Arrivals in airports and ports of Sardinia in 2023
In an age characterized by rapid and constant changes, tourism continues to play a fundamental role in the economy of Sardinia.
In 2023, the island recorded a significant increase in the number of arrivals, both in it’s ports and airports, compared to previous years.
The Communication and Study Centre of the UniOlbia consortium - in its commitment to contribute to the analysis of the strategic importance of tourism for the economy, businesses and new generations of Sardinia - has elaborated the data published on the website of the Sardinia Region, sardegnamobilita.it, contained in the Arrivals and departures bulletin.
Arrival growth
In 2023, total arrivals in airports and ports of Sardinia reached the amount of 7,285,690 against 6,910,435 in 2022 (+5.45) and 7,161,174 in 2019 (+1.7%).
This increase is indicative of the recovery after Covid-19 and, in some ways, of the consolidation of tourism in Sardinia.
Please note that arrivals are not only included tourists in Sardinia but also residents who travel to and from the island.
However, tourist arrivals are the most important item, especially in the months of the "long summer season". The total arrivals in the ports and airports in the months from May to October of 2023 have been 5,708,327 and represent 78.35% of the total arrivals of the whole year.
Arrivals at airports
In 2023 the number of arrivals at airports in Sardinia was 4,743,283, showing an increase of 5.36% compared to 2022 and 5.53% compared to 2019. This increase is indicative of a recovery and consolidation of tourism in Sardinia.
Analyzing data for each airport, Olbia Costa Smeralda Airport recorded 1,606,509 arrivals in 2023, an increase of 3.18% compared to 2022 and 10.89% compared to 2019.
Cagliari Airport has seen 2,392,700 arrivals, with a significant growth of 9.55% compared to 2022 and 1.56% compared to 2019.
On the contrary, Alghero Airport showed a slight decrease of 2.21% in 2023 compared to 2022, despite having an increase of 7.87% compared to 2019.
Arrivals in ports
Regarding the ports, 2023 has seen a total of 2.542.407 arrivals, marking an increment regarding 2022, but still inferior to the numbers of 2019.
The Port of Olbia stands out with 1,645,649 arrivals in 2023, showing an increase over both 2022 and 2019.
This underlines the role of the port of Olbia as a key access point for tourism in the island.
The importance of tourism in Sardinia
These data not only confirm tourism in Sardinia as a vital sector for the regional economy, but also reveal important trends. The summer months, in particular July and August, remain the peak periods for arrivals, both in ports and airports, emphasizing the seasonality of Sardinian tourism.
For example, in 2023, August recorded the highest number of arrivals in ports with 655,413, while July was the peak month for airports with 783,667 arrivals.
A strategic challenge for the University
The increasing number of tourists in Sardinia represents not only an economic opportunity, but also a challenge in terms of sustainability and management of resources. UniOlbia, in it’s role as promoter of education and research, is deeply involved in the study of the impact of tourism on the island.
Through the degree courses in Tourism Economics, Nursing, Naval Engineering and Innovation, carried out by the Universities of Sassari and Cagliari, the UniOlbia consortium aims to prepare the new generations to manage and optimize the resources related to tourism, transforming challenges into opportunities for growth and innovation.
In conclusion, UniOlbia’s analysis of arrivals at ports and airports in Sardinia in 2023 provides a clear picture of the importance of tourism in Sardinia.
The data indicate not only a positive trend in the number of tourists who choose Sardinia as their destination, but also the importance of a strategic and sustainable approach for the future of the sector.
⏩ Arrivals and departures in Sardinia in 2023
Warning 1: the analysis of the dataset of the Arrivals and Departures Bulletin showed that the years 2019 and 2023 there are no missing dates while for the year 2022 there are two days for which data are missing (1 March and 1 May)
Warnings 2: the photos were taken with Midjourney, generative artificial intelligence tool