How a bicycle can become a destination management tool: Bikademy presented by Poreč Region Studij

The bicycle is no longer just a means of transportation or a recreational tool, but is increasingly becoming a way for destinations to interpret their heritage and encourage more sustainable forms of movement.

It is precisely on this concept that the Croatian Bikademy, a digital platform and a unique Croatian concept that motivates people to cycle and rewards them for it, whether they cycle to explore destinations and their attractions, or for everyday rides like going to work, coffee, the store, or a short recreational route. To become a Bikademy Student, you need a bike, a mobile phone, and a good internet connection.

The digital platform today connects two main directions: Studies, through which users explore the cultural and natural heritage of destinations by bicycle, and Challenges, which rewards daily cycling, tracks kilometers, rides and CO₂ savings.

The latest addition to the platform is Poreč Region Study, which includes six locations in the Poreč area, which leads cyclists through one of the most beautiful parts of Istria - Poreč, an area where rich history, Mediterranean spirit, coastal charm, natural peculiarities and hidden stories of the interior combine into a relaxed cycling adventure.

The new Study consists of six Exams: Višnjan Observatory, Poreč Old Town, Baredine Cave, Santa Marina Bay, Vrsar and Vižinada. Each of these locations brings a special story, a view and a reason to experience this region more slowly, more carefully and from a new perspective - on a bicycle.

To participate, all you need to do is select the desired Study via the free Bikademy app, cycle to the designated locations, and digitally check in. After completing all the “exams,” users complete the Study and are eligible for a prize.

"The Poreč region has an exceptional combination of history, coast, nature and interior. That is why this area is a perfect fit for the Bikademy concept... to motivate people to get on their bikes, explore cultural and natural heritage and experience the destination more slowly, actively and personally. We believe that the Poreč Region Study will be interesting for both the local population and tourists who want to discover this part of Istria on two wheels.", he points out Krešimir Herceg, owner of Bikademy.

How to participate?

In free to the Bikademy application you need to choose a Study (region or city) and cycle to the Exam, or location within the Study. Exams are famous cultural and natural landmarks, but also places worth experiencing in a way that reveals more than just the location: through the ride, the landscape, the smells, the views, and the small details that are often lost when we pass a destination too quickly.

To pass the Study and win a prize, it is necessary to check-in in the application at the assigned Exams within the selected Study. Exams can be taken over several days and in the order desired by the Student, which makes the Study ideal for local population.

Poreč Region Study was developed as part of the FU-Tourism project with the aim of promoting sustainable tourism and active mobility through digital solutions that connect destination research, heritage interpretation and gamification elements.

Such concepts are increasingly present in European destinations because they show how digital tools can be more than just information applications.

When they encourage movement outside the most visited locations, extend the time visitors spend there and direct them towards less well-known attractions, they become a destination management tool that simultaneously contributes to sustainability, visitor dispersion and a higher quality experience of the space.