by InTrieste
Amid a turbulent international travel landscape marked by new conflicts and disruptions at major global airports, European countries are seeking to position themselves as safe and attractive alternatives for travelers. In this context, cross-border cooperation and outdoor, slow-paced tourism are emerging as strategic priorities.
This strategy took a concrete form Tuesday at the ITB Berlin, Europe’s leading business-to-business tourism fair, where a new three-year cooperation agreement was signed to continue the management and promotion of the Alpe Adria Trail. The accord, signed by the directors of the Carinthian Tourism Board, the Slovenian Tourist Board, and PromoTurismoFVG, ensures joint administration and funding of the trail until 2028.
Stretching over 750 kilometers with 43 stages — 11 in Italy’s Friuli Venezia Giulia region, 24 in Austria, and eight in Slovenia — the trail links the Grossglockner mountain to the coastal town of Muggia, following existing paths and secondary roads.
“The collaboration between Friuli Venezia Giulia, Carinthia, and Slovenia has grown year by year,” said Sergio Emidio Bini, regional councillor for economic activities and tourism. “Our goal is to promote slow, sustainable, and experiential tourism that can appeal to increasingly diverse markets. This renewed partnership aims higher, while also seeking new tourism partners in promising foreign markets such as Canada and the United States.”
The ITB Berlin, running through March 5, hosts more than 5,800 exhibitors from roughly 170 countries, with over 100,000 visitors expected. Key themes for this year include outdoor tourism with a youth focus, technological innovations for travelers, and health, business, and leisure tourism. The fair’s selection as the venue for the agreement is symbolic: the Alpe Adria Trail was first introduced there in 2012, and 14 years later Berlin remains the stage for showcasing long-term international collaboration.
Friuli Venezia Giulia is participating with a delegation of 13 regional operators, represented within the ENIT pavilion. These include hotels, travel agencies, tour operators, and regional tourist consortia. On Tuesday evening, the delegation and PromoTurismoFVG attended “CIAO BERLIN! The Italian Party,” an event highlighting Italian excellence and exploring new collaboration opportunities.
The renewed agreement highlights how European countries are increasingly leveraging regional cooperation and sustainable tourism initiatives to attract visitors in a changing global travel environment.
