Hi Reader,

As preparations for Symposium 2027 continue, I thought it would be fun to hear directly from the person making it all happen.

For those who haven't met him yet, Lars from Hamburg City Cycles is our local host for next year's Symposium, and over the past months he's been helping us shape what promises to be a fantastic event.

He recently shared some thoughts about Hamburg, the city, the cycling culture, and what members can expect next year.

Quick Facts About Hamburg

• ~1.9 million residents
• ~5.5 million people across the metropolitan region
• Hamburgers were not invented in Hamburg (sorry everyone)
• Europe's third-largest port, despite being 90km from the North Sea
• St. Pauli is one of the biggest nightlife districts in Europe
• Hamburg has approximately 2,500 bridges — more than Amsterdam and Venice combined

What Makes Hamburg Such a Great City to Explore by Bike?

According to Lars:

"The city is completely flat and although Hamburg is huge, most of the interesting areas for visitors are within a 15-minute bike ride from our shop."

No traffic jams.
Easy parking.
Great infrastructure.
And in many cases, cycling is simply the fastest way to move around the city.

Hamburg has invested heavily in cycling infrastructure over recent years, making it an increasingly bike-friendly destination.

What Is Lars Most Excited to Show Us?

"My hometown and its spirit."

As Lars explains:

"Hamburg isn't as hip as Berlin and isn't as posh as Munich. It's somewhere in between, with space for everyone."

Outside Germany, many people know surprisingly little about the city.

"But everyone loves it after they've been here."

How Are Preparations Going?

Pretty well.

The Symposium venue is planned for Gängeviertel, a fascinating artistic district that was originally occupied by artists before eventually being bought back by the city from investors.

Accommodation options are being finalized in a lively neighbourhood full of bars and restaurants.

And the Symposium dinner?

Let's just say Lars has his eye on a very well-known local restaurant.

We're already looking forward to it.

If you haven't secured your place yet, now is a good time to start thinking about it.

Secure your symposium ticket

Groupwork Gold Nuggets 💛

This week's insights come from:

Morning Group D: The Tech Optimizers — AI & Data​
(Julian Zimmermann, Fabien Bircheux, Kim Tierenteyn, Bruno Correia, Javier Muela Díaz, Miguel Serano)

3. Which tech tool has been your most expensive mistake?

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

Tool of the Week 🛠️

This week's resource focuses on one of the most underused growth channels available to operators:

The Local Partnership Playbook

How to Build a Local Referral Network That Generates Bookings All Year Round

Most operators think about growth through:

• OTAs
• Google Ads
• SEO
• Social media

All important.

But many overlook one of the most powerful booking sources available: Local partnerships.

• Hotels.
• Hostels.
• Tourist offices.
• Activity providers.
• Restaurants.
• Local businesses.

This guide walks through a simple system to build referral relationships that consistently generate bookings without relying entirely on paid advertising or OTA platforms.

Because sometimes your next customer is already standing at someone else's reception desk.

Download it here

Community — Highlights ➡️

The WhatsApp group continued to deliver exactly what it's there for: operators helping operators.

Denis from Albania came in strong this week, asking for feedback on his business, website, and upcoming Google Ads strategy.

And the community responded.

Members shared detailed comments, suggestions, and practical advice drawn from their own experience running bike tour businesses.

Elsewhere in the group:

• Discussions continued around fleet purchasing and e-bike suppliers
• Members compared experiences with bike brands, maintenance costs, and battery replacement
• Toomas successfully negotiated free transport on a bike order (which received some well-deserved admiration)
• Rob and Jos reminded us that Cycle Cities friendships often extend far beyond WhatsApp chats

Exactly the kind of conversations we like to see.

Last week I asked a simple question:

How is June looking compared to last year?

Results:

• Better → 6
• Similar → 3
• Slower → 9

What's particularly interesting is that while several operators are having stronger months than last year, a larger group is reporting a slower June.

I followed up with a question to better understand what's driving those differences:

• Are stronger operators seeing improvements from specific channels?
• Are slower operators experiencing fewer bookings, different customer segments, or simply later booking behaviour?

So far... silence. 😄

I'm guessing everyone is busy running tours.

But if you have thoughts, I'd still love to hear them. Understanding market trends across the network is valuable for all of us.

See you in the next buzz,

Isabella

Managing Director (Interim)
Cycle Cities 🚲