Nuraghi, unexpressed heritage. But the “Sardinian Pompeii” could be worth 1 billion GDP
At the Manifattura Tabacchi in Cagliari, a conference focused on the archaeological sites of the island, unique in the world and with enormous potential for economic development, yet often little known and little publicized
“Sardinia, Nuraghi and GDP”. This is the title of the conference organized at the Manifattura Tabacchi in Cagliari, focused on the Nuragic civilization as a "brand" of Sardinia with great development potential.
Numerous speakers: Pierpaolo Vargiu, president of the Association “Sardinia towards UNESCO, Giacomo Spissu, Maurizia Angelo Comneno, Francesco Bandarin, Gianfilippo Cuneo, Ferruccio De Bortoli, Guido Venturini.
On the occasion, the data of a study carried out by OC&C Strategy Consultant in collaboration with Eumetra, entitled “Sardinia – The island of nuraghi. The hidden treasure" , focused precisely on the great potential represented, for tourism and development, by the nuraghi present in Sardinia.
Often unexpressed potential: just think that, according to research data, less than 10% of those arriving in Sardinia visit the Nuragic sites and they are mainly foreign tourists.
How, therefore, can we fully exploit this heritage (unique in the world), which is often not adequately "publicised"?
Possible answers to the question were also illustrated at the conference, in light of a series of surveys carried out by Eumetra on a sample of over a thousand people on exactly what could make nuraghi more attractive.
Any examples? 36% of those interviewed would like to see the guided tour service strengthened at the Nuragic sites, while as many as 65% ask for adequate information services, audio guides, interactive exhibitions and multimedia presentations.
And, again from the interviews, interesting ideas emerged on possible "combinations" to the simple visit to the site. That is: horseback riding (reported by 31% of those interviewed), cultural shows or traditional events (30%) and, further down, offers of typical food, archeology workshops, trekking or mountain bike excursions.
In short, we need to rethink the tourist offer strategy linked to the Nuragic sites from the beginning, with the aim of attracting more and more visitors.
According to recent and pre-pandemic data (2019), every year the nuraghi of Sardinia are visited by half a million people . Far away numbers, very far from those recorded by other Italian archaeological and historical-cultural sites, much better known and publicized: Pompeii (3.8 million visitors a year), the Trulli of Alberobello (2 million), the Sassi of Matera (1.9).
One of the possible objectives, the study highlights by presenting the data, could and should be to reach 1.5/2 million visitors a year. A goal which, translated into euros, would mean generating an extra 1 billion in GDP for Sardinia over time.
«The OC&C Eumetra study – explains the president of the “Sardinia towards UNESCO” Association, Pierpaolo Vargiu – helps to understand how the investment in image on the identity and nuragic landscape of Sardinia can lead to a new brand positioning of the 'Isola making it finally perceptible in the global collective imagination. This process is capable of triggering economic repercussions that would go well beyond the tourism sector, becoming a multiplier for the GDP and generating widespread well-being."
