Prossimità oltre la costa: il Nord Ovest della Sardegna come caso studio di sviluppo turistico del territorio

In the post-pandemic context, in response to issues related to overtourism and mass tourism, proximity tourism has gained significance, aligning with sustainable practices as it can help reduce the environmental impact associated with long-distance travel and support local economic development. A preliminary analysis of tourist flows suggests new trends in visitor behaviour in Sardinia, as well as the importance of active stakeholder engagement, including residents, in promoting proximity tourism as a catalyst for social and economic cohesion. The aim of this study is to leverage the principles of proximity tourism to integrate neighbouring territories into the tourism circuit of the Vast Area of the Asinara National Park, examining the possibility of implementing an itinerary based on synergistic collaboration between the areas involved. Specifically, the case study focuses on three municipalities that, according to the SNAI 2021-2027, are classified as “belt municipalities”; such collaboration would promote the extension of the destination to adjacent areas classified as internal. Through data collection targeted toward a specific category of stakeholders, the field study proposed here continues the activity of an ongoing research project in northwestern Sardinia. The findings suggest promoting long-term territorial enhancement interventions, achievable through conscious and sustainable inter-municipal communication of the territories.