The diffused nautical hotel arrives:
YiS Team: Alessandra Vigliotta
Thursday, October 12th, 2023
The economy of tourism in Sardinia will soon have a new flagship.
Among the innovations introduced with the amendments to the regional law 16/2017, we can find a large project of sustainable tourism for social-economical development and the protection of culture and biodiversity.
Investing in a magnificent territory like Sardinia seems easy, as well as promoting the tourism sector. Yet, on the international market, now the competition with other destinations requires character, innovation, typicality and an identity that goes beyond the summer-sea paradigm. Especially if you want to have inflow and work in the other eight months of the year.
And so ideas are born to enhance the cultural and archaeological heritage, the spaces for outdoor sports, rich food and wine, congress and religious tourism. This year alone, 240 events have already been funded. But from today there is one more idea: from the TTG Travel Experience 2023 in Rimini, the Sardinia Region launches the widespread nautical hotel.
Just like the diffused hotels, (Sardinia was the first Italian region to recognize it formally in 1998), the diffused nautical hotels are a resource in order to enjoy to the most the beauties of nature, let alone an attraction that will turn out, we bet, irresistible to foreign travelers.
It is a newly designed accommodation facility, which combines ground services (where you will find reception, registration and customer service), with the possibility of sleeping on a flotilla of boats and exploring the coasts during the day within three miles of its port location. Cabin rooms, kitchenette and hot shower on board. In short, a lot.
Not only that, the tourism sector now aims to a wide-ranging eco-sustainability that includes ideas of social well-being and respect for cultural identities, rewarding with a seal of recognition virtuous structures.
THE CHARACTERISTICS OF THE HOTEL
The widespread nautical hotels will consist of a number of not less than seven pleasure crafts for not less than fifty cabin berths, and may be granted for use to customers only with leases of a duration between a minimum of 24 hours and a maximum of four weeks.
“The introduction of this new type of accommodation is a demonstration of how Sardinia can be a reference point for national tourism, with the timely standardization of new frontiers of hospitality, that once again allow us to be at the forefront in Italy and in the world», the regional councillor for Tourism, Crafts and Commerce Giovanni Chessa said. Moreover, the widespread nautical hotel allows us to continue working in a direction that is very close to our hearts and in which Sardinia has always been a model: eco-sustainability. The creation of new sleeping accommodations of this kind, in fact, allows us to increase the accommodation capacity of the island safeguarding our wonderful coasts». Now the initiative will only have to take hold thanks to private investors.
SARDINIA AND ECO-SUSTAINABILITY: THE NEW AWARD FOR ACCOMMODATION
Always with a view to improving the quality of the accommodation, also and above all in terms of sustainability (environmental and social) Sardinia introduces for the first time a new recognition, to which the facilities can access if they comply with certain requirements provided by the new amendments to the regional law 16/2017.
The requirements do not only include respect for environmental sustainability, but also for social and cultural sustainability, which are concretized for example with the implementation of company best practices (read: contracts for employees and energy savings) or with architectural, cultural and food and wine initiatives that take into account the specificities, history and traditions of the Sardinia region: from local wines to artisan products for sale. All this is aimed at achieving sustainable tourism for social-economic development and the protection of culture and biodiversity, as well as encouraging conservation, management and exploitation of the territory’s resources and the ecological and resilient transition to climate change as well as rewarding the accommodation facilities that cooperate in the social-economical development of the territories on which they insist.
The criteria that must be met includes, for example, the control and containment of waste and the consumption of energy and water, staff training on sustainability issues, the control and containment of the impact of the infrastructure and tourist flows of the territory, but also the use for the construction and renovation of natural and local materials, typical of the Sardinian construction tradition, the presence of green spaces, the provision of a large number of bicycles, the correct management of light and noise, the promotion of local handicrafts,food and wine, the result of local traditions and the protection and enhancement of cultural heritage, local identity and resources.
The accommodation facilities that will satisfy the requirements may use a special distinctive sign that will make them recognizable as eco-friendly structures.
In addition to the introduction of the recognition of eco-sustainable structure, the structures of the regional territory may also aim at the recognition of «Accommodation with universal accessibility» where they demonstrate that they satisfy the requirements for accessibility and for overcoming architectural barriers.
«Tourism in our wonderful region is becoming more inclusive, open, welcoming and top-quality», explains Councillor Chessa. «We want to work in a direction that allows us to continue to make Sardinia the spearhead of national tourism, paying attention to all the details that can guarantee our tourists an excellent and diversified offer, not only in terms of welcome but also from the point of view of the promotion of the culture and traditions of our territory, those that guarantee an attractive proposal not only in summer, but in all seasons of the year, starting from the coasts but also enhancing the interior of the island».
A sensitivity, the ecological one, that according to the councillor, is part of the DNA of the islanders: We made historical choices, to preserve the environment, even those who were before me, with a hat, because we also paid with unemployment. It is a choice of Sardinia, of the Sardinians. Everything begins and we must recognize that it is thanks to the Aga Khan that many years ago he had this vision of the Costa Smeralda and built harmoniously with the environment, really bringing Sardinia into the world. It has brought wealth to Gallura and a concept of tourism that preserves Sardinia. Since then the political class has always tried to avoid building speculation, so much so that the entrepreneur in Sardinia does not have an easy life, because we are very careful about this aspect».
These efforts were rewarded by the data, with an increase in tourist arrivals in 2023 (6,377,247 between ports and airports against 6,005,971 in 2022), confirming Sardinia as one of the most desired destinations internationally. The promotion of the region for the upcoming tourist season focuses on sustainability, with a program of high-level sports events ranging from chess in Pula to water sports, from the Formula 1 motorboat in Olbia to the historical rallies of the island, not to mention tennis and martial arts.
