by InTrieste
The winter ski season in Friuli Venezia Giulia got off to a strong start over the long weekend of December 6–8, with more than 21,000 visitors recorded across five main ski areas, according to regional tourism officials.
Sergio Emidio Bini, the regional councillor for Economic Activities and Tourism, said that early ticket sales had already shown a 9 percent increase compared with the previous season, and the first weekend on the slopes reflected this growth.
The resorts of Tarvisio, Ravascletto/Zoncolan, Forni di Sopra/Sauris, Sappada/Forni Avoltri, and Piancavallo opened their lifts on December 6. The Sella Nevea area is scheduled to open the following weekend, on December 13.
Tarvisio saw the highest number of visitors, with 7,661 entries, bolstered by tourists visiting the nearby Monte Lussari village. The Zoncolan area recorded 6,658 entries, Piancavallo 4,410, Forni di Sopra 887, and Sappada 1,471. Sunday, December 7, was the busiest day, with a total of 8,660 skiers across the region.
Bini highlighted that planned snowmaking and the work of local technicians allowed the resorts to open about 40 percent of the skiable terrain, despite warmer temperatures over the weekend. He also noted that relatively low lift ticket prices—the lowest in the Alps—along with a variety of off-slope activities, contributed to the strong turnout.
Most visitors were from within Italy, particularly from the nearby regions of Veneto and Emilia-Romagna, with bookings for the Christmas and New Year holidays already increasing. International visitors, including tourists from Austria, Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovenia, and Hungary, are expected later in the season.
Looking ahead, Bini expressed optimism for the remainder of the season, noting that Friuli Venezia Giulia and Tarvisio will host the return of the FIS Women’s Alpine Ski World Cup on January 17–18, drawing further international attention.
