Puglia allocates €4.25 million for Major Events: new Open Call for 2026

Puglia allocates €4.25 million for Major Events

The Puglia Regional Council has approved the reallocation of €4,250,000 for 2026 to support activities under the "Open Call Major Events", a public call to select proposals for high-impact events with strong attraction potential.

The funds, previously set out and now reallocated for the current year under the POC 2021/2027 – Cohesion Agreement, form part of the Regional Tourism Strategic Plan "Puglia 3x6x5 – 2025/2030". Implementation is entrusted to the Regional Agency for Technology and Innovation – ARET Pugliapromozione.

• Goal: strengthen local activation and promote Puglia's cultural identity through nationally and internationally relevant events.
• Expected impact: generate qualified tourist flows and create a favorable context for local stakeholders to invest.
• Funding framework: resources linked to the "Tourism and hospitality" line of the POC 2021/2027.
• Procedure: the Technical Committee has already reviewed applications for the first half of 2026 and published minutes on the regional website.

According to the resolution, tourism already accounts for nearly 20% of the region's value added. "Major events are a comprehensive tourism policy tool," said Tourism Councillor Graziamaria Starace, emphasizing the role of planning and national/international media reach in consolidating Puglia's offer.

The measure aims to support established events as well as new proposals able to amplify territorial visibility and contribute to the competitive repositioning of Puglia's destinations.