The Island of ghost tourism, 62% of presences in black

In the top ten Italian municipalities by number of unrecorded presences out of the total, Quartu Sant'Elena is on the podium with 64.8%, the third city after Trapani and Noto. A figure (certified by Sociometrica, a socio-economic survey company) that exceeds the regional percentage of undeclared workers, that 62% detected by Crenos which drags Sardinia to first place in the national classification of undeclared hospitality, followed by Sicily, Calabria and Puglia. An increasing share compared to last year (it was 61%), almost double compared to 36% in 2019.

The hidden market

Data that photograph the ghost tourism market nestled in illegally rented houses and irregular B&Bs, the dimensions of an uncontrolled phenomenon that remained against the background of a war of numbers on arrivals and attendances between the Region (record of arrivals) on one side, Federal hotels and sector associations (decreasing attendance) on the other.

The hunger for houses

The government is studying a bill to curb the phenomenon. Among other things, the text provides for a minimum stay of two nights (except in small centres) and the introduction of the Ateco code for the new category of property manager, i.e. who (individual or company) manages several apartments for tourist use on behalf of the owners and which will therefore act as a withholding agent.

"Mild" measures for Federalberghi, which is asking for a change of intended use: "Do you want to offer hospitality like hotels? You have to submit to the same obligations, and costs, in terms of safety, fire prevention, hygiene, etc.», explains the president Fabio Manca.

The market

Over 22 thousand, in Sardinia, the non-hotel structures; 8 thousand more operators registered on the Region's platform compared to 2022. Most, "about 17,000", says Maurizio Battelli, president of Extra, an association in the sector, "are houses on short-term leases from the owners, who manage the business themselves and obtain a supplement to their income".

Piera Serusi