September 27, 2019 – The Makarska Riviera, Imotski and Vrgorac, which includes Biokovo, are actively working together to promote cycling tourism in the county.
HRTurizam writes that one of the projects that will promote this outdoor segment of tourism is the cycling spectacle ‘CRO Race’, which starts from Osijek on October 1st and rides to Biokovo and Makarska on the third day.
Specifically, CRO Race is organized by Top Sport Events, which has proven itself through the successful organization of all ‘Tour of Croatia’ editions over the past four years. This year, the race will include six stages, covering more than a thousand kilometers across Croatia. The race will be broadcast on six continents of the world.
When it was previously organized as ‘Tour of Croatia’, the race also passed through the Makarska Riviera, Biokovo and Zabiokovlje, and footage of the race itself was shown in 190 countries, which contributed globally to the promotion of this part of Split-Dalmatia County. It is the result of a collaboration between the Makarska Tourist Board and Spot, which through its brand “Trail – Full Cycling Experience”, develops the Makarska Riviera, Biokovo and Zabiokovlje as a cycling tourism destination.
“Beautiful nature, spectacular views, along with quality roads, accommodation facilities, and the gastronomic offer makes the Makarska Riviera and Biokovo ideal for cycling tourism. It is an enormous potential that can be greatly developed with a serious approach and program,” announced the race organizer Vladimir Miholjevic.
“We will cover all places of the Makarska Riviera, and cyclists will go through all their centers. It will be spectacular! Thanks to fantastic television footage from earlier races that toured the world, a group of UK reporters arrived, riding across Biokovo on a fascinating road leading to the very top. They were thrilled! They wrote a great report, published on 7-8 pages, a subtle, honest, personal experience. Those of us who live in this destination realize that we really do not appreciate it enough only when others open our eyes. Cycling tourism can only do good to the destination, and discover it in a new way, with a different perspective,” he explains, pointing out that it is necessary to develop infrastructure that includes cycling paths, as well as other services that cyclists need.
Miholjevic notes that he participated in the meeting with the tourist board and hotelier and is pleased that the potential has been recognized and that there is a will to develop it.
“The Makarska Riviera, Imotski and Vrgorac is a unique area along Biokovo, ideal for the development of cycling tourism, so we have contracted with Spot, who will then propose measures that we will take to raise the offer to a higher level, complement it with all that the modern cycling tourist needs, and promote it. The development of cycling tourism is one of the strategic plans for the development of our destinations for the development of the post-season and pre-season,” said Hloverka Novak Srzić, Director of the Makarska Tourist Board.
Spot is trusted with developing the destination for cycling tourism. “We are currently reviewing the condition of existing trails and looking for new ones. After determining the complexity of the route, we go to different stakeholders. Of course, it defines how the route is prepared, its equipment, services, and other things. We also educate business people who are familiar with the specifics of our guests, as well as the local governments, who will be educated on ways to maintain the route,” explains Karlo Kucan, the company’s director.
“After that, there is the promotional part in which we include hotels, prepare photo, video and printed materials, and in 2020 and 2021, we will present the Makarska Riviera at four tourist fairs. The destination cannot be branded overnight,” Kucan emphasizes, adding that “we cannot have adrenaline parks on Biokovo because of the karst, which does not allow it, but we have an excellent opportunity to develop mountain biking. On the coastal part, we are somewhat restricted by the traffic on the highway, but that is why the hinterland of Biokovo is an uncut diamond for cycling tourism.”
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