cycling event is organized by Vladimir Miholjevic, former Croatian cyclist and Julius Rupitsch, organizer of the prestigious Großglockner Berglauf mountain race in Austria.

“We chose Istria because it offers ideal cycling conditions. The routes include beautiful places, excellent infrastructure, as well as facilities for cyclists. In addition, the destination itself is made up of its people, and the overall impression will provide participants an unforgettable cycling experience,” said race director Vladimir Miholjevic, adding that Istria is rich in natural beauty, and even these routes do not cover everything, which leaves room for new plans. He also points out that there are not many places in the world where 300 kilometers can be driven on closed roads.

The organizers have set themselves the highest standards in organizing cycling events, and their desire is for athletes and cycling to profit as much as possible.

The mayor of the host city, Loris Persuric, said that he believed that October next year would be a truly active month as another motive for arrivals was created, thus prolonging the tourist season.

The director of the Tourist Board of Porec, Nenad Velenik, agreed, adding that Porec certainly wants to become a base for different profiles of athletes and various sports, such as handball, football, and cycling.

Valamar Riviera and its Istrian destinations Porec and Rabac are actively involved in the development of cycling tourism.

“We believe that the main levers for the development of bike tourism are content creation and offers for cycling tourists. The terrain configuration in Istria, the excellent infrastructure and facilities of our hotels, adapted to active guests and professional athletes, are the basis for the development of a great cycling tourism offer. At Valamar Riviera, we strategically develop the destinations where we do business using our resources and their full potential to offer our guests exactly what they are looking for,” said Davor Brenko, Vice President of Sales and Marketing at Valamar Riviera, who supports this major project.

Brenko adds that the fully equipped bike center currently in Rabac is planned to open in Porec next year. Furthermore, the official partner of this event is the world-famous Israel Cycling Academy cycling team from Tel Aviv, which has as many as 29 wins this year, and is specific in that it brings together members of different nationalities.

"You have a great track configuration, beautiful sea, and a great climate, which is why we are a proud partner of the event. But we are especially looking forward to our stay in Istria and the excellent treatment at Valamar Diamant Hotel as a base for our training camp in Israel, given the beautiful destination, excellent service and organizational references we have seen in four appearances at the Tour of Croatia and this year's CRO Race,” said Kjell Carlström, Israel Cycling Academy team director.

To read more about sport in Croatia, follow TCN’s dedicated page. 

“Croatia - Cycling paradise with Mario Zubčić with the support of Giant Croatia” is a national project by the former Croatian mountain bike representative Mario Zubčić, the Crikvenica cycling club, the AHA! Association, and the marketing agency aha marketing d.o.o. The project aims to promote Croatia as a cycling tourism destination that attracts an increasing number of tourists, the values developed and represented by the European Union, the preservation of nature - ecology, healthy and active lifestyles, and traffic safety, reports HRTurizam on May 7, 2019. 

The voyage begins on May 9, 2019 (Europe Day) and is placed in the PPS period (preseason). The journey includes 9 stages to connect 4 extreme geographical points of the Republic of Croatia (south - rt Oštra - Prevlaka peninsula - west - rt Lako near Bašanija - lighthouse Savudrija - north - Žabnik - part of Sveti Martin na Muri - east - Rađevac - part of Ilok) and visits all counties, and 4 national and 5 nature parks to show Croatia's beauty and distinctiveness from a cycling perspective. Mario will ride between 200 to 250 kilometers each day of the trip.

The objectives of the project are to market the cycling tourism offer (create new products in the pre and postseason, "Bike & bed" standards, cycling manifestations, "Bike share" system, and more) and the general tourism offer. It also aims to brand Croatia as a desirable and exciting cycling tourism destination, educate various target groups on the need for sport, the importance of healthy lifestyles and ecology, while raising awareness of the issues of traffic safety, promoting values represented by the European Union, recognizing the need to adapt the corridor of the main state cycling routes and link it with the EuroVelo routes and environmental protection.

The project involves several participants and volunteers, and the target groups are recreational cyclists, passionate cyclists, and young people (students). Mario and his team will gather on Wednesday, May 8, 2019, at noon in the center of Crikvenica.

You can find more information about the project on the official website, and you can keep track of the news on Facebook.

To read more about travel in Croatia, follow TCN’s dedicated page. 

Krka National Park has expanded its tourist offer by arranging fourteen cycling routes that connect the most attractive parts of the park. And now, all the benefits of biking within Krka National Park can be discovered in a single place through a new website specializing in cycling tourism - Krka Bike, reports HRTurizam on April 16, 2019. 

The site offers tracks for mountain and road cycling and trekking. All the tracks are circular and detailed, associated with various rest points and viewpoints, and apart from the basic gpx trails, the tracks are also displayed through video animation via the Relive platform. 

"The middle and upper streams of the Krka River are an ideal destination for those who want to spend their vacation actively in untouched nature because of their specific terrain configuration and natural phenomena in the environment. It's all about cyclists - from beginners to recreational to professional - everyone can find a real challenge for themselves,” said NP Krka.

There are a total of five mountain routes, designed for bicyclists with good physical condition and advanced bicycle management skills, and are driven by landscaped and unspoiled forest paths with ascents and descents that can have a higher incline. Road routes are characterized for road sports bikes on high-quality asphalted roads, on routes above the overall total length and different height profiles. They are intended for active athletes looking for physically demanding sports challenges. For active family outings in nature as well as for occasional recreationalists, there are six trekking routes, which combine riding on paved roads and good quality macadam roads, without technically demanding parts.

When planning a bicycle trip at Krka, keep in mind that tickets are charged for the entrance to Skradinski buk, Roški slap, the Krka Monastery and Burnum.

Five promotional videos for cycling tourism at NP Krka were also published on the park’s YouTube channel. You can find the Krka Bike website here. 

To read more about travel in Croatia, follow TCN’s dedicated page. 

The Kvarner Tourist Board has successfully developed the region as an outdoor tourist destination over the last few years.