A digital layer for Fietsknooppunten

XTraVel Tourism is an Interreg France–Wallonie–Vlaanderen project (2024–2027) that brings together Westtoer, Maison du Tourisme Pays des Lacs, Maison du Tourisme Wallonie picarde and the Département du Nord. Its aim is to strengthen the cross-border cycling experience. The cycle node network (fietsknooppunten) relies heavily on physical signage, which is popular with cyclists but expensive to maintain and keeps many riders on the network, unaware of the picnic spots, viewpoints, cycling cafés and local producers just around the corner. Westtoer asked MORE LION to explore how a digital layer could guide cyclists and nudge them towards these lesser-known places, without adding a single new sign.

We guided the first phase, from intake and desk research to a workshop that combined a ride on the node network with a Design Thinking session involving external experts. This resulted in three concept proposals that we presented to the partners. Their feedback pointed clearly to the functionalities that mattered most: a detour to a point of interest and back to the route, personalised suggestions based on a cyclist’s interests, deviation alerts, and support for smartwatches and bike computers.

The most valuable question is not which app feature works best, but what information recreational cyclists need, at which moment, and through which channel. We translated this into the technical specifications for a research tender, which has been issued in October 2026. The study with cyclists is planned for spring 2027, with a final report in September 2027. It will offer concrete recommendations to app builders, tourism organisations and the partners themselves, on how to bring the right tourist information to cyclists at the right time, and the results will be reusable in every region working with cycle nodes.