Good practice:

Krka Bike: 470 km of cycle routes through Croatia’s Krka National Park

Croatia’s Krka National Park covers an area of 109 km² of very attractive sections of the Krka River and the lower course of the Čikola River. The national park is a vast and primarily unaltered area of exceptional natural value, including one or more preserved or insignificantly altered ecosystems. The purpose of the park is primarily to serve science, culture, education and recreation, while tourism activities have also been introduced for visitors.
The Krka National Park has enormous potential as a recreational area. Cycling can bring more visitors to the park while being compatible with the resources that are managed there. The creation of 14 new circular cycle routes with a total length of 470 km included the development of risk studies and GPS tracks and the creation and installation of cyclo-touristic signaling. The analysis of the possible routes was performed through a method of placing the proposed routes on cartographic backgrounds coupled with field recording using satellite positioning devices. More than 300 signs were placed.
The cycle routes offer a completely different way to explore the park in areas that were previously difficult to access. The Krka Bike project extends the stays of visitors for a few days, which contributes to the sustainable development of the entire area. The main stakeholders are the managing authority, the Public Institution "National Park Krka", with local residents and (cycle) tourists/visitors benefiting primarily from it.

HRK 383.000 was spent for the development of cycling routes in the area of the Krka National Park. This includes a signaling study, character set-up, a risk study, and track audits.
The marketing campaign "Krka Bike" secured funds of approximately HRK 800.000 for media promotion.

Bike routes were opened in 2019 and tickets to this category do not exist or record the number of cyclists except through an increased number of visitors. Increases are recorded in reports on social networks. The great interest of visitors for active stay in the Krka National Park appears at tourist fairs, at the manifestation - the Krka Trophy race, which is organized near the Krka National Park.

Signage for cycling routes in Croatia/Europe is not standardised, which creates problems for cyclists and others that use the route (hunters/hikers etc.) as they often cannot find the signs. Protected areas on the route need to be avoided and this needs to be included in the planning of projects.

Safe cycling routes, good cycling infrastructure, quality material, cycling-friendly accommodation, luggage transport and knowledgeable guides are basic requirements. E-bikes and customised itineraries are increasingly in demand.