(31 July 2017) The beaches are the areas that grow the most, with a real boost for Grado and Lignano followed by cities, and the mountains. The first half of 2017 marks a double digit growth of arrivals and tourist arrivals in Friuli Venezia Giulia, with a significant recovery of the Austro-German market. This data was revealed in the vice-president of the Friuli Venezia Giulia, Sergio Bolzonello's presentation, drawing from a picture of the progress of regional tourism in the first six months of the year, to the General Manager of PromoTurismo Fvg, Marco Tullio Petrangelo and the marketing director of the agency, Bruno Bertero. The total arrivals in the region's accommodation facilities between January and June were 1,055,119, an increase of 11.1% compared to the same period last year, while the number of both Italian and foreign tourist presence was 3,090,786, an increase of 10, 8%. Significant growth is attributed to Austria (+ 19.3% arrivals, + 16% presence) and Germany (+ 21.9% arrivals and + 30% presence), followed by positive trends also from Russia, Ukraine, and Spain. (Red)

THE MOST POPULAR HOLIDAY DESTINATIONS

The beaches are the areas that grow the most with a true boost for Grado and Lignano. The 'Isola del sole' (Island of the Sun), Grado, recorded 123,099 arrivals (+ 22.1%) and 425,442 attendances (+ 24.3%), with a higher growth in the demand for homes and apartments (+ 45.4% arrivals and 58.7% attendance) compared to public activities that continue to represent this destination among the hospitality institutions (over 116,000 arrivals and 375,500 attendance). Arrivals in Lignano grew by 11.8% (250,859 arrivals) and attendances by 9.8% (over 1 million). Here, public sector hospitality grew by almost 213,000 arrivals (11.3%) and over 730,000 attendees (plus 8.6%). However, they grow exponentially, even with smaller absolute data, houses and apartments (over 38,000 arrivals mark a 14.6% increase and more than 286,000 appearances for an increase of 13.1%). There are positive signs for other tourist areas as well. Mountain destinations record a 10.3% increase arrivals (139,750) and an increase of 8% in attendance (over 412,000). Tourism in beaches and historic cities, including Palmanova and Cividale del Friuli rose by 15.1% (almost 417 thousand) and 14.6% for attendance (over 1.5 million). Cities and other areas mark a growth of 8.2% in arrivals (almost half a million) and 6.7% in attendance (over 1.1 million). The mountain destinations of Carnia and Tarvisiano receive the largest number of tourists (over 100 thousand arrivals in the two areas) compared to Piancavallo and the Friulian Dolomites with little more than 26,000 arrivals which have nonetheless increased compared to last year (+ 18.5%). Among the major cities, Trieste is the primary destination with almost 210,000 arrivals (+ 10.4%), followed by Udine with over 156,000 arrivals (+ 6.1%), Pordenone with almost 72,000 arrivals (+6.2 %) and Gorizia almost 60,000 arrivals (+ 8.5%). The cluster of Grado, Aquileia and Palmanova has a total of over 152,000 arrivals with a 22.4% growth and over half a million in attendance, up by almost 25%.