Cycling, wine tourism and unique experiences to promote a new type of tourism in Navarra. The 'Navarra en Bici' program is already operational and brings together 70 organizations, including travel agencies, accommodation establishments and companies dedicated to specialized activities. This club has published an extensive catalog of services aimed at cycle tourists.
Navarra aspires to become a model of sustainable and responsible tourism in Europe, and to achieve this it has drawn up a clear plan: its ambitious Strategic Tourism Plan 2018-2025. Over the last few months, the foral community has been working on priority lines of action, which include specific strategies and their respective management and governance models, to improve its positioning. In particular, three areas stand out: cycle tourism, enogastronomy and exclusive experiences. Each of these areas already has or will have a product club.
In Navarra there are currently hundreds of kilometers of routes for cyclists, covering different types of routes. From the emblematic Camino de Santiago, ideal for bicycle tourism, to two EuroVelo routes, perfect for those who enjoy gravel. There are also five Greenways, suitable for families and children, and a wide variety of Mountain Bike (MTB) trails that are perfect for nature lovers, with multiple marked trails classified according to their difficulty.
For all those interested, the 'Navarra en Bici' club has come to life and is already operating at full capacity. This club was unveiled at Fitur 2024 and has the participation of 70 organizations, including travel agencies, accommodation establishments and specialized activity companies. Ana Rivas, general director of Tourism of Navarra, points out that its purpose is to establish "a robust collaboration network around projects with great tourism potential".
The collaboration with the companies of the 'Navarra en Bici' club will offer visitors to the region the opportunity to enjoy complete tourist plans and programs. Whether they opt for self-guided routes or prefer to be guided by professionals, the companies that are part of the club will provide not only digital routes, but also accommodation options, restaurants, staff trained in cycle tourism, menus adapted to the sporting activity and transfers to the start of the routes or from the point of arrival.
For those who prefer to plan their trip independently, the club offers a variety of specialized accommodations. These places have secure areas for storing bicycles, tools for making adjustments or small repairs, and charging spaces for electric bicycles. In addition, information is provided on campgrounds that are designed specifically for cyclists, which have the advantage of being located near various road, gravel and mountain bike trails.
All this information, along with many other data, is contained in an exhaustive catalog describing the services available to cycle tourists visiting Navarra. This includes agencies, equipment rental, repair and cleaning stations, accommodation and gastronomy options, as well as a presence on Europe's main cyclotourism platforms, such as Strava, Komoot, Wikiloc and Outdooractive.
In addition, as part of the activities carried out by this club, several conferences have been organized for all its members, focused on improving the professionalization, digitalization and marketing of the sector. The most recent one was held at the Urrobi campsite in Espinal. There have also been outstanding technical events, such as Ciclosferia, which is an important meeting on urban cycling and cycle tourism at the national level, held in May in Valencia, and another more recent one in November in Girona. On both occasions, around twenty representatives of companies and associations from Navarra had the opportunity to learn about global success stories, visit specialized accommodations and restaurants, and meet with institutions, companies and agencies that cater to cycle tourists.
This project, promoted by Turismo de Navarra through the Product Club 'Navarra en Bici', is supported by the European funds Next GenerationEU and the Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan of the Government of Spain.
In addition to its focus on cycling tourism, Navarra is distinguished by its incredible gastronomy, which fuses tradition and innovation, authentically reflecting its identity. This region not only enjoys excellent food, but also opts for different and healthy options. Becoming a reference both nationally and internationally in the field of gastronomic tourism is a fundamental objective of Navarra's Strategic Tourism Plan. To this end, work has been ongoing for some time based on six non-negotiable principles: identity, excellence, sustainability, collaboration, hospitality and inclusiveness.
Priority will be given to practices that ensure respect for the environment and local communities. Public-private partnerships will be encouraged from field to table. In addition, special attention will be paid to welcoming and valuing the experience of visitors. It will ensure that this type of tourism, to which Navarra is devoting efforts, is accessible to diverse audiences. In the short term, an enogastronomic club will be established, similar to the one that exists in the cycling tourism sector. This club will seek to bring together agri-food producers, restaurants, places of lodging, activity companies, consortiums, tourism and business associations, as well as local entities.
Unique experiences for tourism in Navarra
The third major strategy, which in the near future will give rise to another product club, focuses on exclusive or high-end experiences. This initiative is based on the idea that 'less is more' and will be promoted through public-private partnerships.
The formation of the Experiencias Exclusivas product club will boost competitiveness in Navarra's tourism sector. The benefits of joining include: the possibility of participating in joint promotion and marketing actions, accessing training programs, appearing in various communication and promotional materials created by the club and the Government of Navarra, enjoying advantages in accessing government aid and studies, accessing European funds, using the club's brand in its own promotional materials, and establishing connections with other companies and entrepreneurs to collaborate and develop joint actions.
Tourist cycling, gastronomy and unique experiences: because Navarre preserves its hidden treasures.
