Hi Reader,

I wanted to open this week’s newsletter by addressing some feedback I recently received: it was pretty clear that some of our recent content felt a bit too "AI-generated."

You are completely right. To be honest, I tried to do too much with the limited time available, and it showed. I’m working on fixing that right now. Moving forward, you’ll likely see a bit less content across platforms, but it will be much more grounded, practical, and real.

On a related note, I really don't like being on camera, but I know how important it is for building real connection. I’m going to push past the discomfort and find a way to be more present and authentic. Bear with me while I figure it out!

Symposium News 🤝

We are currently working on the itinerary for Hamburg 2027. If you already signed up to attend, you already received an email from me. If you did not receive the email, reach out!

We want you to be part of the conversation. We are looking for members who want to step up as speakers. This is your chance to stand out, share your actual wins, talk openly about your struggles, and connect over the core realities of running an independent bike tour business. If you're interested in sharing your story, let me know.

⏰ Early Bird is over, but you can still catch the Flexi Rate

If you haven’t registered yet, now is the time to do it and secure the reduced rate.

Groupwork Gold Nuggets 💛

High season in Spain and Portugal is always packed with tourists, and it can be a problem if it is not handled properly. So, we asked the Iberian Logistics Group (Heat, Seasonality & Regulations) the following question in last year’s symposium:

1. How do you handle the extreme seasonality of staff hiring in Southern Europe?

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

Tool of the Week 🛠️

Every November, standard marketing blogs tell bike tour operators to "run winter social media campaigns" or "completely overhaul their websites."

If you’ve run a bike tour company for more than two seasons, you already know the truth: You cannot market your way out of a dead winter.

Winter is coming, yes, but that does not mean you have to prepare for the Night Walkers (Yes, that is a Game of Thrones reference). I've prepared a simple guide to help you organize for the cold months ahead.

The Off-Season & Cash-Flow Realist Playbook

Community — Highlights ➡️

Next week is our live webinar:

🤖 AI-Powered Social Media for Bike Tour Operators

📅 21 October​
🕖 19:00 CET​
⏱️ 1 hour​
💻 Google Meet (Click here to save it on your calendar)

This will be my first webinar in a long time. I’ll keep it practical and adapt it to most experience levels. It’s a great opportunity to learn what to do (and what not to do) to make social media manageable. Sometimes it feels like too much, but learning how to use the right tools can drastically lower your workload and save you hours of frustration.

Isabella

Managing Director (Interim)
Cycle Cities 🚲