Miguel Praga

🎡 Since April 25, Venice has imposed a €5 entry fee per person, except for those staying overnight, generating €2.2 million from 450,000 payers in the first two and a half months. Despite this fee, visitor numbers remain unchanged. Criticism is mounting as Venice considers doubling the tax to €10. Controls exist without barriers, and fines range from €8,500 to €20,800. Hotel guests avoid the entry fee but pay a municipal tax, which is not new and solely boosts revenue.

💰 Globalia requested a 950 million euro state bailout from the Spanish government before the establishment of the Solvency Support Fund for Strategic Companies on July 3, 2020. The group submitted its initial application on June 11 and later revised it exclusively for Air Europa, which received 475 million euros, half of the requested amount. Globalia-Barceló received 320 million. Air Europa's aid was approved on November 3, making it the first and largest grant awarded. Globalia-Barceló's funding was approved on March 16, 2021, and Ávoris repaid its loan shortly after merging with Halcón Viajes.

🏖 Turismo Social (Ávoris) plans to open sales for the Imserso tourism program in September with 886,269 spots available. The program includes three lots: 1) coastal mainland with 443,887 spots; 2) islands with 230,039 spots; 3) inland tourism adding 212,343 spots. Over 80 destinations are offered, including cities across Andalucía, Aragón, Asturias, and others. Prices remain the same as the previous season, with various stay options, e.g., 10-day trips with transport for €290.07 and without for €253.65.

✈️ Aeroflot, Russia's largest state-owned airline, sues for $85 million over poor aircraft quality. 78 Superjet 100s were bought, 4 destroyed in accidents; one had a fiery landing in Moscow with no major injuries. Yakovlev, formerly Rostec, produced SSJ100 post-communism. Two Western airlines, including Mexico's Interjet, returned jets due to poor service. Russia's MC21 faces 1-2 year delay, exacerbating the country's aircraft shortage for rising demand.