Jurídicos y Administrativos

🚭 Madrid's health official, Fátima Matute, urged for increased surveillance at Barajas Airport following the detection of a severe Mpox strain in Sweden. Despite the EU Security Committee advising against border controls, citing low risk, Madrid insists on precautions. Spain has a stockpile of 500,000 vaccines with options for more through the EU.

💸 Air Europa's rescue by the Spanish Government, involving €950 million requested by Globalia, is under scrutiny. Following a meeting on June 24 between Begoña Gómez and Javier Hidalgo, the SEPI signed a confidentiality pact within days, leading to a €475 million injection on November 3, 2020, split into two loans. Additional funds included €320 million to Globalia and Barceló in March 2021 and a public sector travel contract increased from €106 million to €215 million, avoiding European Commission oversight.

🔒 Online travel agency Destinia is set to file a lawsuit against Booking.com in September at the Commercial Court, accusing the competitor of illegitimate use of its trademark. Destinia alleges this infringement has occurred in 20 countries, leading to a theft of up to 20% of its traffic, as confirmed by CEO Ricardo Fernández Flores. The claim is backed by notarial deeds from each market where the violation was detected, based on Law 17/2001 governing trademarks. Booking.com is accused of using Destinia's brand to mislead consumers, which the agency sees as unfair competition potentially harming its credibility. The lawsuit aims for cessation of these practices rather than compensation, even though the losses are quantifiable.

💰 Andalucía offers subsidies for tourism businesses to mitigate drought effects and adapt to climate change, drawing from a €40 million fund, financed by Next Generation-EU funds. Announced on August 14, the program supports projects promoting water reuse and energy efficiency. Eligible businesses include accommodation, event organizers, and hospitality services, with project costs covered up to 65% for small companies and up to 100% for certain hospitality projects. Applications close on September 15.

💨 Aemet issued a red alert for extreme rain danger in north and northeast Mallorca, warning of very adverse conditions overnight and Thursday morning. Residents and tourists are advised to stay indoors unless necessary. Dozens of flights from or to Palma airport got canceled due to the adverse weather affecting operations.

🏖️ Spanish authorities are taking measures to control tourism, targeting illegal vacation rentals. The complex issue acknowledges the duality of residents as both victims and participants in tourism. Japan considers three solutions: taxes favoring the wealthy, reducing lodging options, and internet-only ticketing with quotas for top attractions, as part of managing tourist excess.

✈ Air France's representatives held eight meetings with European Commission officials from January to July, compared to just two in the year 2023. These engagements are believed to be tied to the failed acquisition of Air Europa by Iberia after nearly five years. Expert sources hinted at pressures from Germany and France to halt the transaction, while the Spanish government remained distant in the final phase, a stance differed from Italy's Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, who actively supported Lufthansa's partial purchase of Ita Airways.

🏖️ Benidorm identified as the main hub for scams targeting British tourists, based on a McAfee study highlighted by the English press. The study reveals an increase in fraudulent websites and ads, with British tourists swindled out of £12 million (€14 million) in 2023. Berlin ranks second, while Ibiza, La Valeta, and Albufeira also feature in the top ten destinations for holiday scams.

📍 Japan faces an increasing tourism problem, particularly in 10 cities including Kyoto. To manage the influx, they are implementing three measures: charging tourists up to $30 to enter attractions like Himeji Castle, restricting accommodations in a manner similar to Amsterdam's impact on Airbnb, and requiring advance online reservations for certain tourist sites to regulate visitor volume, akin to European practices. These measures follow a 35% increase in American tourism since 2019.

✈ Ryanair ignores Spanish court warnings and continues its campaign against Edreams despite judicial advice to stop denigrating practices urgently. The Barcelona Commercial Court No. 12 demands Ryanair end its campaign to promote its website for flights and associated services. Ryanair accuses Edreams of overcharging Prime members by up to 78% for baggage and inflating British Airways seat prices by 72%. Four months after Ryanair's complaint, Spanish Consumer Affairs Minister Pablo Bustinduy has taken no action.