Among the proposals to boost tourism to Sardinia the Regional Council is promoting Isola dello Sport, 26 international sporting competitions and tournaments, from world tennis to the under-21 World Volleyball Championship and from water sports to motocross. Tourism Councillor Gianni Chessa said these sporting events are a great way to promote the island for the attention they have attracted worldwide.
Volotea intends boosting flights
“We are also concentrating on other sectors like religious, gastronomic, experiential, cultural, archaeological, cycling and congress tourism. We need to boost the quality of services but are confident the direction taken by the president of the region and the council is a valid one and will bear fruit. Regarding transport – said Chessa - we are talking with Volotea which has confirmed its intent to boost flights and guarantee continuity. For now, due to EU laws, the programme is provisional but they are working to extend it from next May to October. The goal is to have flights 12 months a year.”
An archaeological exhibition in four great museums
“Archaeological tourism, which is the identity of Sardinia’s history, is currently in the world spotlight with the Island of Megaliths exhibition which is in four of the world’s most important museums. Berlin just closed with 96,000 visitors in three months, now it’s the turn of St. Petersburg for another three, then Thessaloniki and finally Naples.”
Creating opportunities for growth
Italy’s second largest island is also investing in religious itineraries and in slow tourism. “We are committed to enhancing the interior of Sardinia which has 3,200 km of routes touching on 250 municipalities, but they need better accommodation facilities. This is a challenge for the region, a chance to create opportunities for growth in the area, and a breath of fresh air for the hinterland which remains isolated in the winter months,” added Chessa.
August was a bumper month is many areas
Sardinia bounced back this summer with between 15 and 18 million overnights from June to October, and with August surpassing 2019 figures in many areas, in particular those with the best tourism services. In pre-pandemic years visitors came for the most part from Germany, the rest of Italy, the UK, Switzerland, Belgium and America and with growing numbers of Russian arrivals.
