15. Sardinia Destination Sustainability Indicator Framework
From Fragmented Data to Shared Decisions
Sardinia already has important sources of tourism, environmental, climate and public-service data. The next step is not necessarily to create a wholly new reporting system. It is to connect existing datasets through a practical framework that helps institutions identify pressure early, evaluate interventions and report progress transparently.
The proposed framework is informed by the European Tourism Indicator System, which was designed to help destinations monitor sustainable-tourism performance through common indicators covering destination management, social and cultural impact, economic value and environmental impact. It also reflects the GSTC Destination Standard, which calls for a coordinated destination-management body and a system for monitoring, responding to and publicly reporting tourism’s socio-economic, cultural and environmental impacts.[ec.europa][gstc]
The framework below is adapted for Sardinia’s island context. It should not be treated as a final official indicator set. It is a proposed management tool that should be refined with regional departments, municipalities, protected-area authorities, utilities, universities, businesses and community representatives.
| Indicator area | What should be measured | Why it matters | Potential source | Frequency |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Environmental | Condition of priority dunes, wetlands, Posidonia meadows and other priority habitats | Shows whether natural capital is being maintained or degraded | ARPAS, protected-area managers, regional environment data, universities | Annual; site-specific seasonal monitoring |
| Environmental | Beach litter and marine litter per defined coastal segment | Tracks pollution and effectiveness of prevention and collection systems | ARPAS, municipalities, Marine Strategy monitoring, NGOs using standard methods | Seasonal and annual |
| Climate | Days of heat alert, drought status, wildfire-risk days, coastal-erosion indicators | Measures exposure affecting visitors, workers, ecosystems and infrastructure | ARPAS, Civil Protection, Basin Authority, coastal-monitoring systems | Seasonal and annual |
| Water | Water supplied, network losses, per-capita consumption and accommodation use per guest-night | Identifies seasonal stress and efficiency opportunities | Utilities, municipalities, accommodation providers | Monthly in high season; annual reporting |
| Waste | Municipal waste, separate collection, residual waste and waste per resident-equivalent or guest-night | Reveals peak-demand effects and circularity performance | ARPAS Waste Registry, municipalities, tourism data | Monthly in high season; annual |
| Energy | Accommodation energy use per guest-night; renewable share; cooling demand | Supports efficiency, cost reduction and decarbonisation | Businesses, utilities, GSE, regional energy data | Annual; monthly for pilot areas |
| Mobility | Mode share, public-transport use, parking demand, road-congestion time and cycling/walking use | Connects visitor movement with emissions, access and quality of life | Transport agencies, municipalities, mobile data where lawful, surveys | Seasonal and annual |
| Tourism | Arrivals, overnight stays, length of stay, occupancy and seasonality by municipality | Identifies when and where recorded demand is concentrated | Tourism Observatory, ISTAT, Ross1000 | Monthly and annual |
| Tourism pressure | Visitor numbers at sensitive sites, boat movements, mooring use and beach-access demand | Allows place-specific capacity management | Protected-area authorities, municipalities, port authorities, operators | Daily or seasonal at priority sites |
| Social/community | Resident perception of tourism; service access; housing and workforce pressures | Ensures that destination performance includes community experience | Municipalities, regional statistics, structured resident survey | Annual or biennial |
| Economic/local value | Tourism employment quality, local procurement, local business ownership and visitor-spend retention | Shows whether tourism strengthens the local economy | ISTAT, Chambers of Commerce, business surveys, regional labour data | Annual |
| Governance | Implementation of action plans, budgets, staffing, participation and public reporting | Measures delivery capacity rather than policy declarations | Regional departments, municipalities, protected areas | Annual |
The first principle is geographical precision. Island-wide averages should be complemented by municipality, coastal-system, protected-area and site-level indicators where pressure is localised.
The second is seasonal measurement. Annual totals can obscure stress during the summer peak. Water use, waste, road congestion, visitor numbers, marine activity and beach access should be measured at least monthly, and more frequently at high-pressure sites.
The third is public transparency. A useful indicator framework should not produce data that remain within separate institutional systems. An annual Sardinia Destination Sustainability Dashboard should publish the most important results, identify data gaps and explain the actions taken in response.
The fourth is proportionate implementation. Not every municipality needs to collect every indicator at the same frequency. A tiered approach is appropriate:
- Island-wide indicators for climate, tourism, energy, waste, water and biodiversity trends.
- Municipal indicators for accommodation, seasonal demand, waste, mobility and resident experience.
- Site-level indicators for beaches, protected areas, marine zones, heritage sites and high-use visitor locations.
The fifth is actionability. An indicator should be retained only if it can inform a decision: whether to manage access, improve infrastructure, change zoning, invest in restoration, adjust transport, support a community enterprise or investigate a risk.
The following pages translate this indicator framework into strategic priorities for Sardinia’s long-term destination management.