The benefits of a Velo-city conference fall into three headings; reputation, delegate spending and the transport and wider benefits. Velo-city events have become very well-known and well respected as an important event in the transport field, not only in Europe, but world-wide. It has been calculated by a previous organising city that the name Velo-city is in itself a guarantee of securing at least 150-200 delegates. For example, many people now know the city of Graz and its work for cycling that did not before our event was held there in 1999. The event, above all, generates added international prestige for the host city and organisation.

The name therefore has a valuable reputation. In addition, Velo-city promotes and publicises the host city as a whole by attracting visitors and boosting the local economy. The Barcelona Convention Bureau has calculated that delegates spending whilst at the Velo-city conference there in 1997 could have amounted to € 966,000 Euros, and that amount should very probably now be revised upwards. There are also many transport and wider benefits accruing to the host city.

Velo-city allows cities to show-case their work on cycle and transport planning, and all participating cities have used the occasion to develop their provision for cyclists and other 'soft' transport users further. Thus they not only spread information, but also help to change attitudes and policies. They also help to empower cycle activists and upgrade the status of the work of professionals involved in cycle planning. Many side meetings of interested groups, such as women cyclists and planning officials also take place at the conferences. These benefits include:

• Publicising the transport and cycle policies/provision, and presenting papers
• Raising the international profile and prestige of the host city and host organisation/s
• Generating substantial publicity for the city, and its policies
• Receiving reactions to the transport and environmental plans
• Hearing and see other positive policies and examples in these fields
• Taking a lead and bringing professionals together
• Involving the elected representatives in the debate on transport issues
• Meeting a wide range of others involved in this field, and fostering links