Abstract:
Cycling tourism is gaining attention as a form of sustainable tourism offering the opportunity to travel long-distances with minimum carbon impact on the environment. Cycling routes connect different regions and may extend from local to transnational scale covering vast territories and unifying them under various themes. Danube cycling route is part of the trans-European network of cycling routes (EuroVelo) and within the Upper basin of the Danube is a successful tourism product. Being identified by the European Union cycling tourism development is a newly introduced priority with strong potential for generating transnational relations among different stakeholders. As a result, a number of cross-border and transnational projects have been implemented with the financial support of EU funds. The current paper aims at providing an overview of cycling tourism potential and development level within the Middle and Lower Danube region with a focus on Danube cycling route. A comparative analysis of countries where the route passes is used to define the current status and propose recommendations to future initiatives and cooperation between stakeholders involved in development of cycling tourism routes.