The 61st edition of the Presidential Cycling Tour of Türkiye (TUR) excites not only athletes but also tourism professionals. The Turkish Tourism Promotion and Development Agency (TGA), aiming to develop cycling tourism, is supporting the promotional aspect of the tour.
This year’s race route extends from Çeşme to Ankara. Passing through Aydın, Marmaris, Fethiye, Kemer, and Antalya, the race will cover a total of five cities, more than 20 districts, and nearly 60 villages and towns. The final stage will conclude in Ankara. Content produced and live broadcasts from these locations aim to contribute to Türkiye’s tourism economy.
Drawing attention to the large cycling tourism market in Europe, TGA seeks to increase Türkiye’s share. Through broadcasts along the route from Çeşme to Ankara, the attractions of Türkiye will reach 700 million households.
The global cycling tourism market is growing rapidly. Europe has long benefited from this sector, hosting 20–25 million cycling tourists annually, generating an economic volume exceeding 50 billion euros.
Türkiye, with its natural routes and rich cultural heritage, is among the countries focusing on expanding its share of this market. Approximately 60–70 percent of visitors coming to Türkiye for cycling tourism are Europeans. The role of the Cycling Federation’s events and races in promoting Türkiye is significant. Social media posts by participants and national media broadcasts reach a wide audience.
The largest event in this field is TUR. This year’s 61st edition will be held between April 26 and May 3. TGA, which considers cycling tourism a strategic focus area, is supporting the tour. Positioning sports tourism as a priority development area, TGA is concentrating on promoting Türkiye’s cycling tourism potential through global media activities with TUR.
Türkiye offers more than 200 cycling routes with riding opportunities for 9–10 months of the year. These routes are integrated with EuroVelo networks. TGA has made over 200 routes accessible through the GoCyclingTürkiye website.
On the accommodation side, which is crucial for cycling tourism, the “Cyclist-Friendly Accommodation Facility” program has been implemented. Across 16 cities in Türkiye, there are 58 cyclist-friendly facilities with a capacity of 19,538 rooms and 41,996 beds.
TGA officials stated that international collaborations have also been established to develop cycling tourism. These include cooperation with the German Cycling Federation, promotional activities through global organizations such as L’Etape by Tour de France and Tour of Antalya, hosting the EuroVelo & Cycling Tourism Conference in Turkey, participation in cycling tourism fairs such as Fiera Del Cicloturismo and Fiets en Wandelbeurs, and influencer partnerships.
