Olbia Costa Smeralda Airport and Eccelsa, the terminal for private and business aviation, are strategic for Sardinia and its economy. Their growth and international vocation are proved by the updated data on 2016 and predictions for 2017. The increase of destinations and reachable countries make the Emerald Coast and Gallura always more central in the Mediterranean sea.

It takes from 1 to 3 hours, all year, to reach the airport of Olbia from the rest of Italy and the main foreign cities. For those who need additional services beyond those provided by the general aviation, for their business and comforts, it is available Eccelsa.

Growth trends of the airport of Olbia and Eccelsa

During 2016 passengers of Olbia Costa Smeralda Airport grew by 14%. This increase was mainly driven by international passenger transport. In fact, airport of Olbia is the main entrance door in Sardinia for foreigners. 43% of foreign passengers passes through Olbia Airport. International travellers come mainly from Central Europe (especially Germany) and Eastern Europe*.

2016 was a year of records for Eccelsa. The terminal which hosts private jets registered a rise + 10% compared with 2015. The most numerous passengers are Arabs who come from the Emirates and Qatar, Russian and European. The Chinese start growing but with a still contained trend**.

These numbers are not accidental. In recent years, the management has planned new international routes and increased the number of flights during months not exactly high season as April and October. This was the result of targeted actions of territorial marketing and tourism offer realized by private companies in partnership with local institutions.

The latest news on flights for Olbia

Geasar, the company that manages Olbia Costa Smeralda Airport, is planning 89 destinations of which 58 international for summer 2017. Last weeks, some airlines announced new routes that will increase more and more the domestic and international passenger traffic on the airport of Gallura: Alitalia with 4 new flights towards the peninsula and Eurowings with new destinations for Germany and Austria.

Eccelsa aspires to confirm and increase its growth trends in 2017. The strategy is based on continuous improvement of the quality of services offered. Indeed, the quality of the service is the pride of this Sardinian terminal reserved for the elite tourism. Eccelsa is one of the most important European terminal in private and business aviation. It can host a private jet at any time and in any season. The passengers and flight crews have at their disposal a wide range of services: reservations of charter, hotel, helicopter, business center as well as all handling services during the whole stay of the aircraft in the terminal. Eccelsa Aviation is constantly working to strengthen the airport’s security.

An upward future for the airport and the Emerald Coast

With these good numbers, Olbia Costa Smeralda Airport can only plan to strengthen its infrastructure. The airport will be closed for at least 30 days in January 2018 to renovate the landing and take-off field that is damaged due to wear. With a low season closure the inconvenience for passengers will be minimized. It is an important investment with significant amount of money of around 16 million euro. These works are part of a five-year plan that involves both the flight infrastructure and the passenger terminal**.

The renovation plan is necessary. It can no longer be postponed due to the continuous increase of Italian and foreign passengers. The growth of services and the improvement of the infrastructure of Olbia Costa Smeralda Airport are closely linked with economic development of Gallura. The value of land and real estate property in the Emerald Coast is likely to increase.

The great value of a property in Gallura

Those who invested in the past in Gallura, or will do in the near future, are owners of property located in an area of immense value. The good reasons to buy a home in Gallura are various and significant, including in particular:

• homes and extra luxury villas of the Emerald Coast are rare, surrounded by suggestive and wild areas, because some important laws have protected this coast and prevented new buildings; property with breathtaking views of the sea, a few meters from Caribbean beaches surrounded by lush vegetation;
• these locations are unique and safe, guarantee of privacy; neighbouring with properties of similar value, in areas that allow easy access to all services of the near city of Olbia;
• the increase of domestic and foreign flights in Olbia Costa Smeralda Airport, has made the Emerald Coast a central and strategic destination in the Mediterranean, quick to reach from Italy and abroad.

Immobilsarda has several high value properties in Porto Cervo, Emerald Coast and in the most renowned resorts of Gallura. Its consultants are available to provide further details on property for sale.

*source: air traffic data 12/2016, Assaeroporti
**source: I jet privati volano alto: anno record per l’Eccelsa, 09/12/2016, Stefania Puorro
***source: Nuova pista dell’aeroporto: un progetto da 16 milioni, 05/02/2017, Giandomenico Mele