Amid ongoing efforts in Italy to combat overcrowding at popular sites, authorities have decided that tourists will have to book in advance if they want to visit one of the island of Sardinia's most popular beaches.
Tuerredda is a spectacular crescent-shaped bay located on the idyllic Italian island, less than 200 meters off the southern coast of Sardinia.
In the summer months, the number of beachgoers is already limited by local authorities to just 1,100 per day, but Teulada's local council now wants visitors to reserve a spot via an app before enjoying its fine golden sand and crystal-clear waters.
"We hope to start with the new system as early as July," Angelo Milia, the mayor of Teulada, told local media.
With around 50 million tourists each year, Italy is one of several European countries trying to stem the influx of tourists amid concerns about the damage they do to historic sites and sites of natural beauty.
Aggressive controls
The national government has been slow to adopt measures that could deter visitors, particularly during the Vatican's Jubilee Year celebrations, leaving it up to local councils to apply a more aggressive approach to controlling visitor numbers.
In Tuerredda, Sardinian authorities have limited the number of visitors since 2020 and have imposed bans on disposable plastic bags, smoking and taking sand or pebbles from the beach.
Last week, they joined leaders of 25 tourist towns from across Italy, including the mayors of Capri and Positano, for a crisis summit in the town of Amalfi to confront the scourge of overtourism.
Also present were mayors from the alpine ski resort of Courmayeur on the French border, the coastal towns of Cinque Terre in Liguria and Taormina, the Sicilian hilltop town that has attracted a new wave of tourists after the hit TV series, White Lotus, was filmed there.
Mayors want more flexibility to limit tourist access during peak periods, more coordination of trains, ferries and other modes of public transport, and greater flexibility to set local taxes or order businesses to hire temporary staff.
Paolo Falco, the mayor of Capri, is seeking more power over the timing of tourist arrivals, especially day trippers, who flood the island by the thousands every summer. He has suggested an hourly limit on the number of ferries.
" It is essential that our municipality imposes a time limit on maritime connections, currently set only at regional level. In Capri, we want to protect to the maximum those who come to visit us and ensure a quality experience for everyone ," he said in a statement.
Tourist numbers dominate the local population on Capri during the summer months, as 16,000 foreigners visited the island in May and June last year, 3,000 more than the island's 13,000 resident inhabitants. (A2 Televizion)
A2 CNN Livestream
MUND TE LEXONI GJITHASHTU
