The mapping contained in the Adriatic Sea Tourism Report 2026, to be presented during the eighth edition of the Adriatic Sea Forum – Cruise, Ferry, Sail & Yacht, scheduled to take place in Venice on Thursday 25th and Friday 26th June

Among the key topics of the forum: the value of maritime tourism for the countries overlooking the Adriatic Sea

 More than €340 million in maritime tourism investments across Adriatic ports reaching completion in 2026, including €252 million in Italy and at least €90 million in countries along the Balkan coast.

These are the first previews from the Adriatic Sea Tourism Report 2026, the research report produced by Risposte Turismo – a research and consulting company serving the macro-tourism industry – which will be presented during the eighth edition of the Adriatic Sea Forum – Cruise, Ferry, Sail & Yacht, the itinerant international event dedicated to maritime tourism in the Adriatic. The forum is devised and organised by Risposte Turismo itself, this year in partnership with the North Adriatic Sea Port Authority, scheduled to take place in Venice on Thursday 25th and Friday 26th June at the Auditorium delle Procuratie, Fondazione THSN, and Ca’ Dolfin, at the Aula Magna Silvio Trentin of Ca’ Foscari University of Venice.

More specifically, by the end of 2026, the mapped investments along the Italian Adriatic coast will cover several areas: the main ones are linked to the operational launch of the new cruise terminal and the implementation of the cold ironing system at Porto Corsini in Ravenna (€68 million) and the electrification of ferry berths in the Port of Ancona (€9.8 million). Significant activities are also planned for Venice (€90 million allocated for the deployment of cold ironing both in the historic city and in the Porto Marghera and Fusina areas) and Chioggia. In Chioggia, in addition to €6 million allocated to cold ironing, maintenance dredging activities worth nearly €9 million will soon begin, aimed at improving nautical accessibility.

In the lagoon ports, activities related to the extraordinary commissioner-led projects are also ongoing — namely the Vittorio Emanuele and Malamocco-Marghera channels, as well as the terminal at Canale Nord, which is still undergoing environmental impact assessment. These projects collectively involve already funded investments amounting to €135 million.

Also in 2026, works will be completed to expand the number of moorings at Marina Fiorita, Darsena Le Saline, Romea Yachting Club and Marina Dorica (€4 million), as well as submerged relocation works in the Port of Pesaro, where quay electrification works for smaller vessels are also underway.

In Bari and Brindisi, dredging operations are in progress to guarantee access for larger vessels, with an investment of €3.5 million for the Port of Bari and €19.4 million for Brindisi. Seabed works will also affect Manfredonia (€5.2 million) and Barletta (€6 million). In the coming months Bari’s second cruise terminal will also be completed, a project worth €11.5 million.

As for the Balkan coast, mapped investments are mainly concentrated in Croatia and include the completion by the end of the year of the new ACI Marina Rijeka at Porto Baroš (€50 million), the construction of the new ferry terminal in the Port of Split (over €17 million), the inauguration of the new cruise hub in Šibenik (€8 million), and the completion of the redevelopment works at the Port of Baška (€5.4 million).

These are joined by approximately €9 million relating to mooring expansion works at Marina Korkyra, Luka Brna and Luka Vela Jana in Croatia, Luka Budva in Montenegro, and Marina Izola in Slovenia.

«Our analysis mapping the investments needed to expand or upgrade port infrastructure of the Adriatic in 2026, highlights a strong ferment on both shores of the Adriatic, with projects ranging from terminal construction to dredging, from the opening of new marinas to energy efficiency improvements in ports» commented Francesco di Cesare, President of Risposte Turismo. «This – di Cesare continued – is a sign that entrepreneurs, and with them the region’s governments and public administrations, believe in the development of this sector and the economic and employment benefits it can bring. A competitive landscape emerges, therefore, aimed at continuous improvement. A landscape that highlights how a shared vision and the collaboration of all stakeholders can enhance the Adriatic as a premier tourist destination and enable it to gain market share on the international stage».

Topics of the eighth edition of the forum

At the center of the forum, the value of maritime tourism for the countries overlooking the Adriatic Sea.

Among the main topics to be addressed during the many sessions – round tables, keynote speeches and presentations – of the Adriatic Sea Forum 2026: the future scenario for the Adriatic as a tourism destination, impacts of climate change on the maritime tourism dynamics in the area, the value of maritime tourism for Adriatic Countries, and the actual relevance of nautical tourism along the Adriatic coast.

There will also be space dedicated to smart and sustainable mobility in the Adriatic area, how cities welcome maritime tourists, ferries as facilitators of the Adriatic as a single destination and the possible revival of the Adriatic as a cruise macro area.

«We are delighted to bring the Adriatic Sea Forum to Venice this year, a symbolic city of the Adriatic and the place where Risposte Turismo was founded and is based. A tourism capital located in an area distinguished by its outstanding natural and landscape heritage, as well as by its many high-value historical and artistic destinations», continued Francesco di Cesare – President of Risposte Turismo. «The eighth edition of the forum takes place during a historical phase marked by strong international uncertainty, prompting new reflections on maritime tourism dynamics, to which we will dedicate space during the two working days. The selected topics range from destination governance to entrepreneurial challenges and, thanks to the many speakers involved, will face both the sector as a whole and its individual components. Since the very first edition, our goal has been to help give the Adriatic the central role it deserves within the international tourism landscape, offering a recurring opportunity for dialogue among operators, as well as a reliable source of updated data and information», concluded di Cesare.

Collateral initiatives: Alumni@ASF, the CROSS-CONNECT project, and a new call under the Italy–Croatia Programme

Adriatic Sea Forum 2026 will once again host a range of collateral initiatives. A special focus will be placed on young people with the new edition of Alumni@ASF, which will allow a selected group of 30 students or recent graduates from universities and master’s programmes in countries bordering both sides of the Adriatic to take part in the event, follow its sessions, and engage with industry operators (applications are open until Friday, May 29 at the following link).

The Forum will also provide an opportunity to present the final results of the CROSSCONNECT project (“Cross-border Coordinated Sea-Land Approach Interconnecting Ports of the Adriatic Sea with Airports and Urban Areas”), to which the Adriatic Sea Forum will dedicate a session of the programme this year. Topics will include the decarbonisation of airport and port operations and the implementation of a new approach for more efficient passenger and baggage flow management, based on the “Fly&Cruise” model.