Hi Reader,

Apparently there's a World Cup happening... 😄

As a Venezuelan, I have to admit I've barely noticed. Since we've never actually qualified, it has never really become a tradition for me. And there is the other sad news from my country taking much more space right now. (My family and friends are safe).

So, I'm really happy if your team is doing great, or I'm very sorry if it's disqualified.

Let's dive in.

Symposium News 🤝

Every week Hamburg gets a little closer.

One of the speakers I'm personally most excited about is Christian Tänzler, President of the German Cycling Association (ADFC).

If you haven't watched Steve's interview with Christian yet, it's well worth your time.

👉 Watch the interview here​

One thing struck me while rewatching it this week.

Christian talks about how changing travel patterns are creating new opportunities for cycling tourism, including the rise of "coolcations"; travellers actively choosing cooler destinations during increasingly hot summers.

That immediately reminded me of last week's WhatsApp discussion, where members from across Europe shared how they're adapting tours during the current heatwaves.

It's exactly what makes this community valuable.

One conversation becomes another. One insight connects to a wider industry trend.

And suddenly you're not just solving today's problem, you're preparing for tomorrow's opportunities.

If you haven't secured your Symposium ticket yet, Hamburg is shaping up to be one of our strongest editions yet.

Groupwork Gold Nuggets 💛

One of the best things about Symposium is that every discussion comes from operators facing the same challenges we all experience every day.

This week we're staying with Morning Group E – Operational Excellence: Logistics

Yannis Skiadopoulos · Rupert Riedl · Kay Farrell · Hegoi Iparraguirre · Pedro Basso · Gerard Feijen

3. How do you ensure safety protocols are followed by every guide?

The group agreed that great safety isn't created through checklists—it's created through culture.

The following content is only visible for the Cycle Cities Members.

Tool of the Week 🛠️

We're still collecting responses for the Cycle Cities Ads & Acquisition Survey, so it's a little early to publish meaningful benchmarks.

The more operators contribute, the more valuable the final resource will become.

If you haven't completed it yet, we'd really appreciate your input.

👉 Complete the survey here​

But I'm not coming empty handed!

I've also finally recovered the Cycle Cities Members Map.

Before we publish the updated version, I'd love your help checking that your location is correct.

If you notice your pin is in the wrong place, or missing altogether, just send me a quick message and I'll update it.

👉 View the map here​

Community — Highlights ➡️

High season is clearly keeping everyone busy, so the WhatsApp group has been a little quieter this week.

That's completely normal.

Running tours, managing staff, maintaining bikes and looking after guests leaves very little room for chatting online.

The community is always there whenever you need it.

If you have a question, want a second opinion, or simply want to share something that's worked well for your business, chances are someone else is wondering the same thing.

One small reminder before I go:

If you haven't already, it's worth claiming your WhatsApp username.

Since it's now connected across the wider Meta ecosystem, using the same username across WhatsApp, Instagram and Facebook makes it much easier for people to recognise your brand wherever they find you.

It's a tiny change that helps create a much more consistent online presence.

See you next week,

Isabella

Managing Director (Interim)
Cycle Cities 🚲