Giuridico e Amministrativo

🏛 ANGT expressed concerns about the guide qualification exam that closed on February 27 with 27,000 applicants. They fear less specialized preparation, only requiring a high school diploma rather than a bachelor's degree and a B2 level of English. The worry is that it will devalue the profession, produce underqualified guides, and flood the market, potentially leading to underpaid work through online platforms.

📚 Gabriele Milani, director of Fto, announces 2025 training program for travel agencies featuring practical application. FTO Lab introduces one-to-one, personalized, interactive sessions focusing on digital tools like Canva and ChatGPT, and English language courses. FTO Tips offers 30-minute webinars on tourism taxation and legality led by fiscal consultant Claudio Fulin and legal consultant Camilla Monese. Additionally, mandatory safety courses are introduced to comply with workplace regulations, covering emergency management, first aid, and risk prevention. The calendar is set for March, April, and May 2025, with plans for expansion.

🚢 The TAR Campania's ruling (n. 1354/2025) favored a group of charter companies and Confindustria Nautica, represented by lawyers Enrico Soprano and Federica Esposito, against the Consortium managing the Punta Campanella Marine Protected Area, overturning onerous conditions in the supplemental regulations. The contested measures included authorization penalties, secretarial fees, and mandatory AIS system installation. This case highlights the significant role of the Campania region, as Naples and Salerno provinces form the leading national charter employment hub. Confindustria Nautica, with its 9 sector assemblies, continues to seek reforms in recreational boating regulations.

✈ Aiav, Assoviaggi Confesercenti, Fiavet Confcommercio, and Maavi have reported Air France and Klm to the Italian Competition Authority for unfair practices, as they prevent travel agencies from purchasing air tickets with corporate credit cards on behalf of clients. These airlines allow purchases only with certain 'preferred' credit cards, creating an uneven playing field and penalizing both intermediaries and consumers. Additionally, the associations contest a penalty imposed by the airlines for alleged violations of IATA Resolution 890, amounting to 5% of the ticket price, which is 50 times greater than the 0.01% commission given to the agencies. The associations demand an immediate intervention and call for the support of consumer associations and the ABI.

💰 Starting January 1, 2025, short-term rental hosts in Italy must register their properties with a National Identification Code (CIN). Urban rentals like those in Rome, Florence, and Venice are capped at 120 days per year, while rural areas have no limit. Non-compliant properties face penalties ranging from €500 to €5,000, and tax changes include higher IMU rates and potential tourist tax increases. Hosts must also ensure property safety, comply with urban regulations, and use tools like Chekin for guest registration and tax management.

🏖️ The Bahamas Ministry of Tourism launches the Bahamas Travel Agents Rewards Programme, in partnership with My Booking Rewards. The initiative targets Italian travel agents, offering incentives from 20 to 150 euros based on bookings at over 115 participating properties across Nassau, Paradise Island, Grand Bahama Island, and the Out Islands. The program aims to foster closer ties with Italian tourism professionals and coincides with daily flights from London via British Airways and regular connections from major cities through the US and Canada.

🛫 Rome Fiumicino Airport's expansion plan for 2024 anticipates nearly 50 million passengers but faces delays in getting the urgent green light for its fourth runway. Daily peaks this year could reach 200,000 people, critical for supporting Ita Airways' development. Managed by the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport and politically by Palazzo Chigi, the revised masterplan by Adr aims for a 100 million passenger capacity yearly, with an expansion of about 260 hectares, 151 of which are in a reserve. The fourth runway will be parallel to the existing third runway, with the first runway shortened by 400 meters. Additional enhancements include a €250 million road infrastructure upgrade by Anas, part of the overall €4.5-5 billion airport expansion budget. The project, including the fourth runway, requires three years to complete, with an 18-24 month approval process involving Enac, environmental impact assessment, and urban conformity for expropriations.

✈ In 2024, Cagliari airport, directed by David Crognaletti of Sogaer, reached a historic record with 5 million 150 thousand passengers, denoting significant growth in the international segment. The Polish market has increased tenfold, alongside the Scandinavian market, with growth even in the low season, making Cagliari a year-round destination. Passenger services are being enhanced, including dining and car rental, as well as sales spaces for regional products. Advance booking for the upcoming summer is up at least 10% over 2024, with peaks of 25%.

📖 A recent Chekin and Lodgify webinar highlighted the complexities of guest registration with the Italian Police (Questura). Renting to tourists requires compliance with local administrative and fiscal regulations, including registration with the local municipality, Alloggiati Web portal, possibly ISTAT, and obtaining a SCIA and an ISTAT code. Guests' data must be reported to Alloggiati Web and ISTAT depending on local regulations, covering all adults staying, not just the head of the household. Short-term rentals face different regulations from long-term ones, including rental day limits and tax implications. Tools like Chekin facilitate guest registration compliance and can integrate with platforms like Airbnb. Fiscal responsibilities include reporting all rental income to Agenzia delle Entrate. Non-compliance may lead to fines, and in the event of technical issues with portals like Alloggiati Web, a manual guest registration record should be kept. Compliance with local laws is essential for remote check-ins.

🛫 Ectaa, the European association of travel agents, criticizes the draft report on the revision of the travel package directive in Brussels. The report is said to overlook market operators' concerns, failing to enhance consumer protection or industry stability. Ectaa is disappointed by the lack of in-depth dialogue and by the report's definition of a package, which now includes two sales on the same website within 72 hours, complicating retailers' ability to distinguish between a package and a single service. The association challenges the 25% limit on advance payments, which could affect retailers' liquidity. Travel package directives represent less than 15% of travel services sold in the EU market, a decrease from 40% in 2013, and Ectaa urges the EU to improve protection for the 85% of consumers using single services.