Costa Rossa is not opting for more tourists, but for greater value

Growth also has a downside

Whilst popular European destinations are struggling with overcrowding and overtourism, the Costa Rossa in northern Sardinia is seeking to set itself apart through tranquillity, nature and a strong regional identity. Hotels play an important role in this. Not as standalone resorts, but as an integral part of the destination.

Attracting more visitors has long been the almost self-evident aim of tourist destinations. But in southern Europe in particular, it is becoming increasingly clear that growth also has a downside. Crowded beaches, overcrowded town centres and growing tension between tourism and quality of life are prompting some regions to seek a different model.

On the north coast of Sardinia, the Costa Rossa is deliberately telling a different story. The coastal area between Castelsardo and Santa Teresa Gallura is seeking to position itself as a destination for travellers who are not looking for mass tourism, but for nature, tranquillity and a stronger sense of place.

That story begins with the landscape. The name Costa Rossa refers to the distinctive pink and red rock formations along the coast, which contrast with the green of the Mediterranean vegetation and the blue of the sea. Large sandy bays alternate with smaller coves and more secluded beaches. La Marinedda, Cala Sarraina and Spiaggia Longa near Isola Rossa were once again awarded the Blue Flag in 2026.

But these days, a beautiful landscape alone is hardly enough to make a destination stand out. It is therefore more interesting to see how the region seeks to use its own identity as part of its tourism offering.

Not the hotel, but the destination

This also presents an interesting development for the hotel industry. The accommodation no longer needs to tell the whole story. It is precisely the connection between the hotel and its surroundings that is taking on greater significance.

The Sardinian hotel group Delphina Hotels & Resorts is making a point of capitalising on this. In Isola Rossa, the group’s properties include the five-star Hotel Marinedda Thalasso & SPA and the four-star superior Hotel Relax Torreruja Thalasso & SPA. The hotels are marketed not only on the basis of their rooms, restaurants and wellness facilities, but specifically on the basis of their connection with the surrounding area.

At Hotel Marinedda, for example, this takes the form of thalassotherapy – which centres on seawater – as well as treatments that use Mediterranean ingredients from Sardinia. At Torreruja, on the other hand, the accommodation is integrated into the landscape surrounding the red rock formations and the Gulf of Asinara.

This gives rise to a different approach to luxury. Not necessarily more facilities, but a stay that is harder to separate from the destination in which it is situated.

The value of local identity

The Sardinian way of life is also part of this positioning. Sardinia is internationally renowned for its so-called Blue Zones: areas where a relatively large number of residents live to a ripe old age. In the marketing communications for the Costa Rossa, elements such as local cuisine, daily outdoor life, tranquillity and a sense of community are explicitly linked to the visitor’s experience.

This ties in with a key question for many hotels: what does a hotel offer that a guest cannot find at dozens of other destinations?

A beautiful swimming pool, a good spa or a high-quality hotel room are now available in many places. Local identity is much more difficult to replicate. It is precisely in this area that hotels can set themselves apart.

It also means that the surroundings are no longer merely a backdrop, but an integral part of the hospitality concept. At the Costa Rossa, for example, the fishing village of Isola Rossa, the medieval town of Castelsardo, natural landmarks, beaches and the hinterland are explicitly woven into the narrative surrounding the destination.

Even international film productions are contributing to this. Following Disney’s *The Little Mermaid*, the area was also chosen as a filming location for *Star Wars: Starfighter*, which is scheduled for release in 2027. This brings international visibility without the destination being built exclusively around such productions.

Less bulk, more meaning

For the international hospitality industry, therefore, the most interesting lesson does not lie in Sardinia itself. It is the way in which a destination seeks to create economic value without simply aiming to attract as many visitors as possible.

When travellers consciously choose tranquillity, nature and authenticity, the challenge facing hotels changes too. The question then becomes not just how a hotel attracts guests, but how their stay can become part of a wider regional narrative.

Costa Rossa demonstrates how this can work: the landscape, local culture, wellness, gastronomy and accommodation are not presented as separate products, but as integral parts of the same destination.

Whether this will ultimately lead to less pressure and greater economic value remains to be seen in practice. But the chosen direction is significant. This is particularly true now that more and more well-known tourist regions are realising that growth alone is not a sustainable strategy.

For hotels, this is precisely where an opportunity may lie: not trying to replace a destination, but to make it stronger.