As Registrar of the Climate Friendly Travel (CFT) Registry, managed by SUNx Malta, my role is to connect with like-minded companies that share a vision of tourism that is Paris1.5-compliant, SDG-linked, and nature positive. Our goal is to reach 1,000 registered companies by the end of the year, many of which are based in the Global South. While most registrants are accommodation providers, we are also seeing inspiring examples from travel agencies and tour operators who are rethinking how people explore destinations.

One of the most obvious – and enjoyable – forms of climate friendly travel is cycling. Around the world, more and more people are choosing bicycles, both as a means of everyday transport and as a way to discover new places.

Growing up in the Netherlands, cycling was simply part of life. I had my first bike as a child, rode my bicycle to primary and later to secondary school every day, and as a student in Amsterdam used a bike to commute across town. The Netherlands has more bicycles than people – an estimated 24 million bikes for a population of 18 million – and cycling is woven into the culture.

But it’s not just locals. Increasingly, tourists are seeking out cycling opportunities to explore destinations in a quiet, low-impact, and immersive way.  As this recent LinkedIn post highlights, cycling allows you to experience a place at the right pace: slow enough to see the details, but fast enough to cover meaningful distances.

Why cycling is a model of climate friendly travel:

  • Pedal power is engine-free and carbon zero.
  • Cycling promotes health and fitness — many gyms simulate what a bike offers in real life.
  • Bikes allow you to venture beyond highways and discover hidden countryside trails.
  • In cities, especially across Europe, dedicated bike lanes make cycling safer and more attractive.
  • The slower pace reveals details you would miss in a car, bus, or train.
  • Compared with walking, a bike lets you cover longer distances while still being intimate with your surroundings.
  • Parking is simple and flexible — in the Netherlands, entire garages at train stations are dedicated to bicycles.

bicycle garage in the Netherlands

Cycling is, of course, not restricted to the Netherlands, and several companies on the CFT Registry are advancing cycle-based tourism in innovative ways:

  • Baja Bikes (Barcelona-based, global reach): Offering tours and rentals in 200+ locations worldwide. Their short urban bike tours are safe, family-friendly, and guided in English, while longer countryside trips open up local rural life and landscapes. Baja Bikes also advocates for better cycling infrastructure, especially in European cities.
  • Just Nok Bike Tours (Bangkok, Thailand): A small, independent operator with a focus on Bangkok’s backstreet adventures that uncover the city’s hidden communities and traditional lifestyles. They prioritize safety, flexibility, and family-friendly options such as kid’s bikes, baby seats, and tag-alongs.

Cycling in Bangkok. Photo by www.justnokbiketours.com

  • Vietnam Bike Tours (Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam): Specializing in longer guided adventures across Southeast Asia, their tours take cyclists through rice paddies, forests, coastlines, and villages. Trips often include visits to cultural landmarks, hands-on cooking classes, and authentic food experiences — all tailored to different fitness levels with full logistical support.
  • Bambu bicycles (Curia, Portugal): A passionate small bamboo bicycle company in central Portugal on a mission to inspire epic travels and unique experiences, empowering people to live a green, low-carbon and clean-energy life.  They craft their bamboo bikes with an artisan’s passion, during a 40-hours handmade process to create the best bicycles nature can give.
  • Gozo Adventures (Gozo, Malta): providing a range of adventure activities on the island of Gozo, including the rental of bikes and e-bikes.  As Gozo is both very hot in the summer and very hilly, they recommend electric bikes, and there are several tours that take in some of the island’s most beautiful spots.

Cycling at the Gozo saltpans.   photo by: www.gozoadventures.com

  • Ride Along GY (Georgetown, Gyana): for bike rides in and around Georgetown.

Cycling embodies the essence of Climate Friendly Travel. It’s sustainable, healthy, inclusive, and enriching — offering a way for travellers to connect deeply with nature, culture, and communities. With companies like these leading the way, the bicycle is proving to be more than just a mode of transport: it is a symbol of how tourism can move forward in harmony with the planet.

If you’re a travel business committed to a climate-friendly future, we’d love for you to join us on the CFT journey.  Together, we can grow the global network of Paris1.5, SDG-linked, nature-positive tourism operators.