  The implications of tackling seasonality for the governance of a seaside destination: the case of Alghero (coautori N. Fadda, F. Rotondo)

Seasonality is a controversial topic that until now has been examined primarily in relation to its economic, socio-cultural and ecological repercussions on tourism destinations. This study focuses on the implications of de-seasonality policies in terms of governance within a local tourism destination. In particular, it investigates the relationship between de-seasonality policies and the governance structure and mechanisms in the significant case of Alghero, a renowned destination located in the north-west coast of Sardinia, in order to understand whether a de-seasonality strategy always implies the existence of a network and possibly what kind of network is suitable for the effectiveness of such a strategy. The analysis, carried out using a personal interview approach, reveals the centrality of local government in a “normative” destination governance archetype, the importance of sharing a common idea of de-seasonality between public and private actors and that the benefits of de-seasonalization can accumulate over time and derive from external circumstances. Furthermore, it shows that also unstable but recurring partnerships can foster the development of social capital as well as that expertise of private actors and common expectations about de-seasonality are essential preconditions to both exploit de-seasonality opportunities and start creating institutionalized governance networks.