River tourism and bicycle touring join forces and expertise to promote French destinations

Outdoors aficionados will be happy to learn that major actors in the cycling and waterway tourism development join their forces and expertise to develop an extensive cycling route network by the water.

The river tourism is booming, generating more than 500 M€ benefits per year for French territories. Those economic benefits could be amplified by the bicycle touring industry that is also booming with a global 2 Mds€ turnover in2014.

In this respect, to respond to a growing demand , the French Waterways Association sees the development of river tourism and its infrastructures, in partnership with local communities as a prioirity for 2017-2020. The French Waterways Association works in association with territories to develop its touristic potential and projects in favour of river tourism.

The Cycling Departments and Régions federate communities to structure and to promote cycling itineraries by the water.

Cycle tourism is a very important economic sector. Each year, every single kilometer of designated itineraries generates 16 000-30 000 euros benefits.

On an average, cycling tourists spend 60-70 euros a day per person. The Cycling Departments and Régions and the territories work on
the complition of a 8 000km of EuroVelo route in France for 2020 and on 21 000 km of cycling itineraries véloroutes for 2030. A partnership with the French Waterways Association will definitely help in reaching these goals.

The French Waterways Association and the The Cycling Departments and Régions as well as local key players, communities and relevent developpers will attend a day of discussions on March 27 2017 to work on these mutual issues. ]b