Cycling tourism offers a diverse market. Europe is the largest source market for cycle tourism, and recently Herzegovina is becoming aware of its cycle tourism potential, investing in expanding its cycle tourism offer and promoting the existing one. The demand for this market niche is growing, an increasing number of cycle tourists from all over the world are visiting Herzegovina, with the desire to explore the natural and cultural riches of this still unexplored country. Cycling tourism offers many opportunities, including experience with the local community, cycling tours in rural areas with some new experiences, and with the arrival of e-bikes, new opportunities are opening up.
One of the most attractive cycle tourism offers in Herzegovina is the Ćiro trail, and just today it experienced another big promotion on the section from Hutovo to Neum. Namely, the association HerzegovinaBike, together with the municipality of Neum and the REDAH agency, organized the promotional Ćiro bicycle race. The event, which gathered 130 cyclists from the countries of the region, once again promoted the tourism capacities of Herzegovina, and the cyclists visited Hutovo, and by cycling along the old road through local towns, they reawakened the life that used to breathe here. When the bicycle tour arrived in Neum, it met with great interest and support from the local population, and aroused the interest of many foreign tourists who stayed in Neum, and the guests were also welcomed by the municipal authorities, who prepared a reception at the central location on the waterfront.
“We are extremely happy about the Ćiro cycle path and that Neum is on this map. As a tourist destination, we are aware of the potential behind cycle tourism and we notice an increasing number of guests looking for this active form of tourism, and our task is to follow trends and We are expanding Neum’s tourist offer. That’s why I can freely say that Neum supports cycling and we hope that there will be more and more events like this because they promote a healthy way of life, the cycle tourism offer of Neum, but also the richness of Neum’s hinterland,” commented Dragan Jurković, mayor of Neum municipality.
Upon arriving at the waterfront, the cyclists had lunch and a pleasant swim in the Adriatic Sea.
“Another successfully realized event is behind us and we are extremely happy about it. We are happy because for a very long time we have been investing great efforts in the organization of these events and with each organized event we promote the tourist offer of our country, and the increasing number of cycle tourists we see on the roads of Herzegovina it gives us an additional wind behind us because we know we are doing a good thing. This is the first in a series of Ćiro cycling events that visited Neum and we are happy to be here today and promote our southernmost point and access to the sea,” commented Toni Zorić, president of the HerzegovinaBike association .
“I would like to take this opportunity to thank all our guests, the cyclists who came from all over Bosnia, Croatia and Montenegro, and enjoyed cycling through the regions of Herzegovina and having a pleasant day at the seaside,” added Zorić.
The next Ćiro bicycle race is already waiting for us in the month of July, to be precise on 02.07. on the section from Hutovo to Ravni, and the bicycle race is held in memory of the deceased Nikša Vuletić, the director of Spilja Vjetrenica.
In addition to the Ćiro trail, a cycling event in honor of St. Anti was also held in Herzegovina today, which was organized by the clubs BK Ljubuški and BK Brotnjo, and which gathered more than a hundred cyclists. Cyclists gathered on the town square in Brotnje, and cycled through Međugorje and Ljubuški all the way to the church of St. Ante Padovanski in Humac, where a mass was held for all the participants of the cycling event. Already traditionally, after the mass, the socializing continued at Čeveljuša with Herzegovinian delicacies.
Heregovina is slowly but surely becoming one of the leading European destinations for cycle tourism, and every year it is visited by more than 100,000 tourists who come with the aim of touring the country by bike and enjoying the untouched nature and the network of cycling trails.
And this is normal if we take into account that Herzegovina is located in a privileged location, with impressive mountain ranges, as well as proximity to the sea, a mild climate and many other factors that turn Herzegovina into a perfect environment and a perfect paradise for cycling tourism. The members of the HerzegovinaBike association have been aware of the potential that this country offers for many years, and they promote our cycle tourism paradise with their excellent organizations.
The organizers would like to thank their friends and sponsors who supported the Ćira railway: Neum municipality, HNŽ/K Tourist Board, HT Eronet company, Leda water and Capriolo SC Mostar store.