1. Why Biodiversity Matters to a Tourism Destination
Tourism Demand and Territorial Dependence
Sardinia’s visitor economy is substantial and growing. In 2024, the regional Ross1000 tourism reporting system recorded 4,441,322 arrivals and 18,860,976 overnight stays in accommodation establishments. Compared with 2023, arrivals increased by 13.76% and overnight stays by 15.40%; the average recorded stay was 4.25 days.[uniolbia]
These figures demonstrate strong tourism demand. They should not, however, be interpreted as a complete measure of the number of people present in Sardinia during the year, nor as a direct measure of tourism pressure on ecosystems, public infrastructure or local communities.
Accommodation statistics record visitors staying in reporting establishments. They may not fully capture stays in second homes, visits to friends and relatives, day trips, informal accommodation, excursion activity or all forms of short-term rental. Airport and ferry passenger data also measure movements rather than the number of tourists staying in a particular municipality, using a particular beach, or placing a measurable load on local water, waste or mobility systems.
The University of Olbia has highlighted the need for caution when interpreting conventional tourism statistics, particularly because second-home use and incomplete accommodation-reporting coverage can affect the relationship between recorded overnight stays and the actual seasonal population present in a destination.[uniolbia]
This is not a reason to disregard tourism statistics. It is a reason to use them carefully and combine them with other evidence.
| Indicator | What it can show | What it cannot demonstrate by itself |
|---|---|---|
| Accommodation arrivals | Number of recorded guests entering reporting accommodation | Total visitor population or seasonal presence |
| Overnight stays | Duration of recorded accommodation use | Daily pressure on beaches, roads, public space or ecosystems |
| Average stay | Length of recorded accommodation visits | Environmental impact per visitor or local economic retention |
| Airport passengers | Scale of air connectivity and movement | Number of travellers staying in a particular locality |
| Ferry and port passengers | Maritime access and movement | Tourism-specific demand at a specific coastal site |
| Municipal tourism data | Spatial and seasonal distribution of recorded stays | Ecological condition, infrastructure capacity or resident experience |
| Accommodation capacity | Scale and location of formal supply | Actual occupancy, unregistered supply or total local population |
Tourism pressure emerges from the interaction of several factors: visitor volume, timing, duration of stay, location, transport mode, accommodation pattern, visitor behaviour, environmental sensitivity and the capacity of local infrastructure and institutions.
For example, a high number of visitors dispersed over a long period, using public transport and staying in resource-efficient accommodation may create lower pressure than a smaller number concentrated during a few peak weeks in a water-stressed coastal area dependent on private cars. Similarly, two municipalities with comparable numbers of overnight stays may experience very different impacts because their ecological systems, resident populations, infrastructure capacity and management arrangements differ.
The management implication is clear. Sardinia should not judge tourism performance only through annual growth in arrivals or overnight stays. It should examine where demand is concentrated, when systems are under greatest stress, how visitors move through the territory, which resources they use, and whether the value they generate remains within local communities.
Monthly and municipal tourism data published by the Sardinia Tourism Observatory provide an important basis for this work. The Observatory makes available 2024 data on arrivals and overnight stays by municipality, market of origin and accommodation type. When these data are combined with evidence on water demand, waste, mobility, coastal use, ecological condition and resident experience, they can support more precise, place-based destination management.[osservatorio.sardegnaturismo]
The core issue is not whether Sardinia should welcome visitors. It is whether the island can convert visitor demand into lasting territorial value while maintaining the ecological and social systems on which that demand depends.