| The Ems Auen Route in the Münsterland holiday region has been named North Rhine Westphalia´s "cycle route of the year". Dr. Wolfgang Ballke received the award on behalf of the Münsterland tourism association (Münsterland Touristik Grünes Band e.V.) from Norbert Walter-Borjans, permanent secretary at North Rhine Westphalia finance department, at the IFMA international bicycle trade show in Cologne. The prize was sponsored by the state´s pro-cycle initiative "Qualitätsoffensive Fahrradtourismus NRW", which is backed by the state´s finance and transport departments, the state´s tourist board (Nordrhein-Westfalen Tourismus e.V.) and the ADFC - German national cycling federation. The scenic Ems Auen route was opened last May as part of a regional programme promoting the Ems area. "We are delighted that the Münsterland region has been recognised for its involvement and expertise in cyclo-tourism, and delighted, too, that the Ems Auen route has been designated the best route in North Rhine Westphalia for 2005," said Michael Kösters, director of Münsterland Touristik Grünes Band e.V. |
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