There is no doubt that Tuscany is one of the most popular destinations for both Italian and foreign visitors when it comes to picking memorable experiences, especially if they love bike riding.
Understanding why is quite simple: there are countless opportunities to live unique experiences in Tuscany as they range from the discovery of local cuisine to the possibility of dive into both its natural and urban unique landscapes. The ever-changing modern market poses a new challenge to those who deal with (or want to deal with) the tourism industry in Tuscany.
Visitors are no longer just looking for a place to take a picture: they want to experience a destination with all 5 senses.
Tuscany is widely known to play a stable position as a destination brand; however, this also means that suppliers will need to find original ways to stand out from the crowd. How? Today we are going to discuss an example of 360-degree experience in Tuscany that revolves around bike riding.
Bike riding in Tuscany: more than just a visit
The times where the stereotype of tourists with Bermuda shorts, Hawaiian t-shirt, a camera hanging from the neck while riding a Vespa are over.
The modern market involves people interested in active tourism experiences and this also includes sports and activities that go beyond the classic tour. The adventure-travel sector has seen a growth of 27% over the last year in Europe, showing a shift in consumers’ behavior that is moving towards more immersive tourism experiences.
Also, it’s interesting to note that according to the latest reports, to do so, they are willing to spend a higher budget. In fact, according to a recent survey by the Adventure Travel Trade Association, travelers who choose active tourism experiences spend twice as much as leisure tourists and tend to spend more on buying local products.
The spread of cycling tourism in Tuscany confirms this. With over 200 itineraries available, bike riding in Tuscany is a must: the mountain, coastal and hilly landscapes of Tuscany make this type of experience truly unique and it aligns with the current trends.
Although Tuscany tends to be an over tourism destination, the birth and development of active tourism such as bike riding experiences push the market towards more original and unique tour products and creates room for a unique requalification of well-known and lesser-known destinations. An example of this is the bike riding experience in Val D’Orcia, Tuscany offered by Michele.
An example of unique experiences in Tuscany: bike riding through history and landscapes
In the 14th century, Ghino di Tacco was a bandit who sowed terror in the countryside of Val D’Orcia. According to history, on one occasion, the lord of the village had to rely on a group of brave knights to collect as much food as possible in the nearby countryside to avoid an inevitable famine.
From this historical anecdote, Michele, a cycling tour guide, now offers a 28 km bike riding tour through the Tuscan countryside: he plays the role of the lord of the village that guides his guests, that play the brave knights in the story. The experience Michele offers is far from the usual bike riding tour in Tuscany and ensures total immersion in the landscape and history of one of the most beautiful territories of the region: Val D’Orcia.
Thanks to Artès’ training in experiential tourism, Michele has successfully created an original and unique experiential tourism product in Tuscany that is coherent with the growing demand for relationships, emotions and all-around experiences of the modern traveler.
This is why Michele’s bike riding tour in Val D’Orcia, Tuscany is a great example of how to rethink a destination in an original way and successfully revolutionizes the way the destination attractiveness is conceived and managed.
All our experiential tourism products – what we call our “stories to live together” – want to convey just that: we train and support local suppliers in order to help them develop unique experiences in Tuscany as well as all over Italy that our partners are welcome to peruse.
Feel free to have a look at our full listing on our website for more information.