Bologna. The policies, the new proposals and the realities of diving holidays. Sardinia queen at the diving fair.
BOLOGNA. An island with a pristine aquarium around it. The secret of the Sardinian sea is all here. Other than tropical reefs and the Red Sea. The French, German and Spanish divers who every year invade the Sardinian coasts know this well. And the owners of diving centers and diving centers in Sardinia make no secret of it (altogether there are about a hundred in business) who know in detail the potential of a niche tourism sector, today with a tired kick.
THE KERMESSE. Bologna marks the turning point, at least in anticipation. Eudishow, the great international diving festival, opened this morning in spite of the blanket of snow that has covered the Emilian capital, the enquiries about the coasts and seabeds of Sardinia are doubling. Mediterranean in vogue as it has not been seen since the 1950s, according to operators in the sector. Which means a little blue Eden for those who put their eyes below the surface: the groupers are back, and then bream, amberjack barracudas and dolphins: just to give an appetizer. Lush microfauna with spectacular colors. And above all, crystal clear waters with a brightness that is difficult to find in other corners of the old Mare Nostrum. It may be the park effect or the attraction for a mix of nature, cuisine and hospitality, but the Sardinia is tempting among the cold stands and pavilions of Bologna Fiere.
THE DIVING CENTERS. «We have a lot to offer with high professionalism - says Gaddo Risso, owner of Capo Galera Diving Center in Alghero and owner of the elegant gulet Hande, a diving liveaboard on the Sardinian and Mediterranean routes. «This still intact wealth that the Sardinian seabed has, from north to south of the island, is recognized by everyone. And growth of interest to tourists, especially from Northern Europe, also supported by the work of parks and marine protected areas, confirms that our sea is healthy ». Identical X-ray also by Vincenzo Sicbaldi, sixty years old with his head underwater, owner of the Air Sub of Cagliari and of the diving center of Villasimius: «We have an enviable natural heritage. But that's not enough - he says - the market today is very aggressive and must be faced with an adequate service and competitive prices ».
FABULOUS SHOALS. How to explain the submerged wonders of Tavolara with the frequented shoals of Papa I and Papa II, the spectacular caves of Capo Caccia or those of Capo Marrargiu? The wrecks of the Second World War in the Gulf of Cagliari and the expanses of red gorgonias in Villasimius, with Serpentara and I Cavoli illuminated by the whiteness of the granite. All this is just the raw material. This is reiterated by one of the deans in Italy of the underwater-development binomial, Mario Romor, one of the founders and today general manager of ESA, the diving agency born and developed in Sardinia, in Olbia. «We have unique conditions that are not found anywhere else in the world - he says - the real problem is communication. There is not. The right information is lacking to sell the Sardinian sea in the underwater sector ». It also disassembles the second theorem where the sea is salty but the Sardinian one a little more. «It is not more expensive than other places - he replies - rather it should be pointed out that today the experts often do not do what it takes to train new divers». The remedy is not far off: it is called active tourism. "That segment on which the Region has started to work with high expectations," he says.
The question is simple: Sardinia is of little use to the model of vacationer-seal, the one who throws himself on the beach and doesn't move from there. «The tourist who wants to experience nature as a protagonist must be captured and trained. Sea, sailing, trekking, wind-surfing, mountain biking. And here the underwater activity is a candidate to gain weight. This will bring a series of interventions that will help operators in the sector to promote Sardinia also abroad, making the island attractive even out of season ».
Vincenzo Piras, Bosa Diving Center, from Planargia to Bologna for the first time, also points the finger at the promotion: «It's completely missing, it's true. Even though I think our real problem is living on an island ». He talks about costs: «Here everything is more expensive and of course this is to the advantage of perhaps less beautiful but cheaper seas ».
COSTS. On average, diving in Sardinia costs between 35-40 euros per dive. You can also go down to thirty euros but only in offers within special packages. The connections with the island are under accusation: they make the Sardinian sea uncompetitive. A breath of fresh air has come thanks to low cost flights. "This is true," confirms Gaddo. "And we must insist on this."
ABSENT REGION. The role of the Region «which must increase the potential of the sector» is fundamental. In Bologna, however, there is none, while the Region of Sicily is well visible with a clever combination of diving and cuisine. And then you have to arm yourself and travel. Two months of trade fairs around Europe (Dusseldorf, Bologna and then Spain, London), as Gaddo still tells us «to promote the sea and all that is Sardinia». A well-targeted planning work that today allows Capo Galera to extend the season from the end of March to October. This also happens to Vincenzo Sicbaldi in Villasimius and in Tavolara to Giorgio Caboni and Luana Magnani Esa instructors of Porto San Paolo Diving Center. The rest, with rare exceptions, comes on timidly in June but is again in the dark in September.
(Roberto Ripa)