The Italian island of Sardinia has an issue with tourism. Just a few seasons again it introduced in rules to manage overcrowding on its world-renowned seashores. These embrace restricted entry, prebooking and towel bans.
Now, some tourism consultants and operators wish to broaden the island’s picture from predominantly a sea and solar vacation spot, which crams their tourism season into just some months. They are saying this may make tourism extra sustainable and profitable, though all the pieces from restaurant opening seasons to flight schedules might want to change–will the shift work for this summertime island?
Sardinia imposes customer caps and towel bans on seashores
Dozens of seashores in Sardinia now have customer caps. Cala Brandinchi and Lu Impostu within the northeast have restricted numbers to 1,447 and three,352, respectively, between 15 June and 15 September. At Cala Mariolu, a little bit additional south, solely 700 persons are allowed each day.
Some locations require beachgoers to guide their slot on-line earlier than arriving. Cala Coticcio and Cala Brigantina on La Maddalena archipelago have a 60-person per-day restrict and guests must guide upfront and pay €3 ($3.33) per individual to entry the seashores with a information.
In the present day, some areas of the shoreline are off-limits utterly. The famed pink seaside on outlying Budelli island can solely be seen from a ship moored at a distance.
Different particular guidelines have been imposed. The communities of Santa Teresa di Gallura and Sant’Antioco have banned the usage of rocks to anchor seaside umbrellas, with a €500 ($550) fantastic for transgressors. And within the province of Olbia, the mayor has forbidden late-night swimming, seaside tenting, bonfires, and utilizing chairs and towels in a single day to curb all-night events.
Pelosa Seashore has banned towels–which lure an excessive amount of sand–and asks guests to deliver mats as a substitute. There’s a beachgoer cap of 1,500 and a €3.50 price ($3.88).
Journey consultants wish to make Sardinia’s tourism extra sustainable
Sardinia is marketed as a sea and solar summer season vacation spot, which not solely means seaside rules have turn into needed but in addition that a lot of the island’s ‘out-of-season’ potential is ignored.
Sardinia’s new regional councilor for tourism Franco Cuccureddu lately talked to the press about his imaginative and prescient of ‘deseasonalization’ for the island as a trip spot.
He says the island is commonly in comparison with the Maldives however “those that come to Sardinia have a wider vary of decisions and above all the opportunity of having fun with the vacation spot even when the times usually are not precisely seaside days.”
He desires to shine the highlight on the area’s meals and wine, archaeological websites and villages, in addition to sluggish and experiential tourism like mountaineering, biking or sporting occasions.
“In the present day there’s nonetheless a robust focus of friends within the months of July and August. We should goal for larger occupancy of our amenities within the shoulder intervals, when, not like Italians, foreigners journey extra,” he instructed Italian press.
One of many biggest challenges concerned in implementing these adjustments is the development of flight connections low season.
“Due to the exemption granted by the European Group, the Sardinia Area will be capable of make investments €30 million [$33 million] within the subsequent three years to strengthen air connections on a world scale – not simply continental – within the off-season,” Cuccureddu mentioned.
“Subsequently we think about new flights to Cagliari, Olbia and Alghero not solely from Europe but in addition from America and Asia, particularly from the Persian Gulf space.”
Authorities may also must work with tourism companies to make sure there are nonetheless choices low season as a number of of Sardinia’s most iconic eating places and golf equipment solely open through the summer season months.
Zuma, a department of the Japanese Izakaya-style eating places situated in Costa Smeralda, has a slatted roof meaning the constructing can’t be utilized in dangerous climate whereas golf equipment like Phi Seashore and Ritual are predominantly open-air.
However Cuccureddu is assured the adjustments will repay. “Sardinia will not be missing in luxurious tourism,” he mentioned, “we simply must refill beds exterior of the height season too.”
