Active Tourism Coalition Launches to Position 'Active Tourism' at the Heart of Europe’s Sustainable Tourism Future
Two handbikers on tour in the Flanders region of Belgium. Photo credit: TourismFlanders - Heuvelland
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ENAT is a founding member of the coalition aiming to make Active Tourism an integral part of the European Tourism Strategy.
Brussels, 20 January – A new Active Tourism Coalition, led by the European Cyclists’ Federation (ECF) and uniting 15 civil society and industry organisations, has officially launched, calling on European institutions to recognise Active Tourism as a strategic pillar of sustainable, competitive, and resilient tourism across Europe.
Active Tourism focuses on accessible physical activity for mobility, recreation, and leisure, including cycling, walking, hiking, etc. It enables visitors to experience destinations at a human scale, delivering low environmental impact, strong social value, and meaningful connections to local landscapes, cultures, and communities.
The coalition highlights the significant economic potential of the sector. Cycling tourism alone generated an estimated €44 billion annually in Europe as early as 2012, while adventure travel now represents a trillion-dollar global market in 2025. Despite this growth, active tourism remains under-represented in European tourism strategies.
With the forthcoming European Sustainable Tourism Strategy, the coalition sees a timely opportunity to highlight active tourism as a solution to unbalanced tourism, a driver of regional development, and a flagship element of Brand Europe.
Key Policy Recommendations
The Active Tourism Coalition calls for action in four priority areas:
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Recognition and integration of active tourism as a cornerstone of sustainable tourism policy, including its integration into destination mobility strategies, multimodal transport planning, and last-mile solutions, supported by robust impact monitoring.
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Brand Europe leadership, showcasing Europe’s unique natural and cultural heritage through its extensive network of long-distance routes such as EuroVelo, greenways, E-paths, and GR footpaths, supported by open, high-quality tourism data and recognised certification and training schemes.
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Integrated governance, bringing together local communities, destination management organisations, tourism operators, NGOs, land managers, transport providers, media, and outdoor sport organisations to ensure tourism development benefits residents while protecting natural and cultural landscapes.
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Targeted investment, with active tourism prioritised in the next EU Multiannual Financial Framework (2028–2034), including dedicated funding for cycle routes, hiking trails, and cross-border active tourism offers.
A Coalition Ready to Engage
The Active Tourism Coalition positions itself as a constructive partner for European institutions, offering expertise and coordination capacity to support policy development and implementation. This is how the open letter to European Commissioner for Transport and Tourism Tzitzikostas is intended, as well as the Coalition’s proposals.
Laurianne Krid, Chief Executive Officer at ECF, says;
“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.”
Download the list of Active Tourism Coalition Members (PDF document)
For more information, please contact Agathe Daudibon, EuroVelo and Cycling Tourism Director: a.daudibon@ecf.com