All of the new routes have been added to the new “Guia de Percursos Cicláveis”, published by Turismo do Algarve, which hopes to promote the use of bicycles in the region throughout the year.

Following modern trends, with people using their bicycles more, and with the aim of boosting cycling in the region, Turismo do Algarve has launched the initiative with the promise to guide tourists and residents on two wheels along municipal and rural roads and dirt or gravel roads.

The 20 routes are circular (beginning and end in the same place), pass through the 16 counties of the region and were defined for the Algarve Tourism by a specialised technician, taking into account criteria such as technical difficulty, points of tourist interest in each municipality and their suitability for touring or trekking bicycles.

“We want to get closer to the goals of a smooth and sustainable mobility destination, promoting the use of bicycles during holidays. According to a 2016 study by Tourism Development International, Europeans made about 23 million trips in 2014 motivated by cycling on holiday. More than just a means of transport, cycling thus becomes part of the tourist experience itself.

“With our new guide we intend to capture the interest of these cyclists for the Algarve, especially those from the United Kingdom, the Netherlands and Germany”, said the president of Turismo do Algarve, João Fernandes.

The “Guide to Cycling Routes” of the Algarve is available to download for free at www.visitalgarve.pt and was edited as part of the project SustenTUR.

But this is only one of the many actions developed by the Algarve Tourism in the segment of hiking and cycling. Between November and December of this year there were training actions for 50 accommodation units in order to better meet the needs of those who travel by bicycle or on foot. The units enrolled in this training received a personalised consulting service that helped assess their offer and seek solutions to increase the quality of the experience for the walkers and cyclists who stay in them.

“This action was extremely positive as it enabled the accommodation units to identify areas for improvement in their cycling and walking services. The consultancy team’s reports will be the basis for the tourist accommodation in the Algarve to become highly specialised in this segment, which will greatly benefit the destination and the tourist”, adds João Fernandes.

The training action “Bike & Walk Friendly” was also carried out under SustenTUR, a project that will be underway until the end of 2020 which is based on the sustainable development of tourism in the Algarve, through information and social, environmental and cultural awareness initiatives aimed at tourism professionals, visitors and the resident population.