Italy reverses luxury glamping permit at Sardinia's Tavolara after protests and municipal revolt
The Italian government has withdrawn the fast-track authorization for a luxury glamping development in front of the island of Tavolara, bowing to mass protests and the local council's reversal of its own earlier support.
The project and its path
A luxury glamping scheme by Tavolara Bay srl, controlled by Brazil's JHSF Participações (44 percent) and Luxembourg's CSFG (43 percent) with a small Italian stake, was to be built at Cala Finanza in Loiri Porto San Paolo, on Sardinia's north-east coast. The glamping component sat inside a much wider vision, spanning 120 hectares, for a five-star hotel, 26 villas and an 18-hole golf course, though only the glamping had been formally submitted. On 6 February 2026 the Department for the South at Palazzo Chigi issued a ZES Unica authorization, a special economic zone procedure that allows the government to bypass ordinary planning and landscape rules.
Local council reverses course
On 30 June, the municipal council of Loiri Porto San Paolo voted to revoke deliberation no. 50 of 25 November 2025, which had reclassified the Cala Finanza area in a way that underpinned the state permit. Mayor Francesco Lai explained that the revocation was adopted precisely because the council had scrapped its earlier stance. Regional planning assessor Francesco Spanedda framed the issue as one of institutional respect rather than being for or against investment, adding that extraordinary procedures must not become shortcuts. The council session was followed a day later by a large sit-in of citizens and activists shouting "A foras!" (Sardinian for "out").
Rome steps back
On 2 July, the same Department for the South revoked the February authorization. President of Sardinia Alessandra Todde declared that the region had been right from day one and that the government had to yield to the evidence and take a step back. The mayor called it a victory for loyal collaboration between institutions and proof that the state listens and corrects itself when a municipality exercises its prerogatives seriously. The regional opposition, through Fratelli d'Italia councillor Cristina Usai, accused the centre-left Campo Largo coalition of rewriting reality, claiming that early political acts had altered the planning framework before the backlash forced a retreat.
On Cala Finanza we were right. Sardinia was right. The government tried to decide in our place but had to surrender to the evidence and take a step back, revoking the ZES authorization.
The financing knot
Investor structures attracted scrutiny: the Luxembourg vehicle CSFG is owned by wealthy families and managers, with many stakes held through entities in the Virgin Islands, Malta, the Bahamas and Delaware. Economy minister Giancarlo Giorgetti had earlier stated he would block any direct state contribution to companies with beneficiaries in tax havens, while Tavolara Bay maintained that government subsidies are instruments potentially available to any tourism investment meeting legal requirements. The resignation of Loiri Porto San Paolo's tourism assessor Roberto Biancu, brother of the investors' lead coordinator Alberto Biancu, added a local political shockwave.
- Loiri Porto San Paolo council passes deliberation no. 50, reclassifying Cala Finanza area.
- Department for the South grants ZES Unica authorization to Tavolara Bay srl.
- Municipal council votes to revoke deliberation no. 50.
- Hundreds protest at Cala Finanza with a sit-in and chants of 'A foras!'.
- Department for the South revokes the 6 February ZES authorization.
