Hi Reader,

What an amazing time we had in Lisbon at our 12th Symposium last week! We had bike tour operators from 22 different cities in attendance. Our meetings were productive, informative and collaborative. Filipe and the team at Lisbon Bike Tour treated us to amazing tours, beautiful food, weather and hospitality. What a memorable event!

After a tough year, coming back together, getting on the same page and delivering high value from the event was always my top priority. I am happy to say a very successful MISSION ACCOMPLISHED.

I am still collecting feedback from attendees. If you haven't filled out the form yet.. please do do ASAP.

If you weren't at Symposium, resources are below so you can catch up on what we learnt. I also need to bring you up to speed with the content of our Wednesday Connections Day session, about recent changes and new plans for Cycle Cities. Stay tuned for an email from me.

Community Changes

I've listened.

Thanks to you, and particularly in light of the open discussion we had in Lisbon last week, Cycle Cities is changing:

1. Symposium 2027 is going ahead because face-to-face connections are where our members get the most value.
2. We are moving from Mighty Networks to Whatsapp. This will simplify engagement and communications. Read below to find out more about our Whatsapp Community.
3. We are upgrading our website to optimise for AI.
4. Membership fees will decrease, effective this month. More about that in the next buzz.
5. I'm taking a step back, engaging a new Cycle Cities Managing Director to take on the important role of guiding our community. It's part-time, remote work.

Discussion

Yes... we are leaving Mighty Networks, and moving our discussion to the Whatsapp Community.

If you're not part of the Whatsapp Community, wou can fill out this form to register yourself and/or other members from your company.

NOTE: If you were part of the Symposium 2026 Whatsapp group, you are already in the community. No need to do anything.

Symposium Resources

All presentations and resources are below. If you don't have access, please request.

​Lisbon 2026 Presentations​

​The AI Ready Bike Tour Operator - 2026 Action Guide​

​Ari: School Groups & Dutch Customers​

​Brighton: Grassroots Inspiration​

​2026 Live Poll Results​

I still have your voicenotes/gold nuggets from your groupwork to get organised and distributed. Stay tuned for those.

On a personal note, I feel great about what happened last week. Keeping this community together for the last 15 years has not been easy, but I know what counts; hard work, face-to-face connections, a listening ear and great colleagues to lean on. To everyone who has supported me through the last 6 months, I am truly grateful.

We have a lot to be proud of, and a lot to look forward to. I am looking forward to my break, but I'll make sure the right people and systems are in place to keep the momentum. It's going to be a good year for bike tour operators!

Steve Kopandy The Director of Cycle Cities. View Profile