This tourist season could mark a turning point for Sardinia: July and August were packed, while September saw 16 percent more bookings than in 2025. Maurizio Battelli, president of the Extra association, confirms: "In B&Bs and guesthouses on the island, we had 7 percent more guests in July than in 2025, 5 percent more in August, and if the initial trend continues, we'll reach 10 percent in September. We're expecting a 15 percent increase in October. Considering the climate of geopolitical uncertainty with which it began, it's been an excellent season."
In hotels, however, "we've never been fully booked because there have always been a few beds available," argues Paolo Manca, head of Federalberghi: "But it's a good season," he concedes, "and September also seems like a good month. We'll close with last year's results." It was a record season, recalls the regional tourism councilor, Franco Cuccureddu : "Replicating those results would be a success, and we could surpass them."
Yet the feeling is that the system has reached its limit: "Between constant blackouts, traffic problems, a lack of parking, and struggling water and sewer networks, " he adds, "we have an infrastructure limit. The only growing economic sector on the island will no longer be sustainable if we don't extend the season." Manca nods: "It's an issue we need to think about. We can't continue to host 40,000 people in towns that have networks designed for 3,000 residents . And the problem isn't the hotels."
Marco Noce
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