According to business data, e-bike tourism has seen huge growth in the wake of COVID-19, more Americans are touring Europe by bicycle or electric bicycle.
Affordable, tourist-friendly and steeped in history, Portugal is a popular destination for U.S. tourists, with tourist arrivals up 41% from last year.
"Everybody’s been saying come to Portugal," said Susan Sanderson of San Diego, who was one group member of bike tour. "It has exceeded our expectations." Ages in this particular group of 25 people ranged from the 20s to the 70s.
The advent of e-bikes has made bicycle travel no longer age-limited. "It doesn’t bother me at all," said 73-year-old Don Jones of Pensacola. "I’ve heard of people complaining of age discrimination. Not here."
With the battery and motor, the electric bikes allows riders to climb easier, travel farther and require less support from the chase vans and guides who rode with others.
Cycling with electric bikes has replaced hiking and walking as the top trending activity for outfitters, says the Adventure Travel Trade Association (ATTA). Electric bicycles make cycling no longer an exclusive game for young people, and more and more elderly people are joining the ranks of cycling.
