There has been an increase of 4.84 per cent in the arrivals of tourists to Rome this year, with American visitors up by 10 per cent and Japanese up by 5.88 per cent compared with the same period in 2003. The figures, prepared by the Rome city and provincial tourist boards, were announced by Rome's mayor, Walter Veltroni, at the end July. Veltroni predicted that for Ferragosto on 15 August, one of the most important Italian public holidays, the city will be host to more than 150,000 foreign visitors. Enrico Gasbarra, leader of the provincial government, has announced that there has been a 13.8 per cent increase this year in foreign tourists to the 120 towns and villages that make up the province of Rome.