by InTrieste
In the hill towns and small villages of the eastern Friulian Prealps, tourism is rising sharply, according to regional officials, offering a new source of momentum for an area long defined by artisan trades and agriculture.
At a tourism forum held at Villa Savorgnan in Lestans di Sequals, Sergio Emidio Bini, the regional councillor for productive activities and tourism in Friuli Venezia Giulia, said that tourist arrivals in the municipalities of the Mountain Community of the Eastern Friulian Prealps have increased by 80 percent since 2019. Between 2024 and 2025, he added, arrivals rose by nearly 30 percent.
The data were presented in a report prepared with the University of Udine, PromoTurismoFVG, Confcommercio and Montagna Leader, combining statistical analysis with interviews of local tourism operators.
The area’s offer centers on outdoor activities, including hiking and cycling routes, along with school tourism, food traditions and small-scale cultural events. Two “alberghi diffusi,” a model that integrates guest rooms into existing village buildings, operate in Clauzetto and Vivaro. Commercial districts in Maniago and Spilimbergo link tourism with long-standing artisan and agri-food production.
Regional authorities say they are investing in cycling infrastructure, mountain huts and accommodation upgrades, and in December 2025 allocated €16.6 million to strengthen the hospitality sector, with a focus on quality structures and dispersed hotels in mountain areas.
Officials describe the eastern Friulian Prealps as a potential laboratory for small-scale, sustainable tourism development within Friuli Venezia Giulia, as rural communities seek to balance growth with preservation of local identity.
