by InTrieste
A new immersive virtual tour highlighting the five UNESCO World Heritage sites of Italy’s northeastern region of Friuli Venezia Giulia was unveiled on Monday in Udine, as regional officials look to capitalize on growing international interest in cultural tourism beyond the country’s traditional destinations.
The project, developed by the regional tourism agency PromoTurismoFVG in collaboration with the company Interios 3D, offers a digitally rendered journey over the region through 360-degree aerial and ground-level imagery. Designed to resemble a hot-air balloon ride, the experience connects the archaeological site of Aquileia, the Lombard heritage of Cividale del Friuli, the star-shaped fortress city of Palmanova, the prehistoric pile dwellings of Palù di Livenza and the Friulian Dolomites.
Regional officials said the virtual tour would be used at international tourism fairs, regional exhibition stands and meetings with tour operators as a promotional tool intended to introduce visitors to the region before arrival rather than replace in-person travel.
Speaking at the presentation, the regional councillor for tourism and productive activities, Sergio Emidio Bini, said visitor patterns were evolving, with increasing demand for cultural and inland experiences alongside traditional seaside and mountain tourism.
According to regional data cited during the event, overnight stays in the UNESCO municipalities and the Friulian Dolomites rose by 10.6 percent in 2025 compared with the previous year, surpassing 370,000 stays.
Officials described the initiative as part of a broader strategy to strengthen the visibility of Friuli Venezia Giulia, a region bordering Austria and Slovenia that has increasingly promoted itself through cultural heritage, outdoor tourism and improved transport connections. Bini noted that regional tourist arrivals had exceeded 11 million and that passenger traffic at Trieste Airport had grown significantly in recent years.
The virtual tour project began in the spring of 2025 with planning activities in the participating municipalities, followed by site visits throughout the summer and autumn before completion earlier this year. Regional officials said the initiative was intended to encourage visitors to spend more time in the area and travel between the various UNESCO sites through a more integrated narrative of the region’s cultural heritage.
Alongside the digital experience, PromoTurismoFVG has also produced a dedicated brochure presenting the UNESCO locations as part of a unified cultural itinerary.
The immersive video is scheduled to be presented at the Salone Internazionale del Libro di Torino before becoming available online through PromoTurismoFVG.
