La Fiera del Cicloturismo in Padua: Croatia at the top of European cycle tourism according to the new index for 2026.
Croatia received strong confirmation of its position in the active holiday market in one of the most important European tests of attractiveness for bicycle travel. At La Fiera del Cicloturismo, held from March 27 to 29, 2026 in Padua, the Cycle Tourism Index 2026 was presented, a new study produced by Bikenomist and komoot, which for the first time ranks European regions in a comparable and data-based way according to their attractiveness for international cycle tourists. At the very top of the overall ranking were Croatian destinations, with Istria taking first place, while Primorje-Gorski Kotar County ranked third in Europe. Such a result further reinforces the impression that Croatia is no longer only a seasonally attractive destination for a classic summer holiday, but also a seriously profiled destination for travellers who want to combine movement, nature, gastronomy and cultural content.
The importance of this piece of information goes beyond the symbolism of placement on the ranking itself. In European tourism, cycle tourism has in recent years outgrown its niche and become a segment that directly affects the extension of the season, the dispersion of guests outside the most burdened points and the development of more sustainable forms of travel. That is why the fact that several Croatian coastal regions are among the ten highest-rated in Europe is not only a promotional success, but also a signal to the market that Croatia has continuity of offer, and not merely individual successful localities. It is precisely this continuity, that is, a recognizable and connected Adriatic cycle tourism system, that is increasingly cited in international analyses as one of Croatia's key advantages.
Istria at the top of Europe, Croatian regions dominant at the very top
According to data from the Cycle Tourism Index 2026, the top of the European ranking consists of Istria, the Spanish Balearic Islands and Primorje-Gorski Kotar County. Immediately behind them follow Zadar County, the Canary Islands, Šibenik-Knin County, Trentino-Alto Adige, Dubrovnik-Neretva County, Lika-Senj County and Split-Dalmatia County. Such an arrangement shows that the Croatian presence at the European top is not concentrated only in one strongest region, but that it is a broader territorial pattern in which several Adriatic areas simultaneously achieve high results.
This is especially important in comparison with competing markets. The index covered 14 European countries, among them Germany, France, Italy, Spain, the United Kingdom, Austria, Switzerland, Belgium, the Netherlands, Poland, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Slovenia and Croatia. The methodology is based on aggregated data on the activities of foreign users who completed at least one cycling route in the observed regions during 2025. In other words, this is not a survey impression or a promotional evaluation of destinations, but an attempt to measure international attractiveness through the actual behaviour of users and their choices on the ground. That is precisely why Croatia's result carries additional weight: the high ranking stems from the real presence of foreign cyclists in Croatian regions, and not only from reputation or marketing visibility.
Viviana Vukelić, Director of the Croatian National Tourist Board Representation in Italy, assessed that Croatia stands out in particular with a strong and connected Adriatic cycle tourism system with several highly ranked regions. Such an assessment fits well with what has been visible on the market in recent years: the Croatian coast and hinterland offer a combination of favourable climate, diverse relief, shorter distances between attractions and a strong gastronomic and cultural component, which allows cyclists to obtain a content-rich experience in a relatively small area.
Seasonality as an advantage, not a weakness
One of the more important findings of the new index relates to seasonality. The research does not only provide an annual ranking, but also seasonal indices that show when individual regions achieve the greatest attractiveness for foreign cycle tourists. In the winter period, the leading positions are held by the Canary and Balearic Islands and Istria, while in spring the Balearics, Istria and Primorje-Gorski Kotar County remain among the strongest. In summer, first place once again belongs to Istria, followed immediately by Primorje-Gorski Kotar and Zadar County. In the autumn part of the year, the most successful include the Balearic Islands, Istria and the Canary Islands.
For Croatian tourism, this information is particularly important because it shows that cycling demand does not have to be confined within the classic months of the peak bathing tourism season. On the contrary, it is precisely in the pre-season and post-season that Croatia has the opportunity to further capitalize on its mild climate, well-preserved landscapes and an ever-growing network of thematic routes. In practice, this means that cycle tourism can help achieve a more even distribution of guests throughout the year, relieve the most burdened summer weeks and increase the use of accommodation, hospitality and related capacities in periods when they are traditionally less occupied. Such an effect is especially important in destinations seeking a more sustainable growth model and wanting to avoid excessive dependence on a few peak summer months.
Paolo Pinzuti, founder and CEO of Bikenomist, emphasized that the Cycle Tourism Index represents the first step towards a more systematic understanding and management of cycle tourism in Europe on the basis of concrete data rather than assumptions. And that is precisely the broader value of such a tool. For tourist boards, regional management structures and the private sector, it can be the basis for more precise planning of infrastructure, promotion and products, but also for a better understanding of when and why a particular destination attracts international guests on two wheels.
Why Croatia is competitive for cyclists from abroad
The Croatian result is not accidental, nor can it be reduced only to the beauty of the coast. According to available official information, Croatia has for years been developing an institutional framework for cycle tourism, and the Ministry of Tourism and Sport, through the Coordination Body for the Development of Cycle Tourism, highlights the country's inclusion in the EuroVelo network. Four EuroVelo routes pass through Croatia: EV6, EV8, EV9 and EV13. In this way, the domestic network is connected with the wider European cycling corridors, which is important for foreign guests not only from the perspective of orientation and travel planning, but also from the perspective of trust in a destination recognized within the European route system.
