In July in Sardinia there was a drop in overnight stays in hotels between 8 and 10 percent, in August between 4 and 5 percent. In some areas of the island there will be sold out for mid-August, in others there are still some free places . In short, a "leopard-spotted" territory.
«For southern Sardinia Santa Margherita is going better this summer than in Villasimius and Costa Rei – comments Fausto Mura, regional vice president of Federalberghi -. But the same goes for all of Sardinia: some places are sold out. And we expect the same for August 15th». The last minute effect will weigh heavily on the final results: «Yes - he confirms - it is a habit that we are dragging on from the pandemic. In the uncertainty, in recent years, the tendency was to book two or three days before arrival. And this habit has consolidated even now that there is no uncertainty ».
Leopard spots also for the types of hotels . «The five stars went very well», underlines the top management of Federalberghi. Otherwise good results, but in the end you will have to deal with the minus sign. «The reasons for the decline - argues Mura - are to be attributed above all to the problem of transport : it is the gap that we should fill with our competitors. But the purchasing power of Italians has also dropped».
«However, I would say - he specifies - that if energy and food costs rise, it is clear that the hotelier is forced to raise prices. But in line with general inflation. In southern Sardinia the gap varies between 10 and 18 per cent of percentage increase».
Meanwhile, airports confirm or exceed the numbers of previous years. "But the numbers of calls are only indicative - says Mura - the real results depend on the average stay of the tourist". «The moral - concludes Mura - is that the transport problem must be solved, the arrival of tourists must be guaranteed without excessive prices. But it would also be right to focus on foreigners: now we are more or less equal between national and international tourism. But if we reached 60-70 percent of foreigners, the lengthening of the season would also benefit, with holidays less concentrated in August and spread over the other months as well».
(Unioneonline/ss)