During the implementation of the project and upon its completion, according to the estimation of the representatives of the municipalities and experts, the flow of bicycling tourists in the region continued to grow and made nearly 5,300 visitors. This mitigates the increase of CO2 exhaust, balances the flows of tourists arriving by cars and ecological vehicles. According to empiric estimations, the emissions to the atmosphere reduced by 197.21t of CO2 equivalent and 0.321t of NOX, the use of fossil fuel decreased by 64.24t of petrol equivalent. Though there was fear, the uncontrolled environment pollution by household waste has not increased.
The municipalities have chosen the bicycle tourism as one of the main its tourism development strategies thanks to the intensive project implementation. The development plan was used for the preparation of 5 projects on the bicycle infrastructure?s development. Two of them have been already approved and are being implemented in Silute and Sakiai districts, one is under consideration.
Private business also is preparing 10 projects and a grant proposal to EU Structural Funds on the provision of rural tourism and accommodation services alongside the track where the bicyclists will make the key group of clients. According to minimal calculations, the bicyclists visiting the region had already spent nearly LTL 482 Th. for services, thus obviously contributing to the regional economy as well as to the promotion of small and middle-sized business.
Innovation: For the first time in Lithuania a document on the development of such a big regional bicycling route has been prepared. 5 municipalities (of Kaunas, Jurbarkas, Sakiai, Pagegiai and Silute districts) and 6 NGO (Lithuanian bicyclists? association, community ?Atgaja?, society of Pagegiai land ?Sandura?, ?Zanavyku seimelis? and NGO ?Du ratai?) were cooperating on it. Alongside the route was promoted by introducing it to the target group (bicyclists) through specialized measures (tour, publications, the Internet page, and the exhibition on tourism). In parallels, the whole project was introduced to the regional communities the reaction of which was very favorable. Also training was carried out for the representatives of small business, explaining the direction, needs, opportunities, and measures of the development. The experience was immediately disseminated to other representatives of the region (conference, direct consultations).
Direct Impact