Overview
- A growing number of small Italian coves now require advance booking, issue QR-code entry passes and enforce strict daily visitor limits to prevent overcrowding and shoreline damage.
- La Pelosa in Sardinia limits access to 1,500 people per day, charges €3.50 per person for reservations and uses QR-code checks, with advance slots reported sold out into mid-September.
- Cala Goloritzé, a UNESCO‑protected cove, operates a March–November booking system with a 250-person cap, €7 adult fee and bookings available only up to three days ahead.
- Regional tensions have risen after Puglia governor Antonio Decaro proposed allowing picnics on private beaches, a move that beach-club operators say would threaten the region’s commercial model and image.
- Officials point to growing tourist pressure—national statistics show arrivals and overnight stays rose in early 2026—as the driver of these measures, which aim to balance visitor access, local revenue and long-term conservation.