The “strategic foreign markets” for Puglia are mainly Germany, France, UK, Switzerland and the United States of America, together with Poland and the Netherlands.

In the Regional Tourism Observatory report just released it is described as “extraordinary” the incoming growth from abroad which stands at + 13% (in previous years, the increase was between 8-10%). Overall 2016 saw an increase in Eastern European markets, along with China, South Korea, Australia and Argentina. In “sharp recovery” flows from Spain “also due to the double flight connection from Bari and Brindisi to Barcelona.” In Puglia, therefore, the internationalization rate rising from 21.8% in 2015 to 23.2% in 2016 which was also characterized by a positive trend in the winter months and in June. Gargano and Salento continue to be the dominant tourist areas (together account for 57% of incoming regional and 68% of overnight stays). The highest rate of growth in 2016 is up to Bari and coastal areas where arrivals and overnights increased respectively by 12% and 14%. The report also shows that the offer of accommodation ‘increased by 9.7% “in the first ten months of 2016, particularly in the ‘luxury’ segment.