Regulatory and Legal Affairs

🍷 A potential 25% tariff on European wines could severely impact the U.S. restaurant industry, particularly independent businesses. Harry Root of Grassroots Wine noted a significant profit comes from European wines. U.S. restaurants may have to raise prices or reduce margins, as seen during the 2019 tariffs on wines with ≤14% alcohol from France, the UK, Germany, and Spain, which later expanded to include most imported wines. The tariffs, originally due to a dispute over aircraft subsidies, were suspended for five years starting March 2021. Restaurants like Le Pigeon in Portland and Celebrations in Missouri, known for their European wine pairings, could face challenges, with wine prices potentially rising from $45 to $60 per bottle. Alex Kroblin of Thirst Wine Merchants experienced decreased sales and profits due to the previous tariffs. The industry is on alert for the new administration's 2025 promise of additional import tariffs.

📍 Key European travel and tourism organizations met in the European Parliament with Commissioner Apostolos Tzitzikostas and MEP Daniel Attard to advance sustainability and resilience in the sector. The meeting builds on the April 2024 Joint Declaration made in Rhodes, aiming for decarbonisation and cross-sector collaboration. Commissioner Tzitzikostas plans to introduce a Sustainable Tourism Strategy for climate change adaptation. The organizations, including A4E, ACI EUROPE, CLIA, ECTAA, EEIA, ERA, HOTREC, IAAPA, IRU, and RURALTOUR, seek policy support and targeted funding for sustainable transformation.

🏠 In Italy, rental accommodation owners must now meet guests in person due to a ban effective from 18 November, targeting Airbnb and Booking properties. This measure, in response to safety and public order risks, requires personal guest details to be sent to police within 24 hours of check-in. The ban comes amid discontent in cities like Rome, Florence, and Milan over rising housing prices and disturbances caused by rental properties. The 2025 Jubilee celebrations in Rome partly prompted the new rule.

🌱 Preferred Travel Group, in partnership with the Travel Foundation, launches its Climate Action Plan to reduce carbon emissions by 50% by 2030 and achieve Net Zero by 2050, aligned with the Glasgow Declaration. The plan includes five key pathways: Measure, Decarbonize, Regenerate, Collaborate, and Finance. The company conducted a baseline emissions inventory, establishing objectives aligned with the Paris Agreement and Glasgow Declaration, and prioritized actions via a structured scoring system. By 2025, they aim to refine policies and engage associates to reduce Scope 3 emissions from business travel and events, leveraging a Climate Task Force and Climate Steering Committee for strategic implementation.

🏨 Hospitality Ventures Management Group (HVMG), an Atlanta-based hotel operator, added eight new hotels in 2023, expanding its portfolio to 51 properties with roughly 1,200 new rooms. This growth led to an increase of over $60 million in asset value. HVMG, deriving 70% of revenue from full-service hotels, was also ranked in the top 20 of Atlanta's Top Workplaces 2024 by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution for the sixth consecutive year, from more than 8,000 applicants. The company manages over 8,700 rooms across 17 states.

🏦 The four-star Hotel Dei Cavalieri – Milan Duomo, a member of the Dei Cavalieri Collection Group, received the "Strutture Ricettive Storiche e di Qualità" award from the Lombardy Region for its excellence in hospitality and cultural heritage. Established under Article 78 of Regional Law 27/2015, the accolade honors the hotel's historical and architectural merit. Built in 1949 with a design by Emilio Lancia, the hotel is known for its trapezoidal shape and curved façade, which is now protected as a cultural heritage site.

📰 In a court ruling next year, Google may face various antitrust remedies, including the possibility of selling its Chrome browser. The DOJ's request last week aims to dissolve Google's perceived search monopoly. Google currently holds around 60% of the US browser market through Chrome. Judge Amit Mehta declared Google an illegal monopolist in general search services and search text advertising. Proposals suggested include not only divesting Chrome but also sharing search data and avoiding self-preferencing. Such changes could significantly impact Google's business, with potential revenue losses from search data syndication alone predicted to be up to 10%, akin to Meta's $10 billion hit from Apple's privacy policy. The trial set for April, with a diverse range of outcomes, could see billions shaved off Google's empire and a reshaped digital landscape.