Designing physical maps for Sport Vlaanderen’s sports and exercise routes

Sport Vlaanderen invests in accessible sports and exercise routes across Flanders, supported by promotional materials for local authorities and route managers. Nazka provides clear, consistent and visually strong designs for start boards and flyers that match the visual identity and guidelines of Sport Vlaanderen.

Maps tailored to athletes

For every new or renewed route, a map is created that immediately shows where the route starts, how the trail runs and what type of surface users can expect. Paved and unpaved sections each receive their own line style, so runners, cyclists and other users can see at a glance what awaits them where.

Redesigned start boards

Nazka not only reworked the map content, but also refreshed the entire design of the start boards with a clear and uniform structure across different sports disciplines. The layout offers more space for the map and is flexibly set up, so it can easily be adapted to the number of routes and connecting segments at each location.

Efficient, data-driven map production

Each design starts from geodata: Sport Vlaanderen supplies the routes as GPX files, which are loaded into QGIS, refined and styled according to agreed guidelines. The background maps are designed with MapTiler and OpenStreetMap data, after which a static map is exported, ready for further graphic design work.

Consistent templates, room for customization

Templates are used for start boards and flyers, aligned with Sport Vlaanderen’s house style. For each route, variable information such as name, distance, route type and contact details is updated, and the layout is optimized for the local context.

Quality and speed

Thanks to a streamlined workflow from GPX to print-ready files, Nazka can easily handle an expected volume of around 40 designs per year. Clear agreements on timing, feedback rounds and delivery ensure that Sport Vlaanderen and local partners can quickly put the materials to use.

Maps that matter

With these map designs, Nazka enhances the visibility and discoverability of sports and exercise routes in Flanders, in a way that feels intuitive for users and remains scalable for managers. The project illustrates how physical maps and geodata can come together in promotional materials that genuinely get people moving, in line with Nazka’s ambition to create maps that matter. For digital maps, we can easily track visitor numbers; for physical boards, that is harder, but these maps are undoubtedly among our most visited realisations!