Together with its partners, the Polish Tourism Organisation presented our bicycle tourism offer to Belgian audiences at the 2022 Bike Brussels.

Eagerly awaited during the two years of the pandemic hiatus, the Bike Brussels fair has returned to the Belgian tourism event scene. The fourth edition of the fair was organised between 25 and 27 March in Brussels at the famous Tour et Taxi. It is a complex that once was a station and customs office for goods coming via the canal connecting the port of Antwerp to the rest of the country. The revitalised, post-industrial venue provided exhibitors with more than 40,000 sqm of space.

Bike Brussels is an event targeted at a specific public, concerned about green efforts and conscious behaviours aimed at protecting the environment. In addition to bicycle tourism, the theme of the fair is to promote sustainable means of transport. The stands were manned by producers of all green vehicles: electric bicycles, scooters, cargo bikes, etc. Local governments of towns and regions are also present to promote sustainable transport and tourism. Start-ups which offer innovative solutions for communication and active recreation appear there as well.

This was the first time that the Polish Tourism Organisation participated in Bike Brussels. Together with the East Poland House and the Regional Tourism Organisation of the Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship, it presented the offer of bicycle tourism, in particular one of the best Polish products - the Eastern Green Velo Cycle Route.

The inimitable Krystian Herba, famous trial biker and Green Velo Ambassador (who set the world record by climbing by bicycle the steps of the Brussels landmark, the Atomium, in 2016), was there to entice visitors to see the Polish stand. His acrobatic shows never fail to attract a number of viewers marvelling at Krystian’s unparalleled skills, as he not only jumped on his bike, but also rode on one wheel, jumped over lying people and did impressive somersaults.

Dagmara Jasińska, the Polish Consul General in Brussels, also stopped by the Polish stand.  The Belgian visitors to the fair were mostly locals from Brussels, bicycle pros and enthusiasts, who prefer active holidays and seek new bicycle routes, so understandably our stand and the Green Velo enjoyed considerable popularity at the event. The POT International Office in Brussels prepared a competition with a professional mountain bike as the prize. The survey on which the competition was based will help with learning about the tourist habits of the questioned visitors.

Another step toward the promotion of Green Velo on the Belgian market will be the joint performance by POT and the Regional Tourism Organisation in the Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship during the Polish Day at NATO Shape, due to be held in May.

The Tour et Taxi complex, where the show took place, has long been a recognisable place on the map of Brussels. The meticulously restored 19^th century railway station is now home to offices, art galleries and lecture halls as well as the headquarters of large companies and banks. Scientists and writers come to deliver here their presentations. Additionally, many exhibitions and unusual fairs dedicated to chocolate, books or the design of young artists, etc. occur at the complex. It was also here that the POT International Office, together with the Gdańsk City Hall, had held a beautiful amber exhibition entitled “Baltic Amber, tradition & innovation”.  Bike Brussels took place in the newly opened “Gare Maritime” hall, which captivated visitors with its spacious design, innovative technical solutions and great food.