Factors contributing to the sustainability of bicycle tourism: A literature review

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Carneiro, M. J., Albuquerque, H., Breda, Z., Eusébio, C., & Filomena, M. (2015). Factors contributing to the sustainability of bicycle tourism: A literature review. In ATLAS Annual Conference 2015: Risk in travel and tourism: Geographies, behaviours and strategies: Abstract book, Lisbon, Portugal, 21-23 October 2015 (p. 43). Disponível no Repositório UPT, http://hdl.handle.net/11328/2783

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In the last decades there has been a growing interest in forms of sustainable mobility in the context of tourism. Bicycle tourism has become an important tourism market segment that has possibly been increasing due to the growing awareness regarding sustainable development. The sustainability of bicycle tourism requires the simultaneous satisfaction of all the stakeholders involved and the preservation of all the endogenous resources of tourism destinations. The identification of factors that may contribute to the sustainability of bicycle tourism is of utmost importance to decrease the risks associated to the tourism development process. The use of bicycle as a mean of transport in tourism trips may contribute to decrease some environmental negative impacts of tourism on destinations, namely noise pollution and CO2 emissions. Moreover, this activity may generate important health benefits to bicycle tourists. However, it is important that this activity is developed in appropriate facilities – e.g. bicycle routes – to minimize the risk of accidents. The economic sustainability of some destinations may be also dependent on the destinations’ ability to appeal to tourism market niches such as bicycle tourists who greatly appreciate the contact with nature.