In 2023 in the province of Bari, which ranks first in the regional classification for the number of arrivals, there was an increase in presence (+6.5%) and arrivals (+12%). The City of Monopoli is the Apulian municipality that has recorded the highest increase in the last five years, followed by Polignano a Mare, Gallipoli, and Porto Cesareo. This was announced by the Municipal Administration of Monopoli on data emerging from the report referring to the trend from 2019 to 2022 drawn up by the Puglia Promozione Agency.
In the comparison between 2022 and 2023, the City of Monopoli registered an increase of 19,761 arrivals and 53,213 presences. An average stay of 3.6 days. Monopoli rises one position in the ranking of presences, settling in fifth place after Bari, Vieste, Lecce, and San Giovanni Rotondo; on the arrivals front and enters the top ten tourist destinations.
Compared to 2019 (the last year before the health emergency crisis), the increase in arrivals was 48,193 and 113,651 presences.
Germany continues to lead the regional ranking for number of stays/overnight stays (with more than 828,000 nights). At the top of the arrivals ranking is France once again (252,983). Competing for the next positions are Switzerland, the United States of America, the United Kingdom and the Netherlands. Three other important non-European markets also feature in the regional top 15: Canada, Australia and Brazil. Compared to 2019, there has been a strong increase in French, American and Swiss tourists..
The overall municipal detail will be released by the agency Puglia Promozione upon completion of data collection and following validation by Istat.
“This first report from the Apulia Region confirms an upward trend that we had already highlighted in recent months and which places responsibility on us. If Monopoli is chosen as one of Apulia’s top ten places to visit, with an increase second only to the city of Bari, it is thanks to its architectural and natural beauty, its food and the hospitality of its citizens, but it must be our task to provide visitors with the quality services that these numbers demand. We must continue with that teamwork that involves the municipal offices and operators in the sector, passing through the associations and every single citizen. I would like to thank everyone for the work they have done, because everyone with their own contribution has managed to record this important figure. But after the enthusiasm for these figures, we need to roll up our sleeves to make Monopoli more and more a resident- and tourist-friendly city,” says Monopoli Mayor Angelo Annese.