The Enjoy Abruzzo team took part in the event for the first time‘event organized by RCS Sport, one of a kind worldwide. How did it go? A second place overall in the GiroE general ranking! but a first place promotion during the 20 stages of this eBike experience.
At the end of the wonderful 2024 edition of the GiroE!, let’s take stock. This method of promoting the territory, through a sporting event, brought a great result, because the team came second overall in the general classification: truly unexpected for a debuting team. The captain, Alessandra Fior, athlete and triathlete, AIRC Ambassador, was thus able to wear the blue shirt, the second most important shirt of all the shirts assigned, with her team. The emotion of going on stage for the final photo with the Colosseum in the background was the classic icing on the cake, where the cake was the extraordinary result from a sporting point of view but equally extraordinary for the impact of the tourist communication that it has had this participation in the tour.
Italy in 1,165 km
During the 20 stages, Enjoy Abruzzo, in every place where the hospitality area of the team inside the paddock and the Fun Village, distributed promotional material of the region: from brochures, to gadgets, to cycling tourism maps of Abruzzo.
A territorial marketing action, carried out in an unconventional and therefore innovative way with the aim of reaching the pool of potential future tourists and making it clear that Abruzzo is an absolutely cycle and cycle tourism region, which is well suited for holidays of this type. This market segment, which in recent years has experienced growth beyond all expectations, has seen the green region of Europe as an all-round cycling destination, with mountains just a few kilometers from the sea and an intact territory between natural parks and reserves national. A true paradise for the world of cycle tourism, where every type of cyclist finds its ideal dimension.
Participation in the GiroE! with an all-Abruzzo team, by will of the President of the Abruzzo Region, Marco Marsilio, was the real novelty, and the choice to rely on a company like Bianchi which supplied super performing bikes was certainly a winning one. To give even greater prominence to the cycling nature of the region, the team’s bikes have been branded with the names of as many Abruzzo champions who have distinguished themselves in the history of the pink race, paying homage to them: Alessandro Fantini, Vito Taccone, Palmiro Masciarelli, Stefano Giuliani, Matteo Rabottini, Danilo Di Luca, Vincenzo Meco, Giulio Ciccone.
The team was assisted by Team Managers Maurizio Formichetti and Claudio Di Dionisio and with the technical and logistical organization of the Abruzzo Tour Operator Bikelife/Isytravel.
The value of cycle tourism
Cycle tourism is an important sector for Italy, in all its facets, from sports cycling to pedal tourism, as confirmed by the 4th report “Traveling by bike 2023”, created by Isnart for the Observatory on the Tourism Economy of the Chambers of Commerce promoted with Legambiente (recently presented during the last edition of the Cycle Tourism Fair, held in Bologna in early April 2024).
It is a form of tourism that never stops gathering new fans and breaking records: in 2023 there were 56.8 million visitors with an estimated direct economic impact of over 5.5 billion euros, up 35% on 2022 and by 19% on 2019 (4.6 billion). The complete report can be downloaded from the ISNART website.
In addition to its numerical dimension, the true value of cycle tourism lies in its ability to promote deseasonalisation and generate tourist flows also towards less frequented areas and more subject to depopulation, as happens in some areas of Abruzzo.
The use of these events as promotional tools is therefore confirmed as an important opportunity to communicate and raise awareness of the beauty and riches of a destination with great potential such as Abruzzo.
Thanks
- Main Partner: Abruzzo, Toto Holding, Vini Fantini, Eco Villaggio, Mario De Cecco
- Technical Partners: Bianchi, RH+, Pasquarelli Auto
- Supporters: Alaracing Blub, Brynje, Eu Bottle, Vulcanet
- Isy Travel/Bikelife Group is a tour operator that develops projects to promote the area through sporting events and active holidays, combining sincere and meaningful experiences with a deep commitment to sustainability and authenticity. Isy Travel does not just offer itineraries, but an opportunity for sincere meetings with local people. We immerse ourselves in their daily lives, building authentic bonds that go beyond the surface of conventional tourism. Isy travel, an authentic exploration of the world.
GiroE official website: https://www.giroe.it/
