Kurzeme Tourism Association (KTA) is actively working at implementing the project "Central Baltic Cycling". KTA has conducted a study about the Cycling tourism situation and development opportunities in Kurzeme. Work with international tourism exhibitions and new Kurzeme cycling map and brochure preparation is under way. KTA is working on preparing the tourism offer "Train & Bike".
Kurzeme also is one of the largest areas of the project participants. To successfully implement the project, KTA has presented it in almost all, i.e. 24 Kurzeme Tourism region municipalities.
In 2012, KTA had conducted a study about Cycling tourism opportunities in the territory of Kurzeme. In this study, KTA was surveying and analyzing the cycling tourism offer, identifying new and perspective cycling tourism routes.
The results of survey are summarized and analyzed. KTA has identified new and perspective tourism cycling routes and has determined cycling tourism development areas in the region of Kurzeme.
The prepared study material serves as the base for the next KTA project activities: preparation and issue of the Kurzeme cycling map and brochure, and the material will be shared within the project framework in the most important tourism exhibitions of the year 2013 - in Finland, Sweden, Germany, Netherlands, Estonia and Latvia.
Also, the creation of a new tourism offer in Kurzeme has been started in 2012 - "Train & Bike". This activity includes preparation of cycling routes and offers for cyclists to those destinations which can be successfully combined with train and bike. The Tukums region is designated as the test area. Other destinations in Latvia, which have train traffic, can take after the experience of the Tukums region. During the activities, it is planned to explore the experience of other European countries in similar projects. After exploring the European countries experience, a review will be prepared covering the existing destinations accessible by train. Also a framework will be designed for making such an offer in Tukums region.
An important partner in the creation of "Train&Bike" offer is the joint stock company "Pasažieru vilciens" (Passenger Train) with which negotiations have been started. To start the creation of the offer "Train&Bike" and further development in Latvia, representatives of Kurzeme Tourism Association have already met with representatives from the joint stock company "Pasažieru vilciens" representatives. During the meeting, the joint stock company "Pasažieru vilciens" representatives were introduced with this project activity idea, further cooperation activities were discussed. Currently, the joint stock company "Pasažieru vilciens" is conducting a comprehensive client survey about train traffic and the quality of infrastructure, including the questions about cycling tourism.