Programme: Interreg IPA CBC Greece – Republic of North Macedonia 2014–2020
Project Acronym: BIKE CITIES | MIS No. 5055469
Status: Completed
Implementation Period: May 2022 – November 2023
Total Project Budget: EUR 702,977.44 | EU Co-financing (ERDF): EUR 597,530.82
BIKE CITIES is a cross-border cooperation project co-funded by the European Union under the Interreg IPA CBC Greece – Republic of North Macedonia 2014–2020 programme. The project was implemented in the cross-border region between the Municipality of Serres (Greece) and the Municipality of Strumica (North Macedonia), with the goal of developing cycling tourism as a driver of sustainable economic growth, employment, and territorial attractiveness.
The project’s central objective was to structure, promote, and develop a cycle tourist offer in the cross-border area, generating economic benefits at a territorial and transnational level by increasing tourist visits, boosting the local economy, and creating new activities and jobs in the regions.
Cycling tourism was identified as a strategic opportunity to expand the tourism season beyond traditional peak periods, reduce the environmental footprint of tourism, attract visitors to lesser-known destinations, and improve the living standards of local communities on both sides of the border.
| Partner | Country | Role |
| Municipality of Serres | Greece | Lead Partner |
| Municipality of Strumica | North Macedonia | Project Partner |
| Life Long Learning Center of Region of Central Macedonia (KEKPKM), Serres | Greece | Project Partner / External Evaluation Provider |
| Association Center for Development & Promotion PROMO IDEA Strumica | North Macedonia | Project Partner / Training Provider |
| GAUSS Institute — Foundation for New Technologies, Innovations and Knowledge Transfer | North Macedonia | External Evaluator |
The GAUSS Institute (Foundation for New Technologies, Innovations and Knowledge Transfer of the Republic of North Macedonia, Bitola) participated in the BikeCities project as the independent external evaluator for the training programmes delivered on the North Macedonian side of the cross-border area, under a service contract with the Life Long Learning Center of Central Macedonia (KEKPKM). The contract was in force from November 2022 to November 2023 (Action Ref. Del. 4.2.4).
GAUSS Institute’s specific activities included:
- Designing standardised evaluation questionnaires for trainees and trainers
- Conducting intermediate and final evaluations of both training programmes
- Consulting on the project’s e-Learning Management System (LMS)
- Translating management guides prepared for trainers
- Participating in project planning meetings
- Preparing and presenting comprehensive official evaluation reports
The project’s outputs were organised into four strategic axes:
1. Development of New Tourism Products
- Establishment of Velo Parks in both the Serres (Greece) and Strumica (North Macedonia) areas
- Mapping of mountain bike and road cycling routes across the cross-border area
- Organisation of bike training camps
2. Improvement of Tourism Services
- Creation of Bike Info Centres within the Velo Parks in both countries
- Procurement of bikes, e-bikes, signage, and related infrastructure equipment
- Organisation of national cycling racing events
- Organisation of a World Cup Calendar Event
3. Capacity Building of Tourism Stakeholders
The project delivered specialised training programmes in North Macedonia to upskill tourism employees and unemployed persons:
- Bike Friendly Management in Hotels and Restaurants — 10 days / 40 hours, providing knowledge in customer service, marketing, bike-friendly accommodation practices, and cycling tourism business management; 15 trainees; venue: Hotel Vila Park, Strumica
- Instructors for Beginners and Tourists (Bike Guides) — 10 days / 60 hours, equipping participants with skills in bike tour organisation, route leadership, safety, nutrition, and regional tourism promotion; 17 trainees; venue: Hotel Vila Park and City Star, Strumica
- Workshops for local organisations on bike-friendly sustainable tourism development
- Workshops on e-bike sustainability and servicing
- Study visit to a EU Velo Park as a best-practice exchange
4. Promotion of the New Tourism Product
- Organisation of conferences and open events
- Development of publicity materials and a project website
- Social media communications
- Participation in an international tourism expo
- Development of an integrated IT platform combining cycling information and tourist destinations
- Production of a multimedia exhibition on the historical heritage of the project cities
| Deliverable | Description |
| Velo Parks | Established in both Serres (Greece) and Strumica (North Macedonia) |
| Cycling Route Maps | Mountain bike and road cycling routes mapped in the cross-border area |
| Bike Info Centres | Operational info centres within both Velo Parks |
| Training Programmes | Two completed training cycles in North Macedonia (32 trainees in total) |
| Evaluation Reports | Independent evaluation reports for each training programme (GAUSS Institute) |
| IT Tourism Platform | Integrated platform combining cycle routes with tourist destination information |
| Multimedia Exhibition | Exhibition presenting the historical and cultural heritage of the project cities |
| Communication Materials | Website, social media, publicity materials, expo participation |
Both training programmes achieved excellent evaluation results:
| Programme | Trainee Overall Score | Trainer Overall Score |
| Bike Friendly Management in Hotels and Restaurants | 4.55 / 5.00 | 4.75 / 5.00 |
| Instructors for Beginners and Tourists | 4.56 / 5.00 | 4.80 / 5.00 |
Trainer assessments of trainee performance averaged 9.43 / 10.00, confirming the high quality and effectiveness of the capacity-building activities.
Interreg IPA CBC Programme — Project Page
Project co-funded by the European Union and national funds of the participating countries.