The Italian island of Sardinia has an issue with tourism. A couple of seasons again it introduced in rules to regulate overcrowding on its world-renowned seashores. These embody restricted entry, prebooking and towel bans.
Now, some tourism specialists and operators need 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 it will make tourism extra sustainable and profitable, though all the things 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 individuals are allowed each day.
Some locations require beachgoers to e-book 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 e-book upfront and pay €3 ($3.33) per particular person to entry the seashores with a information.
Right now, 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 using rocks to anchor seaside umbrellas, with a €500 ($550) wonderful 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 Seaside has banned towels–which entice an excessive amount of sand–and asks guests to carry mats as an alternative. There’s a beachgoer cap of 1,500 and a €3.50 payment ($3.88).
Journey specialists need to make Sardinia’s tourism extra sustainable
Sardinia is marketed as a sea and solar summer time vacation spot, which not solely means seaside rules have grow to be needed but in addition that a lot of the island’s ‘out-of-season’ potential is missed.
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 selections and above all the opportunity of having fun with the vacation spot even when the times should not precisely seaside days.”
He needs to shine the highlight on the area’s meals and wine, archaeological websites and villages, in addition to sluggish and experiential tourism like climbing, biking or sporting occasions.
“Right now there may be nonetheless a robust focus of company within the months of July and August. We should goal for higher occupancy of our amenities within the shoulder durations, when, not like Italians, foreigners journey extra,” he advised Italian press.
One of many best 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 global scale – not simply continental – within the off-season,” Cuccureddu stated.
“Due to this fact 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 can even should 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 time months.
Zuma, a department of the Japanese Izakaya-style eating places positioned in Costa Smeralda, has a slatted roof which means the constructing can’t be utilized in dangerous climate whereas golf equipment like Phi Seaside and Ritual are predominantly open-air.
However Cuccureddu is assured the adjustments will repay. “Sardinia just isn’t missing in luxurious tourism,” he stated, “we simply must refill beds outdoors of the height season too.”
