15,000 visitors and queues of over 40 minutes to get in. The Minister of Tourism, Massimo Garavaglia, at the inauguration: “With diesel at 2 euros, we have to ask ourselves some questions.”
Milan – Over 50 exhibitors, including destinations and tourism operators from the sector, gathered in Milan at the Fabbrica del Vapore, attracting more than 15,000 visitors. The first Bicycle Tourism Fair was a two-day event focused on travel, discovering new landscapes, nature, and bike-friendly itineraries.
Pinar Pinzuti and Massimo Garavaglia
The Minister of Tourism, Massimo Garavaglia, arrived at the Fabbrica del Vapore on Saturday morning by bike to inaugurate the first edition of the Bicycle Tourism Fair, cutting the ribbon alongside Pinar Pinzuti, the event’s director and creator.
During his speech, the minister announced an agreement to provide charging stations along the route leading to Rome. “Tourism needs organization, and as a government, we are working to support this organization, alongside operators.”
“There is a great demand for outdoor tourism, a trend that started before Covid. There is also a large demand for routes, such as the Pilgrimage Paths. That’s why, as the Ministry of Tourism, we have made an agreement with Enel and Snam to provide charging stations along the Via Francigena for e-bike tourists.” The minister also confirmed funding for the Bergamo-Brescia cycling route project. “And with diesel at two euros per liter, we certainly have to ask ourselves some questions about bicycles,” Garavaglia concluded.
Fabbrica del Vapore, Milan
The Bicycle Tourism Fair presented a packed program with Bikeitalia Talks: a series of presentations, testimonials, and workshops for those seeking inspiration for their bike adventures or wanting to clear up doubts.
On stage, prominent athletes from the present and past, cycling adventurers, writers, and experts participated in this series of meetings. Among the sports champions, Gianni Bugno, two-time road cycling world champion and winner of the Giro d’Italia, spoke about Gran Canaria and its academies aimed more at exploring the island by bike than at cycling training. Marco Aurelio Fontana, former MTB world champion, shared insights about the Biellese region.
Paola Gianotti, holder of four Guinness World Records, arrived in Milan after completing her 2022×2022 mission: a bike ride for the environment from Stockholm to Milan, planting 2022 trees along the route.
However, to show that cycling is not just for superhumans, Sergio Borroni, who discussed Parkinson’s disease, and Silvia Malaguti from FIAB, who talked about cycling with children, shared their experiences.
“We are very satisfied with this first edition, because it shows that bicycle tourism is no longer a niche phenomenon, but a consolidated reality that is constantly growing,” said Paolo Pinzuti, CEO of Bikenomist, the event organizer, adding, “Bicycle tourism is also a sector that brings economic wealth to rural areas, those traditionally less populated and forgotten by major tourist flows. Public investment in low-impact tourism is needed.”
The Bicycle Tourism Fair
The exhibitors, many of whom ran out of promotional material by the morning of the first day, expressed their thoughts:
“Unexpected public turnout, we were surprised by the interest in Sicily, which exceeded expectations. A first experience to repeat,” said Lucia Di Fatta, General Director of the Department of Tourism, Sports, and Entertainment of the Sicilian Region.
Antonio Nicoletti, General Director of Apt Basilicata, commented: “We are very satisfied with our participation in the first Bicycle Tourism Fair here in Milan. We have seen great interest from many enthusiasts.”
Marta Teixidor, Director of Tourism of Catalonia in Italy, expressed her enthusiasm: “Of all the fairs I attend in Italy, this event is among the ones I liked the most.”
Roberto Ribero, Terres Monviso: “Among all the wonderful things we experienced over the weekend, the best was noticing how each exhibitor wasn’t just a stand, but the people behind it. In a world driven by numbers and speed, it’s truly a wonderful feeling.”
“Absolutely unexpected!” said Daniele Schena, from E-Stelvio.
“Interesting, unexpected fair. We’ll participate again, it’s a whole new world for us.” said Stefano Sogne, Commercial Director of Made by Turisanda, Alpitour Group.
The temporary bike parking set up at the entrance with support from Shimano Italia was also highly appreciated: over 1300 bikes were secured during the two days, preventing them from being left unattended and vulnerable to thieves.
Previous press releases are available for download on the press section. Additional photos can be found here: shorturl.at/msxR3.
