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Hi Reader,
I imagine many of you are right in the middle of your busiest weeks of the season.
The WhatsApp group has been a little quieter lately, and honestly, that's probably a good sign. It usually means you're doing what you do best: running tours, welcoming guests and making the most of the summer.
While you've been busy on the ground, we've kept working behind the scenes.
This week I'm sharing something we've been building together over the past few months: the first Cycle Cities Customer Acquisition Benchmark, based entirely on experiences shared by members.
It's another step towards what I hope will become one of the most valuable parts of this community: practical knowledge built by operators, for operators.
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Symposium News 🤝
September will be here sooner than we think.
If you're planning to join us in Hamburg, this is a good moment to secure your place while the Early Bird ticket is still available.
Remember, the discounted rate ends in September, so don't leave it until the last minute.
Every Symposium brings together independent operators from across Europe (and beyond) to exchange ideas, solve common challenges and build relationships that often continue long after the event itself.
If you haven't booked yet, now is the perfect time.
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Groupwork Gold Nuggets 💛
We are moving on to the next group!
Morning Group F — Efficiency Engineers: Systems feturing: Lars Michaelsen · Jose Ferri · Luis Ulloa · Jos Teughels · Filipe Palma · Pedro Carmo
Question
What is the most tedious manual task in your office that needs automation?
Interestingly, the discussion wasn't about complex technology.
It was about the repetitive operational tasks that quietly consume hours every week.
Two themes stood out:
The following content is only visible for the Cycle Cities Members.
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📧 Manual booking confirmations
Several operators highlighted that personally confirming every reservation by email has become one of the biggest administrative time drains—especially during high season, when enquiries and bookings arrive constantly.
📅 Guide scheduling
Managing guide availability remains another major challenge. Coordinating freelancers, preferred working hours, holidays and daily schedules can quickly become a puzzle that many operators still handle manually.
Key takeaway
Sometimes the biggest productivity gains don't come from finding more customers—they come from giving yourself more time by removing repetitive work.
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Tool of the Week 🛠️
The Cycle Cities Customer Acquisition Benchmark 2026
Over the last few months, many of you have contributed to the Cycle Cities Ads & Acquisition Survey.
Rather than relying on generic marketing advice, we've brought together what operators are actually experiencing in their own businesses.
Inside you'll discover:
- Which channels are generating the most bookings
- How members are approaching Google Ads
- Which keywords consistently perform best
- The biggest acquisition challenges operators are facing
- Practical lessons learned from real campaigns
Every city is different.
Every market behaves differently.
But some patterns are beginning to emerge—and those shared experiences are often more valuable than any marketing blog or webinar.
👉 Download the Benchmark here
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Community — Highlights ➡️
High season has definitely slowed down the conversation in the WhatsApp group, and that's completely understandable.
One of the things I've realised over the past few months is that Cycle Cities doesn't need hundreds of messages every day to be valuable.
Sometimes one good question is enough to start a conversation that eventually becomes a newsletter, a Gold Nugget, a practical guide, or helps another operator solve a problem they didn't even know someone else had already faced.
So whenever something comes up, whether it's a marketing question, a supplier recommendation, a staffing challenge or simply something that's working particularly well in your business, don't hesitate to share it.
Chances are someone else is wondering exactly the same thing.
See you next week,
Isabella
Managing Director (Interim)
Cycle Cities 🚲
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