Beauty pays, in every sector. And Italy, aka the Belpaese, enjoys this golden rule, which makes it one of the most longed-for countries by tourists from all over the world.
In recent years, the new trend is dynamic, active tourism, a type of holiday in which the bicycle plays a leading role. The Giro-E – with pedal-assist bikes – is its natural ambassador. Cycling in the same days on the roads of the Corsa Rosa champions is nothing more than a fantastic, privileged way to visit, or rather, discover Italy, riding along the less-travelled roads, the most unusual spots in a country consisting of sceneries, details, the provinces, the Apennines and nature, not just art cities.
According to a 2019 study, so-called wellness tourism, i.e. body care tourism, sports tourism and hiking tourism (including cycling tourism), was valued at USD 641 billion worldwide. A projection to 2023 indicated an estimated growth to 315 billion.
On top of that, according to the FIAB (Environment and Bicycle Italian Federation), every euro invested in building a cycling route returns 3.5 euros to the area, and every kilometre of cycling route generates an annual income of 110,000 euros for the area it passes through. This is good news at a time when so many cycling routes are being built all over Italy. Good news and a bargain: according to the 2020 Isnart-Unioncamere and Legambiente Report, in 2019 cycling tourism generated almost 55 million overnight stays, 6.1 per cent of the total, corresponding to a total expenditure of 4.7 billion euros.
Environmental-friendly, healthy and profitable: long live the bicycle!
