Good practice:

Development of cycling routes in the province of Cádiz through an Integrated Territorial Investment

The Regional Government of Andalusia (Spain) is currently promoting cycle-tourism in protected areas by designing and constructing a network of cycle routes in Cadiz province, supported by a specific source of funding called Integrated Territorial Investment (ITI Cádiz) from the European Regional Development Fund.
ITI is new instrument that offers the power to reach different combinations of financing linked to the European Structural and Investment Funds, to apply territorial strategies in an integrated way, favoring an effective response to territorial problems.
The most important route of the network is EuroVelo 8, connecting several cites between the Cadiz Bay (in the Atlantic Ocean) and the Algeciras Bay (in the Mediterranean Sea) along the coast, which are major touristic destinations in the region.
The route will also go through different Natural Parks in the coast (Bahia de Cadiz, La Breña y Marismas del Barbate) and awesome cork oak forests (Los Alcornocales).
ITI Cadiz aims to contribute to the development of local communities by creating a diversified tourist offer complementing the traditional one of sun and beach. ITI Cadiz holds a holistic approach of the territory and intends to develop other projects related to bird-watching, hiking, nature photography, upraising visitor awareness and outdoor activities.

39.000.000 €

• 155 km Cycle route “EuroVelo 8” in the Province of Cádiz: 95 km of improved routes and 60 km of new built routes.
• 134 km other non-EuroVelo 8 routes in the Province of Cádiz: 66 km improved routes and 68 km of new built routes.

The offer of bicycle routes in the province is wide but disorganized, so this initiative seeks to consolidate a properly marked, safe and well-preserved network scheme with the final objective of obtaining a cohesive network that connects the spaces of the Natura Network 2000.

The ITI of the Province of Cádiz represents an opportunity to work in a planned and strategic way so that this territory is provided, in the current programming period of the ESI Funds, with a set of public and private initiatives that are structured around three intervention areas: social, economic and environmental.
The scope of the environmental intervention of the ITI Cádiz is aimed at promoting the sustainable development of natural, urban and rural environments. The subject involves the EuroVelo 8 route by allowing links to various natural parks in the province, facilitating the connection between municipalities and the access of citizens and users. EuroVelo 8 is constituted as a powerful tool for creating opportunities and employment around cycle tourism.
This ‘European funds’ management model will allow the planning and construction of the EuroVelo 8 layout throughout the entire province in record time.