Over more than two decades, the Touratech Travel Event has developed into one of the most important international gatherings in the motorcycle travel scene. The event has set new standards with ever-increasing superlatives. From 30 May to 1 June 2025, Touratech celebrated the 20th edition with guests from all over the world. Let's dive into the history of this unique event and take a look behind the scenes.
Ted Simon, Hubert Auriol, Nick Sanders, Simon & Lisa Thomas, Michael Martin, Joe Pichler, Charley Boorman, Dirk Schäfer – the list of celebrities from the motorcycle and travel scene who have attended the Touratech Travel Event over the past two decades could be expanded much further. It is these big names that underline the international significance of the event for the community. But the Travel Event does not owe its spirit to the celebrities; it is the incredible diversity of experiences, ideas and personalities of motorcycle travellers from all over the world, each bringing their own stories, dreams and ideas, that make the event what it is: a place full of positive energy. An energy that no one who has even the slightest connection to motorcycles can escape. And this energy drives the exchange among visitors, gives rise to new projects and motivates people to finally realise long-held intentions.
Every year, when the Touratech Travel Event in Niedereschach opens its doors for three days of freedom, discovery and adventure, the global adventure scene turns its attention to this small town in the foothills of the Black Forest. Motorcycles that have clearly clocked up many a kilometre in remote corners of the world roll through the narrow streets, mixed in with freshly polished bikes that could be ready to take part in the Dakar Rally, and then there are vast numbers of ordinary machines. And the owners of all these motorcycles have one common goal: the huge festival site around the Touratech headquarters.
A colourful world full of experiences
But the celebrations are not limited to the company premises; the street in front of the site, which is closed off especially for the event, is also part of the action. Touratech partners have their stands on this approximately 300-metre-long exhibition mile, led by the major motorcycle manufacturers, who arrive every year with their impressive show trucks and offer test rides on their latest adventure bikes.
Visitors will find a wide variety of experiences on offer throughout the site. Trial acrobats thrill audiences with daring manoeuvres, bargains can be found in the second-choice sale, factory tours offer a glimpse behind the scenes, visitors can brush up on their riding skills with an enduro taster training session, and workshops provide additional input. And, of course, the beautiful surroundings of Niedereschach invite visitors to go on extended tours with like-minded people.
However, the heart of the travel event is the ‘Magic Sky’, the huge polygon tent that has become an architectural landmark. This is where the main stage is located, where product presentations take place, internationally renowned speakers talk about their motorcycle trips and bands play in the evenings, with space for around 3,000 people in front of it. "New friendships have been formed and old companions have met again under the tent roof. People have sought shelter from heavy rain or sun, enjoyed travel lectures or even shed a tear. They made plans there, sang and danced to live acts and, of course, made travel plans," says Philipp Blum, Touratech Head of Marketing and responsible for the Touratech Travel Event, describing the significance of the Polygon tent.
The Travel Event’s beginnings
Since 2016, the Magic Sky has been an integral part of the Touratech Travel Event and was already in use at the event's old location diagonally opposite the current company headquarters. It was there that the first Travel Event on German soil took place in 2003. On German soil? If you trace the history of the event back to its earliest beginnings, you end up in France. More precisely, in its sunny south, in Orange, where the Touratech Travel Event celebrated its premiere in 2001.
But how did this come about? A year earlier, Yvon Bodelot, then Touratech importer and to this day an important dealer for the brand in France, visited a small but excellent festival. As an enthusiastic BMW rider and Touratech representative, Yvon had become aware of the ‘BMW GS Birthday Meeting’. And lo and behold, in addition to numerous fans of the Enduroboxer, prominent GS tuners such as Klaus Pepperl and Alfred Halbfeld from HPN and Thomas Eckardt from Witec were also in attendance. World travellers Susan and Grant Johnson were there, as were long-distance travel legend Helge Pedersen and rally driver Andrea Mayer. For Yvon, it was clear: a festival like this was a perfect fit for the Touratech brand.
