Despite the increase of interest in cycle tourism, there are still many topics that should be addressed:
- SMEs have significant difficulty in reaching international markets with their offer, both in the Baltic Sea region and in other parts of Europe (insufficient knowledge, funds, lack of tools, unattractive offer focused around a single area, lack of multi-day offers)
- A large share of tourism companies (SMEs) are active only on the local market (based on selected route sections)
- Local tourism operators have mainly 1-day trip offers in their catalogues
- SMEs from areas outside of large urban centers focus on services for domestic visitors/tourists, rather than international ones
- Still low level of awareness among key stakeholders (local governments, associations, SMEs) regarding the potential offered by bicycle tourism, brought by the exchange of business contacts, or the needs related to the quality of services offered
Seed Money allows for the creation of space for running consultations/meetings with partners, to meet their needs and expectations, and planned activities will increase the opportunities for SMEs from the Baltic Sea region to carry out joint cross-border activities contributing to their development.
