Giuridico e Amministrativo

💰 In 2024, Italian municipalities collected over €1 billion from the tourist tax for the first time, a 27% increase from 2023. The National Observatory Jfc predicts a 17% growth in 2025, expecting revenues to reach €1.18 billion. Rome alone contributed nearly €287 million, followed by Milan and Florence with about €7 million each, and Venice with €4 million. Rimini topped beach destinations with €14 million. The year-end holidays brought in €53 million, with New Year's Eve generating €6.8 million.

🏖 Italy's Ministry of Tourism extended the deadline for applications for high-level tourism training project funding to February 14, 2025. Applications must be submitted exclusively via certified email to [email protected], aiming to establish a National Strategic Hub for High-Level Tourism Training.

📍 In 2024, Cirium records a record number of airplane seats offered at nearly 6 billion (5.85 billion), a 6% increase from 2023 and 2% more than the 2019 record of 5.75 billion. However, the number of flights dropped by 5% to 36.4 million compared to pre-pandemic figures, with U.S. carriers dominating the top four spots—American Airlines leads, followed by Delta, United, and Southwest Airlines. Ryanair takes an unexpected fifth place. Asia has the busiest air routes, with the Seoul-Gimpo-Jeju route offering over 15 million seats annually.

✈ Air Astana shifts flights from Phu Quoc to Nha Trang starting March 30, 2025. Four weekly flights to operate from Almaty, and from March 31, three weekly flights from Astana. Nha Trang, known for beaches and diving, features attractions like Po Nagar Cham towers and Long Son Pagoda. Phu Quoc flights to resume in the fall-winter schedule.

🏠 In Pompeii, a Unesco heritage site, a major private bath complex has been discovered, capable of accommodating up to thirty people, featuring a calidarium, tepidarium, frigidarium, and a dressing room. The remarkably intact peristyle is a standout element of the cold room. The bath complex, located in the southern part of insula 10, indicates the owner was a significant local figure, as suggested by the decorated walls in Second and Third Styles. Director Gabriel Zuchtriegel emphasized the owner's display of status, while excavation director Anna Onesti implemented innovative techniques to preserve the architectural elements.

📝 Martina Donini, president of Udicon, praised the legislative proposal by Minister Adolfo Urso, aiming to combat fake reviews. The draft law for Small and Medium Enterprises mandates authenticity checks, transparency, consumer responses to reviews, and actions against covert advertising and fake review sales. Donini emphasizes the need for stringent controls, effective sanctions, advanced technology, and collaboration between platforms, regulators, and consumers for a secure digital environment.

✈ Airports El Prat and Valencia in Spain ended 2024 at overcapacity, with El Prat handling over 55 million passengers, reaching its limit, and Valencia serving 10.8 million passengers, 300,000 more than its full capacity. Despite record passenger numbers, the expansion plans struggle to take off.

✈ Turkish Airlines resumes flights to Benghazi, Libya, starting January 14, 2025, adding to a total of 64 African destinations. The route operates until March 27, 2025, with three weekly frequencies on Tuesday, Thursday, and Sunday using B737-78D aircraft. CEO Bilal Eksi highlights historical ties and anticipates boosted tourism and trade potential in Africa.

🏖️ Travel Experts, a travel consultancy network with roots in Belgium and a partner of Virtuoso since 2007, has over 120 experts across four countries. In its original market alone, it generated 100 million euros last year and aims to reach 250 million euros in the next five years. CEO Mickey Creyf of Bts Travel Group, mentioned Italy's untapped upscale/luxury travel market potential, alongside expansion in Portugal, Sweden, and soon Eastern Europe. The first 20 Italian travel experts will be selected diversely, aiming for agents with high-profile clients and adept travel designers. The group offers competitive selling conditions with margins between 15-20%, no network joining fees, and a possible 300 euro contribution to the company's guarantee fund.

♈ Vueling connects 12 zodiac signs with travel personalities, recommending destinations like Gran Canaria for Aries; Catania for Taurus; Barcelona, its main hub, for Gemini; San Sebastián for Cancer; Paris for Leo; Copenhagen for Virgo; Palma de Mallorca for Libra; Tangier for Scorpio; Dublin for Sagittarius; Düsseldorf for Capricorn; London for Aquarius; and Amsterdam for Pisces, aiming to match their traits with the travel experience.