With inspiration in his luggage, Yvon returns home. In 2001, the time has come: the first Touratech Travel Event takes place. The city administration of Orange provides the Parc Expo free of charge, and Yvon, his daughter and her boyfriend take over the organisation. Many elements familiar from current Travel Events were already in place at that time. These include excursions, talks and workshops. Almost all of the 350 travel enthusiastic guests, still a relatively small group, stayed overnight on the grounds. Much of it was still improvised, but the overwhelmingly positive response to the premiere in Orange made it clear ‘that this was the beginning of something great,’ as Yvon recalls with pride. The second Touratech Travel Event takes place the following year. Again in France, this time at Chateau Arnoux. The number of visitors has increased sevenfold, with around 2,000 adventure riders celebrating an unforgettable festival.
Continuous development into a global spectacle
By now, it is clear that the Travel Event should take place at Touratech’s place of origin: in Niedereschach. In 2003, Touratech invites the community to a big get-together in the courtyard in front of the striking hexagonal buildings ‘Auf dem Zimmermann’, where the administration and production departments were located at the time. The number of visitors far exceeded expectations, and it became clear that there would not be enough space for future events. With the support of helpful companies in the neighbourhood, the festival grounds were continuously expanded in the following years. And space is not only needed for the ever-increasing number of visitors. The final of the GS Trophy Qualifier is also held in 2009. The diversity of the event, the quality of the presentations and the internationality of the guests have repeatedly set new standards.
Some experts and celebrities at the Travel Event: Joe Pichler, Traveller and public speaker
Dirk Schäfer, Traveller and public speaker
Nick Sanders, Multi-world circumnavigator
Ted Simon, Long-distance travel legend
But what is a convivial weekend full of inspiration and light-heartedness for motorcycle enthusiasts requires a lot of hard work in the run-up to and during the event.
Professional teamwork in the background
Under the leadership of Philipp Blum, a team of up to 15 people works meticulously on preparing the Travel Event. A six-month planning phase is followed by a three-week set-up phase. Despite twenty years of routine, it is not always smooth sailing. There are too many factors in this highly complex event that the organising team cannot influence. For the event professionals, it's all about mastering the unpredictable and still providing visitors with an enjoyable and safe event. One of the smaller problems that had to be overcome was that in 2023, they almost ran out of beer. ‘We sold so much beer that our supplies ran out on Saturday night,’ recalls Philipp. ‘It wasn't easy to find someone to open the brewery gates for us in the middle of the night. But the supplies arrived just in time.’
Another night-time incident was even more dramatic: ‘In 2017, there was a sewage pipe burst at the mobile toilet trailers,’ Philipp recalls with a shudder. "Unfortunately, they were located on a raised platform not far from the infield, where around 2,500 visitors were sitting at the time watching a film presentation. It was a close call – everything could have overflowed and moved towards the crowd. At around 11 p.m., we were able to get the problem under control at the last minute with the help of a very cooperative service provider. The audience didn't notice a thing."
Some experts and celebrities at the Travel Event: Dylan Wickrama, Traveller and public speaker
Michael Martin, Traveller, photographer, author
Charley Boorman, World traveller, actor
Hubert Auriol, Rally legend
In 2018, the organising team again had to demonstrate their ability to manage crises effectively. During Joe Pichler's travel presentation, a violent storm rolled in within a very short time. Lightning even struck the stage. ‘We were faced with the challenge of having to evacuate over 2,000 guests at short notice and bring them to safety,’ says Philipp. "We cleared the shop and created a place of refuge. Everyone was soaking wet, but safe! Joe Pichler was even able to finish his talk in the shop. I still get goosebumps when I think back to how well the crisis management within the organising team worked," says Blum.
Vivien Benz adds: "For me personally, the most significant moment in the course of every Travel Event is when the headliner takes to the stage on Saturday evening, the first impressive images appear on the screen and the first words are spoken. Then the whole team embraces one another and we congratulate ourselves on another great event. At this special moment, much of the tension from the labour-intensive weeks and months falls away." Vivien is a marketing manager and has been part of the Travel Event Task Force since 2019, where she now plays a leading role in event organisation.
Back to the roots
From an improvised gathering of a few travel enthusiasts to a trendsetter on a global scale, the Touratech Travel Event has continued to evolve over 20 editions. What has remained is its roots in the community as a meeting place for motorcycle travellers, by motorcycle travellers. ‘Despite all the professionalisation, the Travel Event is and remains the place where the global community of motorcycle travellers comes together in a family atmosphere and celebrates the joy of being on the road for three days,’ promises Philipp Blum.
