The Italian island of Sardinia has an issue with tourism. A number of 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 specialists 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 every thing 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 bit of additional south, solely 700 persons are allowed every 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 have to e book 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 using rocks to anchor seaside umbrellas, with a €500 ($550) superb 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 lure an excessive amount of sand–and asks guests to carry mats as a substitute. There’s a beachgoer cap of 1,500 and a €3.50 charge ($3.88).
Journey specialists 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 additionally that a lot of the island’s ‘out-of-season’ potential is neglected.
Sardinia’s new regional councilor for tourism Franco Cuccureddu not too long ago talked to the press about his imaginative and prescient of ‘deseasonalization’ for the island as a trip spot.
He says the island is usually in comparison with the Maldives however “those that come to Sardinia have a wider vary of selections and above all the potential for having fun with the vacation spot even when the times aren’t 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 mountain climbing, biking or sporting occasions.
“In the present day there’s nonetheless a powerful focus of visitors within the months of July and August. We should goal for better occupancy of our services within the shoulder intervals, when, not like Italians, foreigners journey extra,” he informed Italian press.
One of many biggest challenges concerned in implementing these modifications is the advance of flight connections low season.
“Because of the exemption granted by the European Neighborhood, 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 mentioned.
“Due to this fact we think about new flights to Cagliari, Olbia and Alghero not solely from Europe but additionally from America and Asia, specifically from the Persian Gulf space.”
Authorities can even need to 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 throughout the summer season 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 modifications will repay. “Sardinia just isn’t missing in luxurious tourism,” he mentioned, “we simply have to replenish beds outdoors of the height season too.”
