Sardinia is urging visitors to stay off the beaches and explore the island in the off-season – in a bold move to tackle mass tourism

Now, some tourism experts and operators want to expand the island’s image from a predominantly sea and sun destination that squeezes their tourist season into just a few months. They say this will make tourism more sustainable and profitable, although everything from restaurant opening seasons to flight schedules will have to change – will the switch work for this summer island?

Sardinia imposes bans on visitors and towels on beaches

Dozens of beaches in Sardinia now have limits for visitors. Cala Brandinchi and Lu Impostu in the northeast have numbers limited to 1,447 and 3,352 respectively between 15 June and 15 September. At Cala Mariolu, a little further south, only 700 people are allowed daily.

Some venues require visitors to reserve their slot online before arriving. Cala Coticcio and Cala Brigantina in the La Maddalena archipelago are limited to 60 people per day, and visitors must book in advance and pay €3 ($3.33) per person to access the guided beaches.

Today, some areas of the coast are completely off limits. The famous pink beach of Budelli Island can only be seen from a boat anchored in the distance.

Other specific rules were also imposed. The communities of Santa Teresa di Gallura and Sant’Antioco have banned the use of stones to anchor beach umbrellas, with a €500 ($550) fine for offenders. And in the province of Olbia, the mayor banned late-night swimming, beach camping, bonfires and the use of chairs and towels overnight to stop all-night parties.

Pelosa Beach has banned towels – which trap too much sand – and asks visitors to bring rugs instead. There is a beach cap of 1,500 and a fee of €3.50 ($3.88).

Travel experts want to make tourism in Sardinia more sustainable

Sardinia is marketed as a summer destination for sea and sun, which means not only that beach regulations have become necessary, but that much of the island’s “off-season” potential is being overlooked.

Sardinia’s new regional councilor for tourism, Franco Cuccureddu, recently spoke to the media about his vision to “de-seasonalise” the island as a holiday destination.

He says the island is often compared to the Maldives, but “those who come to Sardinia have a wider range of options and above all the possibility to enjoy the destination even when the days are not exactly beach days”.

He wants to put the spotlight on the region’s gastronomy and wine, archaeological sites and villages, as well as slow and experiential tourism, such as hiking, cycling or sporting events.

“Today there is still a strong concentration of guests in July and August. We must aim for a higher occupancy of our facilities during shoulder periods when, unlike Italians, foreigners travel more,” he told Italian media.

One of the biggest challenges involved in implementing these changes is improving off-season flight connections.

“Thanks to the exemption granted by the European Community, the Sardinian region will be able to invest 30 million euros ($33 million) over the next three years to strengthen air connections on an international scale – not just continental – in the low season,” Cuccureddu said .

“Therefore, we envision new flights to Cagliari, Olbia and Alghero not only from Europe, but also from America and Asia, especially from the Persian Gulf area.”

Authorities will also need to work with tourism businesses to ensure there are still options in the off-season, as some of Sardinia’s most iconic restaurants and clubs are only open in the summer months.

Zuma, a branch of the Japanese-style Izakaya restaurants located in the Costa Smeralda, has a slatted roof, meaning the building cannot be used in bad weather, while clubs such as Phi Beach and Ritual are predominantly open-air.

But Cuccureddu is convinced that the changes will bear fruit. “There is no shortage of luxury tourism in Sardinia,” he said, “we just need to fill the beds in the off-peak season as well.”