Now in its ninth edition, the Italian Cycling Tourism Oscar aims to spur local governments to enhance their excellent routes and promote investment in two-wheeled vacations by creating new flows of high-spending tourism in the territories throughout the year. A tourism that contributes to the improvement of the quality of life, affecting the preservation of public land and economic, social and tourism development, also leading to the creation of new jobs, useful to bring young people back to their territories of origin, giving them new opportunities. “Bicycle tourism in Italy today can no longer be considered a niche phenomenon, and this is also happening thanks to our initiative,” says Ludovica Casellati, jury president and creator of the award.
At the end of the text data on cycling tourism.
At the presentation last February 5, enlivened by Peppone Calabrese, presenter Linea Verde and Ambassador of the award, speakers included Alessandro Bolis, Deputy Director of Sales, Marketing and Communication ICS Istituto per il Credito Sportivo, Maria Giaconia, Director of Regional Business and Intermodal Development Trenitalia, Marina Lalli President Federturismo Confindustria, Sebastiano Venneri, Tourism Manager of Legambiente, Ivana Jelinic AD Enit.
Also, Leonardo Marras, Councillor for Tourism and Productive Activities Region of Tuscany, Alessandro Meciani, Councillor for Tourism of Viareggio, Remo Santini, Councillor for Tourism of Lucca, Vаlter Tamburini, President of the Chamber of Commerce of Northwest Tuscany: a large representation of the Region of Tuscany – last year’s winner with the “Ciclopedonale Puccini,” the first music-looped bicycle route – which will host the three-day Green Road Award closing event. The award ceremony is scheduled for Saturday, June 1.
A bike forum will also be held in Lucca and Viareggio to discuss issues of two-wheel tourism, in an event that for three days will make Tuscany the “Capital of Cycle Tourism 2024.” And Puccini – whose centenary of death is being celebrated this year – is also dedicated to the Oscar del Cicloturismo jersey, with a drawing created by Lucca caricaturist Frank Federighi, a contributor to numerous magazines and newspapers as well as the star of Lucca Comics.
In chronological order, here are the winning regions of the past eight editions of the Oscar del Cicloturismo: in 2015, Umbria with the “Assisi-Spoleto-Norcia” cycle route; in 2016, Friuli Venezia Giulia with “The Alpe Adria”; in 2017, The Veneto with “The Friendship Cycle Route”; in 2018, Lombardy with “The Oglio River Cycle Route.” in 2020, it was the turn of Abruzzo with the “Bike to Coast”; in 2021, first place ex aequo of the Autonomous Province of Trento with the “Green Road of Water” and Calabria with the “Ciclovia dei Parchi”. In 2022, Emilia Romagna with the “Grand Tour of the Savio Valley.” Last year, it was, in fact, the “Puccini Ciclopedonale” that took Tuscany to the top step of the podium.
The Jury of the award is composed of prominent figures in the field of journalism, opinion leaders, partners, and personalities from the bike, environment, hospitality and tourism sectors: Monsignor Liberio Andreatta (FS Foundation), Bernabò Bocca (Federalberghi), Peppone Calabrese (Linea Verde Rai), Antonio Dalla Venezia (FIAB-Italian Environment and Bicycle Federation), Diana de Marsanich (Natural Style), Alfredo di Giovampaolo (Rainews), Maria Giaconia (FS Italian Group), Maria Rita Grieco (Rai Tg1), Ivana Jelinic (ENIT), Marina Lalli (Federturismo Confindustria), Beniamino Quintieri (Istituto per il Credito Sportivo), Enrico Rondoni (Mediaset Tg5), Guido Rubino (Cyclinside), Alessandra Schepisi (Radio 24), Silvia Squizzato (Rai Tg2), Antonio Ungaro (Federazione Ciclistica Italiana), Sebastiano Venneri (Legambiente). President of the jury Ludovica Casellati, creator of the award, director of viagginbici.com and founder of Luxury Bike Hotels.
Italian regions can find the rules and entry info on the Green Road Award website PARTICIPATE section.
According to the Traveling by Bike 2023 Report (Isnart-Legambiente) between “pure” cyclists and bike tourists, it is estimated that there will be more than 33 million presences in Italy in 2022, with an economic impact of more than 4 billion euros and a steady increase in turnover specialized Italian tour operators. On the other hand, it emerges from the survey Che cicloturista sei? (FIAB, Università dell’Insubria, Active Italy ,CIAB) how intermodality plays an increasingly relevant role in the development of cyclotourism: as many as 71% of regular cyclotourists reach destinations using mainly the train, which is also used by 64% to move between different locations of the vacation, while 88% of the sample considers the possibility of loading bicycles on trains and buses to be very important. Cyclotourism also contributes significantly to the deseasonalization of tourist flows and the discovery of little-known places: the same survey also shows that regular cycle tourists also cycle in autumn and winter (51% and 19%, respectively): about 80% of them prefer non-urban places (hills, countryside, along rivers), but a good 68% seek the pleasure of a vacation on two wheels in cities and urban areas as well.
