Long promenades and country lanes incorporating a number of places of interest pose a great cycling potential for the locality of St Paul’s Bay. Apart from the environmental and health benefits, cycling is in itself a niche for ecotourism.
While so many activities are promoted among the visiting tourists, this niche is barely explored. A half day cycling tour can incorporate visits to a number of sites due to the close proximity to one another. The locality hosts historical sites, nature reserves (such as Simar), beaches and rural areas rich in agriculture.
An initiative getting all stakeholders together is what’s missing and the local council should seriously consider adopting this role. Diversifying from mass tourism to ecotourism is healthy both for the economy and for the environment. Greener forms of touristic activities minimise the negative impact on the environment and generate more money.

Friday, February 17, 2012 , by Simon Galea, Qawra