Giuridico e Amministrativo

🏖 The Italian Ministry of Tourism has set up an email (funt@ministetoturismo.gov.it) for inquiries about the National Tourism Fund. Documentation related to administrative procedures should be sent to dir.promozione@pec.ministeroturismo.gov.it. Communications through other channels will not be considered.

🏖 Federagit Confesercenti welcomes the response to the Ministry of Tourism's call for new tour guides, highlighting a high level of interest in the profession. President Micol Caramello notes the applications are nearly double the number of currently licensed guides and stresses the importance of an exam that protects both the 14,000 existing professionals and future guides, emphasizing their role in Italy's tourism industry.

🏩 The 'nuove rotte' tender will expire on March 26, outlined by Sardinia's Transport and Tourism, Crafts, and Commerce Department, allocating €10 million annually until 2026 to support airlines proposing new routes to and from the island. It covers 50% of airport costs for 67 total routes—19 to Alghero, 16 to Olbia, and 32 to Cagliari. David Crognaletti, Sogaer's commercial director, highlights the opportunity for Cagliari to demonstrate its year-round tourist appeal. Applications can be made via Sardinia's regional website.

✈️ Qatar Airways received approval from the Australian Foreign Investment Review Board to acquire a 25% stake in Virgin Australia. The clearance follows a draft decision by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission a week earlier. Current Virgin shareholders, including Bain Capital and Virgin Group, will retain their stakes. The partnership will enable Virgin to resume long-haul flights, initially connecting Doha with Sydney, Brisbane, and Perth this summer, using Qatar Airways-operated wet lease aircraft.

✈ Ryanair operates in Puglia with 5 aircraft, offering a total of 82 routes—59 from Bari and 23 from Brindisi, and expects 6.6 million passengers annually. However, growth is hindered by a municipal surcharge, which the airline claims negatively impacts local tourism and employment. Ryanair praises Brindisi's mayor for halting a proposed €1 increase in the surcharge for 2023. The airline urges the abolition of this tax, promising a $4 billion investment, 40 new aircraft, 80 million annual passengers, and over 250 new routes if the tax is removed.

🏠 Giovanni Rana's resort on Lake Garda won a legal victory when the Veneto regional administrative tribunal (Tar) dismissed a lawsuit from Count Agostino Guarenti. The suit aimed to annul construction permits but was rejected as it was filed past the 60-day deadline after work commencement. This is just one of six appeals against the resort in the protected Punta San Vigilio area.

🎮 The Italian Ministry of Tourism launched a national call for tour guides, receiving 27,000 applications. This number could potentially double the current 14,000 licensed tour guides, possibly tripling the professional count within the year. Valeria Gerli, ConfGuide president, expressed concerns about declining service quality and "overtourism" effects. ConfGuide criticized the reduction in qualification requirements from a degree to a diploma and foreign language proficiency from two languages to one at B2 level.

✈ Norse trims its fleet from 15 to 8 aircraft, targeting increased profitability. Four planes leased to IndiGo for new long-haul routes, deals starting in H2 of this year. Three Boeing 787s already returned to leasing companies. CEO Bjorn Tore Larsen focuses on the top eight performing routes, with Los Angeles and Miami routes currently not in Norse's winter schedule. Norse endured a pre-tax loss of $135 million in 2024 but achieved its first December profit, predicting a profitable 2025 with an expected average load factor of 90%. Ticket sales up by 38% and average ticket price by 13% compared to last year. Norse aims for annual savings of $40 million by autumn, including closing some crew bases.

🌍 Boscolo, focusing on China, extends its travel program with tours ranging from 12 to 15 days, including traditional destinations like Beijing, Xi'an, and Shanghai. Domenico Cocozza, the destination manager, highlights the inclusion of unique Chinese locations and activities. The "Ancient China and the Land of the Pandas" tour features a 12-day trip with visits to the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding and the Giant Buddha of Leshan. "China: Sublime Enchantment" offers a 12-day journey with terraced rice fields of Longji and a cruise on the Li River. The "China: Celestial Empire" tour explores 'water towns' near Shanghai and the city of Pingyao. "China at its Best" is a revamped 14-day itinerary with an overnight stay at a hotel near the Great Wall. "Fantastic China: From Metropolises to Flying Mountains" is a new 12-day tour including Zhangjiajie Park, which inspired the film Avatar. Lastly, the exclusive online 15-day "Grand Tour of China" combines highlights from other tours, such as Chengdu pandas, the Giant Buddha of Leshan, Longji rice terraces, and the Li River cruise.

📍 In 2024, IATA reported a 1.13 incident rate per million flights, higher than 2023 (1.09) but better than the five-year average (1.25). There were 7 fatal accidents among 40.6 million flights in 2024, compared to just 1 in 2023. Europe experienced 9 incidents, slightly increasing from 0.95 in 2023. North America improved, with 12 incidents down from a rate of 1.53 to 1.20 per million. The Middle East and North Africa had 2 incidents, with a rate of 1.08, better than 2023's 1.12 and the five-year average.