Cycling Tourism's Economic Impact Remains Hard to Measure, ECF Report Shows

Cycling tourism is worth billions of euros across Europe, yet the continent still struggles to quantify that value with reliable data. A new report from the European Cyclists’ Federation, presented at the EuroVelo Conference in Utrecht, pulls together national figures from various countries and highlights how fragmented the existing evidence base remains.

According to the federation’s findings, the lack of a common measurement framework makes it difficult to compare the economic contribution of cycling tourism between countries or to track its growth over time. The report argues that this data gap weakens the case for investment in cycling infrastructure and services.

The EuroVelo network, a long-distance cycling route system spanning the continent, served as the backdrop for the launch. The conference brought together stakeholders to discuss how better data collection could support policy decisions and attract funding for cycling-related projects.