28th. February 2016

Fiets en Wandelbeurs heavily attended

The fifth edition of the ‘Fiets en Wandelbeurs’, last weekend in Antwerp Expo, was also well attended. 14,712 visitors came looking for a route, a destination or a suitable bicycle for an active holiday. 

Pleasantly busy

"Once again, this year the visitors were a very engaged segment of the public, often with quite specific, targeted questions,” was the general consensus among the 300 exhibitors from the tourism sector, the travel sector, the bicycle and the outdoor world. Meanwhile at the information markets experienced walkers and cyclists sent visitors homeward with masses of ideas for trips, tours and travels.

Theme Country Spain

As Theme Country at this year’s ‘Fiets en Wandelbeurs’, Spain was the focus of a great deal of attention. No fewer than eleven regions and the organisation of ‘de Vías Verdes’, the green routes along former railway lines, presented a selection of the infinite scope for cycling and walking which the country offers.

Wallonia

Wallonia presented its ‘Bicycle Year 2016’ at the Fair. The region is making more effort to attract bicycling visitors, primarily from Flanders and the Netherlands. With an increasing emphasis on cycling networks.

The huge variation in types of bicycles or bikes on display was also striking. Trekking bikes, mountain bikes, children’s’ bicycles, e-bikes, e-mountain bikes and even speed pedelecs were comprehensively tested and trialled on three bike testing tracks.

Trophies

For the second time the ‘Fiets en Wandelbeurs’ also awarded a trophy for the Best Belgian Walking Rout of the Year. The Flemish-Brabant Getevallei Walking Network and the ‘Streek-GR Haspengouw’ both went home with the title of honour. Earlier on the Van Gogh Route from the Dutch province of North Brabant was declared winning Cycle Route of the Year.