Active tourism is defined as accessible physical activity linked to mobility, recreation and leisure, including cycling, walking and hiking. According to the coalition, this form of tourism enables visitors to experience destinations at a human scale while delivering low environmental impact, strong social value and closer connections with local landscapes, cultures and communities.
The coalition highlights the economic significance of the sector. It notes that cycling tourism alone was generating an estimated 44 billion euros annually in Europe as early as 2012, while adventure travel has grown into a trillion-dollar global market by 2025.
Despite this growth, the coalition argues that active tourism remains under-represented in European tourism strategies. With the forthcoming European Sustainable Tourism Strategy, it identifies a timely opportunity to position active tourism as a response to unbalanced tourism, a driver of regional development and a core element of Brand Europe.
The Active Tourism Coalition has outlined four priority policy areas. These include formal recognition and integration of active tourism within sustainable tourism policy, destination mobility strategies, multimodal transport planning and last-mile solutions, supported by systematic impact monitoring.
The coalition also calls for stronger Brand Europe leadership, showcasing Europe’s natural and cultural heritage through long-distance route networks such as cycling routes, greenways and walking paths, supported by high-quality tourism data and recognised certification and training schemes.
A further priority is integrated governance, bringing together local communities, destination management organisations, tourism operators, non-governmental organisations, land managers, transport providers, media and outdoor sport bodies, to ensure tourism development benefits residents while safeguarding natural and cultural assets.
Targeted investment forms the fourth pillar, with the coalition urging that active tourism be prioritised within the next EU Multiannual Financial Framework for the period 2028 to 2034, including dedicated funding for cycling routes, hiking trails and cross-border active tourism products.
The coalition stated that it is ready to work with European and national institutions to strengthen the resilience and competitiveness of Europe’s tourism sector, enhance its global tourism positioning and support more balanced and sustainable tourism outcomes.
Laurianne Krid, Chief Executive Officer at the European Cyclists’ Federation, said: “Active tourism should be the cornerstone of the European Sustainable Tourism Strategy. By encouraging tourists to move through regions by bike or on foot, it supports healthier lifestyles, low-carbon travel, and stronger local economies. It can also boost European competitiveness with strong products and brands such as EuroVelo. Today, we are proud to be part of 15 industry and civil society voices calling on the EU institutions to turn these benefits into reality across Europe.”
Tags:Laurianne Krid, European Cyclists’ Federation Active Tourism Coalition
