Cycle traffic analysis of the Oder-Neisse Cycle Route 2023 shows the economic importance of the D12 long-distance cycle route
Cycle traffic is an important economic factor in tourism. Just how important was examined as part of the Oder-Neisse Cycle Route 2023 cycle traffic analysis, which was commissioned by the district of Spree-Neisse/Wokrejs Sprjewja-Nysa on behalf of several project partners, including Märkisch-Oderland. The study continues the series of cycle traffic analyses that have been carried out for the Brandenburg section of the Oder-Neisse cycle route since 2009. The results of the study were presented on 13 May 2024 at the Theater am Rand in Zollbrücke (Brandenburg).
192,000 cycle tourists / €10 million turnover
For the study, the volume of cycling traffic was recorded at nine locations on the German section of the Oder-Neisse Cycle Route over the course of 2023. To find out the composition of the user groups, 1,200 passing cyclists were interviewed at seven locations between June and September about their motivation, travel distance and spending habits.
This is based on the assumption that 170,000 day trippers and 22,000 holiday cyclists (multi-day trippers) spent a total of around €10 million in the region. In addition, individual sections are also used daily by schoolchildren and professionals.
First cross-border collaboration
The Oder-Neisse Cycle Route 2023 cycle traffic analysis is the first collaboration between several project partners from the states of Brandenburg, Saxony and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. In addition to the districts of Spree-Neiße/Wokrejs Sprjewja-Nysa and Märkisch-Oderland, these include the cities of Frankfurt (Oder) and Guben, the Gartz (Oder) authority, the Mecklenburg-Vorpommern e. V. tourism association and the Oberlausitz-Niederschlesien mbH marketing company. The project was technically implemented by IGS Ingenieurgesellschaft Stolz mbH, Berlin.
The data obtained from the cycle traffic analysis provides the basis for justifying investments in the expansion of the cycle route and for cross-border marketing.
The Oder-Neisse Cycle Route / D-Route 12 is Germany's easternmost long-distance cycle route and is of national and international importance as part of the D-Route network. With the commitment to further cooperation, the local residents want to meet the needs of cyclists on this route even better in the future. The focus here is on uniform information for this 630 km long cycle route from the Czech Republic to the Baltic Sea. However, maintaining and developing the individual sections of the route is also a challenge.