Promoting bike use, discovering local places of interest and high-tech navigation systems were three converging topics during a key workshop held at the EICMA Milan bike show on Saturday.
Titled “The Bicycle and a sense of territory” the workshop attracted some important participants, including Italian Senator Giacomo Santini, Costantino Ruggero (the president of EICMA), with journalist Marino Bartoletti acting as moderator.
First to speak was
Paolo Tagliacarne, the president of the Italian
Turbolento di Milano cycling group and promotor of bicycle use. “
The bicycle is a great invention and is a thrill to ride. It helps people get in touch with themselves and the environment they ride in. It gives you a different view on life and makes you want to look after yourself,” he said.
Claudio De Monte, an eco public relations expert for StartTer said: “We’ve got to understand the potential of cycle tourism as a way of boosting the economy, helping the environment and the world of work. Health is not only about the financial costs but also about lifestyles and personal happiness. We’ve got a lot of projects under development but its important to have a clear objective and quality management. The people are out there.”
Massimo D’Eramo, the maps and special projects manager for Garmin ended the workshop presenting some interesting case studies. He showed how GPS technology can help the promotion of local areas and bike paths in collaboration with public bodies.