Phases of Tourism Development and Regulatory Policies: the Case of Sardinia

Tourism is, by definition, resource consuming (territory, time, mobility). Up until recently, consumption was indiscriminate, while now the discussion about responsible and ethical consumption is evolving. Italy has consumed a great share of territorial resources compared to the real demand, and without clear ground rules. A regulatory framework is necessary nowadays in order to govern soil consumption and the distortions carried over from tourism. In Sardinia, tourism is one of the most complex economic sectors that needs skills, expertise, foreign language knowledge and effective communication methods. Instead, it has commonly been considered as an opportunity to survive and speculate. Moreover, it must be taken into consideration that tourism is strictly connected to the knowledge economy, because it includes advanced services with high levels of innovation, experimentation, creativity within a comfortable and quality urban environment. This led to the need to adopt new approaches to govern tourism in Sardinia, with specific reference to rules aimed at redefining the relationship between urban ecosystems and social practices. This paper provides an overview of the policies adopted by several local administrations which are aimed at redefining access and uses of territorial and environmental resources in Sardinia. In details, the paper highlights the path taken by the municipality of Baunei as a good practice regarding the policies designed to regulate tourists’ behaviour. The case study emphasizes the commitment to identify new ideas for the future of Sardinia, by focusing on tourism. And thinking about the future cannot ignore a thrifty use of resources, whatever their origin.