Bike Friendly at the Xenia 2021 Exhibition (November 27-29, 2021)

The Bike Friendly program participated in this year’s Xenia Exhibition, held at the Metropolitan Expo from November 27 to 29, 2021.

With its own booth, Bike Friendly showcased cycling at the exhibition and also participated in several discussion panels, reinforcing the message for the urgent need for sustainability in tourism.

Specifically, the General Director of NatTour, Ms. Vicky Karantzavelou, spoke at the exhibition’s “Xenia Digi Hotel 2021” event (Saturday, November 27, 2021, at 16:20 on the panel “Sustainability as a Key Marketing Tool for Hotels”) and at the “Xenia Build Hotel” event (Monday, November 29, 2021, at 13:00 on the panel “Traditional Materials, Local Tradition, and the Colors of Greece as Differentiating Elements in the Hospitality Sector”).

During her discussion on sustainability through the Bike Friendly label on the first day, Ms. Karantzavelou stated: “I believe that the Bike Friendly label, which is a new certification for hotels and destinations that can serve cyclists, exemplifies what we are discussing. That is, development with sustainability. We use bicycles to leave no footprint while also fostering growth because today’s new customers and tourists are interested in experience. Bicycles not only provide sustainability but also enhance the tourist’s experience, allowing a better connection with the area. The development of a destination can only occur through sustainability. This also fosters a trend of sustainability within the hotel sector as well.”

When asked why she chose bicycles as a symbol of sustainability, Ms. Karantzavelou mentioned: “We started with bicycles because we saw that throughout Europe, both locals and tourists use bicycles in their daily lives. Why not use them during their vacations in Greece? We set aside all the negatives; we want to gradually prove that you can also cycle in Greece. In just five years, we have 130 hotels, 10 municipalities, and 30 partners. I believe that our customers drove us to make this decision and effort with bicycles. The criteria for a hotel to be bike-friendly are quite straightforward. It involves forming partnerships with local businesses that rent bicycles, without requiring hotels to invest in purchasing bikes.”

Finally, Ms. Karantzavelou emphasized the importance of education, saying: “I would like to see a greater focus on education. Greek drivers should start yielding to bicycles, and cyclists should know both their rights and responsibilities. I believe that education is an area we are lacking.”

It is worth noting that many members of the Bike Friendly network visited the Bike Friendly booth and the “bicycle corner,” where discussions were held about further promoting and enhancing their cycling identity.