Baltic Biking UPGRADE: 5th partner meeting and workshop in Klaipėda

On September 9–11, 2025, the 5th meeting of the Baltic Biking UPGRADE (BBU) project partners, coordinated by the Pomorskie Tourist Board, took place in Klaipėda, Lithuania. The event brought together representatives of all institutions involved in the project, and its purpose was to assess the progress of activities, exchange experiences, and discuss further steps to develop cycling tourism around the Baltic Sea.

During the meeting, the partners discussed the implementation of further activities within the framework of Work Packages, including:

• the preparation and implementation of national and regional standards and certification for cyclist-friendly services,
• training programs for SMEs,
• pilot projects in Denmark and Lithuania,
• the development of new cross-border offers along the EuroVelo 10 route,
• promotional activities (including updating the eurovelo10.com website and online campaigns).

The highlight of the meeting in Klaipėda was a roundtable workshop held on September 11, 2025, attended by representatives of SMEs, transport operators, and local and regional stakeholders. Its aim was to exchange experiences and develop ideas for better integration of transport and tourism services in the context of the development of cycling tourism. The plenary and table sessions were attended by representatives of Association Klaipeda Region, European Cyclist Federation, Baltic Bike Travel, TT-Line, FlixBus, Danish Cycling Tourism, PROT, Visit Lolland Falster, Blekinge Region, ZROT, and representatives of local tourism companies. The presentations highlighted both the potential and the challenges facing cycle tourism in the region, from seasonality and infrastructure limitations, through safety and cooperation issues, to the need for better connections between ferry, bus, and bicycle services.

Four thematic discussion tables addressed the following topics:

• Integration of ferry transport – including the need for better connections between terminals and bicycle routes and dialogue between operators.
• Buses as the “last-mile hero” – the need to invest in bicycle trailers and promote public transport as a complement to bicycle transport.
• Cooperation between SMEs and hassle-free travel – the importance of joint promotion and the creation of new tourist packages.
• Joint business models – opportunities for market development, the need to combine promotional budgets, and the development of cross-border products, e.g., new bicycle routes (Copenhagen–Gdańsk–Świnoujście–Rostock).

The discussion was also supplemented by conclusions from the European Cyclists’ Federation #CyclistsLoveTrains report, pointing to the growing importance of railways in the development of cycling tourism in Europe. The workshop in Klaipėda resulted in, among other things:

• a list of challenges and recommendations for the integration of transport and cycling tourism,
• ideas for international cycling packages and promotional activities,
• proposals for pilot solutions (e.g., bike parades or joint packages for SMEs),
• the involvement of transport operators in the process of creating new services,
• contribution to the development of a transport visibility strategy on the eurovelo10.com website.

During the workshop, experiences and challenges in the field of cycling tourism were presented by, among others, the Klaipeda Region Association and TT-Line. The materials and summaries of the discussions will be used in further work on the development of the offer and promotion of cycling routes around the Baltic Sea.