Italy Officially Renames Olbia Airport After Prince Karim Aga Khan

Italy has officially renamed Olbia’s main airport after Prince Karim Aga Khan, honouring his decisive role in transforming Sardinia’s Costa Smeralda into a global tourism hub.

Italian officials on January 15 formally announced the renaming of Olbia’s main airport to honour Prince Karim Aga Khan IV, recognising his decisive role in transforming northern Sardinia into an international tourism destination.

At a ceremony held at Olbia City Hall, Mayor Settimo Nizzi said the airport will now be known as Olbia–Costa Smeralda–Prince Karim Aga Khan IV Airport, calling the late Ismaili leader a visionary benefactor of the region.

Princess Zahra Aga Khan attended the event and thanked local authorities for the posthumous honour, saying her father devoted decades to Costa Smeralda with long-term planning that respected Sardinia’s people, culture and natural environment.

“My father dedicated many years of his life to projects he started in Costa Smeralda,” she said, recalling his strong emotional bond with Sardinia and its people.

She said his approach to development focused on building long-lasting institutions rather than short-term economic gains, guided by meticulous long-term planning.

Aga Khan IV first became involved in Sardinia during the early 1960s, when the Monti di Mola area lacked basic infrastructure, including roads and electricity, and was largely unknown outside the island.

With his guidance, the Costa Smeralda project introduced strict architectural standards, low-rise construction and local materials, turning the coastline into a premier tourist destination while preserving its natural landscape.

As part of a broader development strategy, Aga Khan IV supported the construction of Olbia Airport and founded Alisarda airline in 1963, later known as Air Italy, significantly improving regional and international connectivity.

In recent years, Costa Smeralda has also pursued environmentally sustainable tourism, adopting renewable energy, reducing plastic use and supporting marine conservation, reinforcing the long-term vision Aga Khan IV promoted decades earlier.

Prince Karim Aga Khan IV, who died in February 2025 aged 88, led the Ismaili Muslim community for 67 years and founded the Aga Khan Development Network, delivering education, healthcare and economic programmes across more than 30 countries worldwide.

He was buried on Feb. 9 in Aswan, Egypt, beside his grandfather Aga Khan III, and was succeeded on Feb. 11 by his eldest son, Prince Rahim al-Husayni, who pledged to continue his father’s humanitarian legacy.

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