Cycling in Limburg generates €132 million for the province annually, according to figures from the regional tourism department.
Cycling tourism is a growing contributor to the Flemish province's leisure economy, which accounts for 9.2% of employment in the region. "The cycle route network is increasingly driving the Limburg leisure economy," local councillor Igor Philtjens told Het Belang van Limburg. "Many Limburgers also use the network to cycle to and from work or school."
Cycling tourists regularly flock to Limburg, spending an average of €34 per day on cycling expeditions and overnight stays. The promise of unique trails such as 'Cycling in the Water' and 'Cycling in the Trees' reel keen cyclists in, and 2,000 km worth of well-kempt cycling infrastructure do not disappoint.
Community approach
On top of economic advantages, cycling in Limburg constitutes a community activity. Although 42 different cities and municipalities share ownership of the province's cycle paths, an overseeing body manages a quality programme that allows tourists and locals alike to report issues ranging from fallen trees to poor road surface. There have been 1,150 calls to the hotline this year alone.
Maintenance teams follow up on all reports, and two private companies De Wroeter and De Biehal regularly provide services such as litter picking. They cover 30 km every day during high season.
Brussels behind
Cycling is becoming immensely popular in the Brussels-Capital Region too, with one in five Brussels residents cycling "every day" or "once or several times a week," according to a Brussels Mobility study.
Covid-19 lockdowns inspired many to get active and invest in two wheels. Since then, cycling infrastructure in Brussels has grown to 513 km in length, including two-way cycle paths, marked paths and shared cycle and footpaths.
However, the Urban Road Safety Index published by Cyclomedia shows that 55% of Brussels residents said they did not feel safe cycling in the city. The same proportion of participants said that better demarcation might mitigate these concerns.
Speaking to The Brussels Times in June, Fietsersbond policy officer Thomas Deweer said: "a cycling network is more than a few bits and pieces. There are indeed great cycle paths in a number of places, but those bits and pieces do not form a coherent whole."
