Miguel Praga

💰 Who? Reyes Maroto, former Minister of Tourism, and Víctor de Aldama. What? Maroto is accused of seeking electoral placement assistance from Aldama. When? Facts date back to late 2022, with key conversations occurring in September 2022. Where? Spain, specifically within the context of PSOE electoral lists for the Madrid municipality and community. How? Maroto allegedly sent constant messages to Aldama, who promised to intervene. Maroto was later elected head of the list for Madrid's city council. On December 19, she retracted earlier denials about her connection with Aldama, after evidence of their communication was revealed.

📖 Ex-minister Reyes Maroto, influenced by her "sanchista" beliefs, was criticized for using a photo of a knife in an envelope during her campaign for the vice-presidency of the Autonomous Community without resigning from her ministry position. She also suggested the volcanic eruption in La Palma could be an attractive tourist landscape, benefiting Turespaña's marketing for free. Additionally, her support for the entry of ex-secretary Oliver into the OMT with a high salary to avoid conflict with Francina, and connections between her former chief of staff and Aldama are noted.

✈ Iberia will shift its basic fares to exclusive distribution via NDC channel from April 2025, giving agencies five months to adapt. These fares will no longer be available on other channels in all European countries except the UK, and in the US, Brazil, Colombia, Uruguay, El Salvador, and Guatemala. Additionally, Iberia will differentiate tour operator rates across distribution channels starting April. The airline aims to benefit customers and ensure access to its full suite of products and services. Agencies are encouraged to connect to Iberia's NDC API directly or through chosen NDC technology providers, with over 47 NDC aggregators and GDS connections offered.

🏠 The EU Committee of Permanent Representatives revised the Directive on Package Travel, removing the initial proposal limit on advance payments. The original draft restricted prepayments to no more than 25% of the travel price—a rule considered unfeasible. ACAVE reported this change, while ECTAA welcomed it but remains concerned about personal and subjective reasons being included for contract cancellations without penalties. They also cautioned that extended insolvency protection may pose significant administrative and financial challenges for tour operators.

🏖️ Organized crime in Italy, consisting of various mafia families, earns about €3.3 billion annually from tourism. The report by Raffaele Rio, president of Demoskopika Institute, highlights that the 'Ndrangheta, the Neapolitan branch, accounts for half of this revenue. The mafia is set to profit from the upcoming Catholic jubilee year in 2025 and the Winter Olympics in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo. Approximately 15% of the 48,000 tourism businesses involved in these events are financially distressed, making them vulnerable to mafia extortion schemes for loan sharking and money laundering.

📌 Spain's Dirección General de Consumo has initiated a sanctioning proceeding against Airbnb for listing thousands of illegal holiday apartments, months after requesting their removal. Airbnb faces fines ranging from €100,000 to six times the illicit profit. Minister Pablo Bustinduy emphasizes that no company is above the law. Last November, carriers Ryanair, Easyjet, Vueling, Volotea, and Norwegian were fined €179 million for charging for hand luggage and other fees.

📌 On December 2, the controversial Royal Decree 933/2021 initiated chaos in the tourism sector despite industry rejection. Many businesses risk €30,000 fines for non-compliance as clients refuse to provide data upon reservation. The Ministry of Interior's system is overwhelmed, unable to respond to queries, directing inquiries to a different department. The travel agency association CEAV highlights the uncertainty agencies face due to the absence of a pending ministerial order.

✈ Iberia's Corporate Director, Juan Cierco, warns of increased aviation costs due to sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) and risks to low-cost air travel democratization. The European Commission roadmap requires 2% SAF by 2025, with an exponential increase to 70% by 2050. SAF costs up to five times more than traditional kerosene due to low supply and high demand. Iberia, with partners, proposed 16 measures to boost SAF production and consumption, urging the Spanish government for a national SAF strategy.

🛫 Italy's 2025 budget includes a last-minute amendment establishing a new embarkation fee of €0.50 per passenger for travelers leaving the country, excluding domestic flights. Initially, the tax affects airports with over ten million annual passengers: Rome Fiumicino, Milan Malpensa, Bergamo, Naples, Venice, and Catania, with Milan Linate and Bologna likely to join. Expected to raise €5 million, the tax, effective April 1, will fund municipalities hosting these airports.