Giuridico e Amministrativo

🏠 Spain officially closed its Golden Visa program on April 3, ending the chance for non-EU citizens to gain residency through financial investments. Operational since 2013, the program issued 14,576 residencies, 95% of which were for real estate purchases with a minimum investment of €500,000. The closure was primarily due to housing cost increases in major cities like Madrid and Barcelona, influenced by foreign investment. Top beneficiaries were from China, the USA, and the UK.

🚩 Antonio Barreca, director of Federturismo, remarks no concern over potential impacts of Trump's tariffs on Italian tourism economy. A decline in arrivals for the Jubilee is noted, but spring bookings look promising, with expectations to recover by June and grow in the summer. The effects of tariffs on tourism will be clearer post-summer.

💸 London Heathrow Airport experienced a blackout last month, forcing a one-day closure. Following criticism of the emergency response, Heathrow introduced a plan including more airport partners for assistance and backup mobile phones.

📌 Federalberghi Veneto welcomed the extension of the deadline for mandatory catastrophe insurance policies for businesses, approved on March 28 by the Council of Ministers. President Massimiliano Schiavon praised the delay but criticized the current wording of the law for increasing costs without actually improving coverage for tourism businesses. The association highlighted the need for policies to cover actual natural disasters that might occur in specific Veneto locations, noting the inadequacy of current provisions, especially for sea-caused disasters, and the lack of clarity regarding insurance costs between landlords and tenants. Schiavon calls for a revision of the law to ensure it is effective without burdening entrepreneurs.

✈ Russian airlines are set to decommission at least 200 Airbus and Boeing aircraft, which is about 30% of their roughly 700 Western-made planes, due to a lack of spare parts resulting from sanctions after the Ukraine invasion. These aircraft also require mandatory modifications as per FAA and EASA directives, but sanctions prevent the import of the necessary parts. Currently, only 10% of Russian flights are operated with local aircraft, with hopes to increase the production of MS-21 and SJ-100 models, though none have been received by airlines yet.

✈ Genova Airport's board approved the 2024 budget, witnessed 1.33 million passengers, a 4.3% growth. Revenue for 2024 reached €30.1 million, up 4.6% from €28.8 million in 2023. Costs decreased by 3.3% to €29.4 million in 2024 from €30.4 million in 2023. EBITDA stood at €2.3 million, compared to a €803,000 loss in 2023. Net profit was €255,000, reversing a €1.88 million loss in 2023. In early 2025, passenger traffic grew by 15.8%, with over 255,000 passengers. Traffic boost came from increased frequencies by KLM, Wizz Air's new Budapest route and Ryanair's expanded domestic and London flights.

✈ Iberia has bolstered its winter flight program to Italy, France, and Austria. Rome will see an increase to 44 weekly connections due to the 2025 Jubilee, offering 380,000 seats for the season. France remains the top connected country in Iberia's network with over 180 weekly flights; Paris will have up to 11 daily flights. Austria grows with the Madrid-Vienna route reaching 23 weekly frequencies and 180,000 total seats, alongside direct flights to Innsbruck. Additionally, winter routes to Rovaniemi and Tromso resume, from December 3, 2025, to February 28, 2026, and March 1, 2026, respectively, with two weekly flights.

🚨 After the earthquake on March 28, Thailand's tourism and transportation report normal operations. BTS Skytrain, MRT blue and purple lines resumed services on March 28 and 29, respectively, while pink and yellow lines remain closed. All Bangkok airports, including Suvarnabhumi, are operational. Long-distance train services from Bangkok's Grand Central resumed. Din Daeng Expressway is closed for inspections; Sirat Expressway is an alternative. All Chao Phraya River bridges are open. Bangkok Mass Transit has enhanced night bus services. Highways, malls like Siam Paragon, CentralWorld, and tourist services are functioning normally. Upcoming festivals, including Maha Songkran, will proceed as scheduled.

🏖️ The annual Fiavet assembly, attended by Tourism Minister Daniela Santanché, took place in Lamezia Terme, celebrating over 60 years of the association's leadership in organized tourism. Santanché emphasized the Ministry's support for travel agencies and tour operators, highlighting a crucial battle to amend package travel regulations in Brussels. Italy has surpassed France in global appreciation, indicating a growing prominence in the tourism sector.

💳 Since 2019, electronic invoicing has been mandatory in Italy for most businesses, including hotels, B&Bs, holiday homes, and guesthouses. The system operates through the "Sistema di Interscambio" (SDI), managed by the Agenzia delle Entrate. Chekin is launching its electronic invoicing feature for the Italian market in April, aimed at easing property managers' compliance with fiscal requirements. The invoicing process involves creating XML invoices, digitally signing them, sending them through SDI, and keeping them stored digitally for 10 years. Chekin's solution integrates with SDI, streamlining the entire billing cycle, offering real-time notifications, and reducing administrative expenses.