Tourists hoping to visit one of Sardinia's most beautiful beaches will soon need to book ahead through a mobile app.
Tuerredda, a spectacular crescent-shaped bay with golden sand and turquoise waters, already limits visitors to 1,100 per day during summer months.
The local Teulada council now plans to implement a booking system via an app.
"We hope to start with the new system as early as July," Angelo Milia, the mayor of Teulada, told local media.
Tuerredda is a spectacular crescent-shaped bay with golden sandGETTY
The Sardinian authorities have been implementing visitor restrictions at Tuerredda since 2020, including bans on disposable plastic bags and smoking on the beach.
Visitors are also prohibited from removing sand or pebbles from the site.
This approach is part of Italy's wider struggle with overtourism, as the country welcomes around 50 million tourists annually.
Local councils are taking increasingly aggressive approaches to control visitor numbers as the national government has been slow to adopt deterrent measures.
Last week, leaders from 25 tourist towns across Italy gathered for a crisis summit in Amalfi to address overtourism concerns.
The Sicilian town of Taormina has seen a surge in visitors following its appearance in the TV series White Lotus.
The mayors are seeking greater flexibility to restrict tourist access during peak periods.
They also want more control over public transport coordination and the ability to impose local taxes.
Paolo Falco, the mayor of Capri, is demanding more control over tourist arrivals, particularly day-trippers who flood the island each summer. He has suggested an hourly limit on ferries.
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Tourist numbers now exceed the local population in summer
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"It is essential that our municipality has a say in the hourly timetable of maritime connections, currently established only at the regional level," he said.
Last year, Anacapri's mayor proposed placing 40 buoys offshore to prevent boats from clogging Capri's famous Blue Grotto.
Capri hosted 16,000 foreign visitors in May and June last year, compared to just 13,000 residents.
Speaking after the Amalfi summit, Michele Cereghini, mayor of Pinzolo in the Italian Alps, emphasised the delicate balance being sought.
"We are well aware of the value and importance of tourism for the growth of our areas, but we are equally aware of the need to guarantee the well-being of our residents," he said. "It is the concept of quality tourism that we want to guarantee and preserve."
