Giuridico e Amministrativo

🏖️ Catalonia increases tourism taxes, doubling the stay tax to 7 euros for 5-star hotels in Barcelona. Cruise passengers stopping for less than 24 hours will pay between 3 and 6 euros, while those staying over a day will pay between 2 and 4 euros. Local Catalan municipalities can also raise the tax, previously exclusive to Barcelona.

🏠 Marco Celani, Aigab president and CEO of Italianway, emphasized in the "Short-Term Rentals in Italy in 2024" report that short-term rentals contribute significantly to Italy's GDP, amounting to €66 billion, including €13 billion from direct bookings, €52 billion from related industries, and €1 billion from renovations and maintenance. Only 2.2% of real estate was shifted from long-term to short-term rentals, and 30.4% comes from inherited properties. Online listing analysis in Milan, Rome, and Florence shows active short-term rental listings at 0.9%, 1%, and 3%, respectively.

🏫 C.L.A.S.S. teams up with Trinity Viaggi Studio to offer teachers educational tours of prestigious institutions in England and Scotland, funded by Carta del Docente. Three tours are available, visiting various universities like St. Mary’s, University of Greenwich, University of Kent, Hartpury University, Keele University, University of Nottingham, Queen Margaret University, and University of Stirling, from 6/3/2025 to 8/3/2025. Departures from Milan or Rome, with a participation certificate provided for credit recognition. Additionally, summer refresher courses are offered for teachers abroad.

🏖 The Italian Ministry of Tourism has set up an email ([email protected]) for inquiries about the National Tourism Fund. Documentation related to administrative procedures should be sent to [email protected]. 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.

🌍 Italy's aviation sector, valued at €65 billion with 219 million presences and supporting nearly 3 million jobs, seeks sustainable development. Assoaeroporti works on integrating projects into the Pnrr's M1 and M2 lines, with a €9 billion self-financed development plan for Fiumicino pending approval. ENAV optimized airport approaches, saving approximately 284 million kilograms of CO2, with another 400,000 kg from taxiing operations. The industry's future may hinge on new biofuels.

🏩 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.

📍 Lufthansa values Air Europa at €800 million, up from IAG's estimate of €650 million, which had previously dropped from €1 billion. The pandemic caused total flight bans, impacting valuations. As air travel rebounds, Lufthansa, unlike IAG, is keen to proceed with the acquisition and has until the end of this week to submit non-binding offers. They propose acquiring 25% of Air Europa's shares and providing up to 10 Boeing 787s; Air Europa already has about 25 of this model.

✈️ 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.

🌊 The Canary Islands are considering making Naviera Armas a maritime counterpart to the Binter airline. The regional government sees Armas as strategic for transporting goods between the islands and the peninsula. Investment funds, including JP Morgan, currently own the company, with interest in selling dating back a year. Negotiations with Balearia for purchase did not succeed.