Sardinia is characterised by being a simple and cooperative land, in which real economy is prevalent. The processes of the traditional industry are cultivated with care, in the face of a structured vocation for the tourism, agroindustry, craftsmanship and advanced services activities.
The Island economy is divided in sectors:
- tertiarysector (trade, tourism, logistics);
- industrial sector (mining, manufacturing, energy production, etc.);
- constructions;
- agriculture.
The environmental, cultural, artistic and enogastronomic heritage supports the tourist industry, which at this point has become the island’s core business; this industry also promotes the development of precision craftsmanship, that is present and well-known in the international markets.
The quality know-how in the primary sector facilitates agro-industry. The creativity and the industrious talent of the business world, jointly with the strength of the productive specializations of the human capital, supports all sectors of the traditional industry, thanks also to the ability in the use of raw materials. Logistics and advanced services, environmental sustainability compliance processes and ICT act as a binding force for the entire production system, which is proudly resilient to fluctuating economic trends and able to exploit its territorial vocations.
In Sardinia there are several manufacturing communities organized in districts, located in specific areas where a productive specialization in terms of supply chain is found. The industrial district model, created in Sardinia in the nineties, has now evolved into local production systems.
The Local Production Systems (SPL) of Sardinia, are defined as homogeneous productive contexts characterized by a high concentration of industrial companies, mainly of small and medium size.
The Industrial Districts (ID) are local production systems that are characterised by firm concentration and also by the productive specialization of business networks.
As for tourism, the nodes of the main tourist districts, embellished with fascinating sequences of villages and towns are located in the famous Costa Smeralda, in the lively Riviera del Corallo, in the cosy Gulf of Orosei, in the coastal and mountain region of Ogliastra, in the variety of sceneries of the South Coast. The high concentration of accommodation facilities in these areas has not affected the increasing inclination of visitors to discover the territory through an ever-growing fruition of the environmental, cultural and gastronomic heritages of the different areas of the island. Each area of the island has its own identity and is ready to present it to the visitor.
With regard to craftsmanship, the ancient knowledge handed down from generation to generation is the beating heart of the Sardinian handicraft system, which is characterised by simplicity and originality, while epitomizes history, art and tradition.
Sardinian artisanal craftsmanship is not just a productive activity, it is a lifestyle, witnessed in the people’s houses and in the accommodation facilities. These craft products, born to answer to practical needs of the past, are now re-defined for modern time’s usage and for distribution through trade and export.
The agro-food sector, including fisheries and aquaculture (particularly sea urchins, tuna, mussels, fish roe and tasty local fish), plays a key role in the production system. It also represents a fundamental resource for its intrinsic quality levels, which are not reproducible in other contexts, for its sustainability coupled with traditional methods, and for the reputation of its products on an international scale. The strong points of the agro-food sector are the wine industry (native vines, international vines, sector leaders and award-winning products), olive groves (local varieties and high concentration of specialized companies), dairy products (with excellent cheeses), farming (meat and meat-products with have unique organoleptic properties), cereals (grain and different varieties of wheat) and horticulture (particularly tomatoes and artichokes).
Sardinia is one of the European areas with the greatest geological heritage; in fact, it has a subsoil still very rich in minerals. This fact is at the base of the extractive industry, in particular of stone (whose roots go back to the obsidian age and evolve in many other typologies), marble in the Orosei district and granite in the Gallura district. Furthermore, a well-developed cork is active district in the northeast of the island. Its companies are proud of their ancient native cultivations.
In the field of complementary and auxiliary activities, Sardinia hosts a functional network of operators providing support services for the traditional sectors and acting as accelerators of the whole system. There is a stable banking and insurance sector offering specific services such as health and personal insurances. There are high-quality services are also provided by education, sports and cultural activities providers, as well as catering and rentals companies. Other strong points can be found in the advanced or specialised service industry; Sardinian companies active in the fields of ICT (and especially in new media), research & development (innovation, biotech and genetics), consultancy and professional activities, cover the whole range of business support activities for investors who decide to invest in the island.
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