Particularly important is EuroVelo 8, the Mediterranean Route, which encompasses a number of Croatian tourist regions from Istria to the far south. EuroVelo points out that the Croatian section of this route covers seven tourist regions, which further confirms the territorial breadth of the offer. Combined with the national promotion of cycling as a form of active holiday, Croatia thus gains a framework that is easy for international guests to understand: sea, islands, national and nature parks, wine and gastronomic roads, historic towns and the possibility of a relatively quick transition from coastal to continental or mountainous landscapes. For cycle tourists, this is an important value because from one destination they increasingly expect more than the ride itself: they seek an experience of place.
It is precisely here that Croatian regions have a comparative advantage. Istria has long been recognized as an area that combines cycling with an eno-gastronomic offer, well-maintained smaller roads and a destination profile suitable both for recreational riders and more experienced cyclists. Kvarner and Primorje-Gorski Kotar County offer a strong combination of coast, islands and mountainous hinterland. Zadar County and Šibenik-Knin County rely on an indented coast, national parks and attractive transitions between the sea and karst. Dubrovnik-Neretva County and Split-Dalmatia County carry additional weight because of the international recognizability of their cities and islands, while Lika-Senj County shows how areas outside the typical postcard image of the Adriatic can also be competitive when they offer scenic strength and the experience of open space.
The fair in Padua as a mirror of the growth of the entire sector
The very fact that the new European index was presented in Padua is not insignificant. La Fiera del Cicloturismo in Italy has positioned itself as the largest event entirely dedicated to cycling travel, and the edition held at the end of March 2026, according to the organizer's official data, confirmed record levels of interest. More than 27,000 visitors, 268 exhibitors and co-exhibitors from 20 countries and 12 Italian regions, 210 accredited journalists, more than 60 talks and meetings with around 120 speakers, and 1,112 business meetings between professionals show that cycle tourism is no longer a marginal segment of the tourism industry. It is a market that builds its own fairs, professional networks, specialized media and strong B2B contacts.
Such sectoral development is important for Croatia as well, because the competitiveness of a destination today is built not only by attractive nature, but also by the ability to appear on international markets, cooperation with tour operators, media and digital platforms, and clear positioning towards different guest profiles. Fairs like this therefore have a double role: on the one hand they serve to promote destinations to end users, and on the other they become a place where the future development of the product is defined, from infrastructure and logistics to digital visibility and specialized travel packages.
In this context, it is not negligible that, alongside the Croatian National Tourist Board, a wider circle of domestic participants presented themselves at the fair. In addition to Croatia's general tourist offer, Istria, Kvarner, Međimurje County and Terme Sveti Martin were present, and for the first time also Karlovac County and the Slavonia cluster. This broader presence suggests that Croatia is trying to develop a cycle tourism identity beyond the strongest coastal regions. Although according to the index the Adriatic belt is currently the most competitive, the inclusion of continental areas may in the long term help broaden the product and reduce regional imbalance in tourism demand.
What such a ranking means for Croatian tourism
For domestic tourism, the most important question is not only how the fact that Istria is first in Europe sounds, but what can be operationally drawn from such a result. First of all, it confirms that active holidays and lower-carbon travel are no longer only an addition to the classic tourism offer, but an important part of a market that seeks specific infrastructure, quality information, safety on routes and content beyond the ride itself. Second, the results show that Croatia has a strong base for further strengthening the pre-season and post-season, when cyclists often seek pleasant temperatures and fewer crowds. Third, it is visible that destinations perform best when they offer a connected system, and not fragmented individual products.
This is also the most important message of the new index. Croatia is at the European top because on the cycle tourism map it appears as a series of mutually recognizable and market-legible regions. At a time when tourism policies are increasingly directed towards sustainability, dispersion and a higher quality of experience, such a model can be one of the country's more important development advantages. If investment continues in the route network, signage, the digital availability of information and the linking of cycle tourism with local gastronomy, natural heritage and small-scale accommodation providers, Croatia's result from Padua could prove to be not only good news from one fair, but an indicator of a deeper change in the structure of the domestic tourism offer.
Sources:- Croatian National Tourist Board – official announcement on participation at the fair in Padua and the results of the Cycle Tourism Index 2026. link
- Cycle Tourism Show – official announcement on the presentation of the Cycle Tourism Index 2026, the research methodology and the European ranking of regions. link
- Fiera del Cicloturismo – official fair website with information on the date, location and nature of the event in Padua. link
- Cycle Tourism Show – official overview of the figures for the 2026 edition, including the number of visitors, exhibitors, speakers and B2B meetings. link
- Ministry of Tourism and Sport of the Republic of Croatia – information on the Coordination Body for the Development of Cycle Tourism and Croatia's inclusion in the EuroVelo network. link
- EuroVelo – official overview of Croatia's inclusion in the European cycling route network and basic information on Croatian sections. link
- komoot – business page of the platform with data on the global user community and the reach of the digital platform used in the analytical framework of the research. link
Find accommodation nearby
Creation time: 2 hours ago