It was supposed to be a long-awaited holiday, but instead it turned into a real nightmare. Partly overcome thanks to the great sense of hospitality of the tourist entrepreneurs from Gallura and beyond.
The protagonists of a tragicomic story are Behar Isuf and his wife Shkurte Isufi, a couple of Swiss tourists of Kosovar origin, traveling in Gallura with their two children.
On Friday evening, after a day spent in Porto Istana, upon returning to the beach car parks the bitter discovery was made, with the theft of their VWT5 Volkswagen Van.
Disconsolate by the incident and supported by a couple of friends, they launched an appeal on social media to find the vehicle with documents and personal objects inside. In just a few hours, they found the hospitality of Valentina Puggioni, manager of Ichnos Apartments and of the "Chiaro di Luna" residence in Lu Fraili, who welcomed the family and provided assistance. And who, tomorrow, will accompany them back to the airport to return home.
«I became aware of the fact thanks to a couple of friends of the Isuf family who were staying in a facility I managed – says Valentina Puggioni – I didn't think twice about making them feel at home. It is a gesture that any local colleague would have made, where hospitality and warmth towards holidaymakers reign."
Hence Puggioni's hopes: «The hope remains that after the great buzz on social media, not only the van but also the personal objects can be found. They caused them enormous economic damage. They are two honest workers who reached our island, among a thousand sacrifices."
In recent hours, the Porto Istana pharmacy had also offered support to the couple, with the owners, doctors Alessandro Fenu and Francesco Deligia, "ready to provide medicines in case of need or even a simple invitation to the restaurant".
But "social radio" has also produced its effects beyond Gallura, with many entrepreneurs and ordinary citizens ready to offer support from all over Sardinia. Like Paolo Schirru, owner of the B&B Sa Pardina in Orroli, who made himself available immediately, making his structure available.
The mayor of San Teodoro Rita Deretta is proud of the great synergistic action surrounding the matter: «I can only be thrilled to have citizens who are so generous and hospitable towards tourists», says the first citizen, and then adds: «For us teodorini, tourism is not only an important economic vector, but above all an example of hospitality, carrying forward the teachings transmitted by our ancestors, who have always opened their doors to foreigners".
In the meantime, the search for the van continues unabated, thanks to various volunteers in the field across the island.
