Passion gets you started, but it does not pay the bills. That is the core lesson Pierpaolo Romio, founder and CEO of Girolibero and one of the pioneers of cycle tourism in Italy, shared in the first episode of from Bike to Business, Bikenomist's interview series on the economies of the bicycle, hosted by CEO Paolo Pinzuti.
In the interview, Romio looks back on 28 years in the business: how the market has changed, why tour operators still matter, and what anyone thinking of turning their love for cycling into a job should consider first.
From a handful of bikes to 2,500
Girolibero started in 1998 with just a few bicycles. Today it runs a fleet of around 2,500 bikes, 500 of them electric, and every year organises trips for about 10,000 international travellers in Italy and 8,000 Italians abroad.
A different market after the pandemic
According to Romio, the sector changed deeply after Covid. Hospitality prices have gone up and negotiating with hotels and guesthouses has become harder. At the same time, more travellers want to plan their trips on their own, but many get lost in an overload of information.
That is why, in his view, the tour operator is still central. He compares it to a good restaurant: you could cook at home, but you go there for an experience that someone has designed and taken care of for you.
Advice for anyone starting out
Romio's advice to those who want to build a business in cycle tourism is practical:
- Don't let passion lead alone. Loving bikes is a good starting point, but it can cloud your judgement.
- Check the numbers first. Assess the economic sustainability of the project before you invest in it.
- Learn from those who already did it well. Look at successful models abroad and adapt them to the Italian context, rather than starting from scratch.
What Italy can learn from Europe
Comparing Italy with France, Germany and the Netherlands, Romio points to one main gap: organisation. In Italy it is often missing, held back by local rivalries and projects that do not fit together into a coherent whole.
Romio has taken part in every edition of the Cycle Tourism Show, which he sees as a key meeting point for the sector. The next edition will be held on 19–21 March 2027 at Padova Fiere.
Watch the full interview on YouTube and read the original Italian recap on Bikeitalia.