Juridique et Administratif

🏦 Alfred Akirov, founder of Alrov Group, expressed gratitude to hotel teams following growth in results and customer satisfaction at two iconic European hotels. Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group announced via a LinkedIn post and press release they will operate the historic Lutetia hotel, on Paris's Left Bank, from 2025. The Lutetia, built in 1910 and owned by Alrov since 2010, will be renamed Mandarin Oriental Lutetia and will be officially taken over on January 1, 2025. Mandarin Oriental will be the first luxury international brand to operate two establishments on both banks of the Seine.

🚧 En Italie, une mesure votée le 18 novembre interdit l'utilisation de "boîtes à clés" pour les locations saisonnières, applicable à tous les types d'hébergements touristiques à court terme. La raison inclut la sécurité publique, le contrôle d'identité, la lutte contre la prolifération des locations à court terme, et la préparation aux événements majeurs comme le Jubilé 2025 à Rome. Les voyageurs et propriétaires doivent désormais se rencontrer physiquement, les propriétaires vérifiant l'identité des invités, avec transmission obligatoire des informations personnelles des voyageurs aux autorités dans les 24 heures. Des actions symboliques de protestation ont eu lieu à Rome, avec une augmentation de locations sur Airbnb de 17 000 à 35 000 en trois ans. Marseille a imposé un délai de 15 jours pour le démontage des boîtes à clés en octobre, après une augmentation de 45% de locations saisonnières l'été précédent.

💸 The French Government BARNIER's censorship invalidated the PLFSS 2025, suspending measures impacting social charges exemption and healthcare reimbursement. Amendments to the PLF 2025, including the GHR-supported tip exemption prolongation, are halted awaiting parliamentary debates. No guarantee exists for the exemption's extension beyond December 31, 2024, caution advised. GHR is advocating for the exemption's permanence.

📈 The new minimum wage rates in the hotel, cafés, and restaurants (HCR) sector have been effective since December 1, 2024. The Department of Social Affairs at GHR updated important tools regarding the National Collective Agreement of the HCR, including remuneration tables for employee classifications and apprentices. These tools are accessible in the member area.

😭 A 8-year-old boy died following a statue collapse at the Arizona Biltmore luxury resort in Phoenix. The accident occurred around 8:45 AM on November 27, causing severe head injury. Despite quick emergency response and hospitalization, the child succumbed to his injuries the next day. The cause of the collapse and details on how the boy was struck remain unknown. Arizona Biltmore expressed condolences and reiterated guest safety commitment, while cooperating with authorities' ongoing investigation.

🏡 Pierre FERCHAUD appointed as president and Marie-Anne GINOUX and Jean-François GIRARDIN as vice-presidents of the new commission for the "Palace" distinction, effective December 3, 2024. The commission, under Atout France, includes experts from luxury tourism, arts, culture, gastronomy, and architecture. Key members revealed in the official announcement on December 5, 2024. The commission will recommend awards for deserving five-star hotels, with a reformed distinction now valid for three years.

✈ Between 2015 and 2019, Air Caraïbes and Air Antilles, aided by Aérogestion, established illegal price-fixing and flight capacity agreements in the Caribbean, incurring a €14.57 million fine by the Autorité de la concurrence. Operating in duopoly, they set common fares and reduced seat offerings on strategic routes (Pointe-à-Pitre, Fort-de-France, Saint-Martin, Sainte-Lucie, Saint-Domingue). The practices increased costs for Caribbean residents, a group highly reliant on air transport. Air Caraïbes and its parent companies were fined €13 million, while Aérogestion was fined €70,000.

💰 The CFTC acknowledges the adoption of a motion of censure following the use of Article 49.3 of the French Constitution by Michel Barnier. The union warns of potential chronic political instability affecting the nation's interest. Businesses, public services, and associations fear this instability, leading to delayed investments, HR departments suspending hiring, and households cutting spending in favor of saving. These isolated legitimate actions have detrimental economic and social effects on growth and employment.

📙 EU Travel Tech, representing online tourism platforms like Booking, Expedia, and Airbnb, calls out Google's anti-competitive practices to the European Commission. General Secretary Emmanuel Mounier urges President Ursula von der Leyen for strict enforcement of the Digital Markets Act (DMA), adopted two years ago, to ensure fair competition. Seven months into the DMA non-compliance investigation, the Commission has yet to issue preliminary findings. EU Travel Tech demands swift action, noting Google's diversion tactics with recent "blue links" tests in Germany, Belgium, and Estonia, stressing the necessity for resources to enforce DMA effectively.

💰 A new fraud method using stolen credit cards for bookings on Booking.com has emerged. The scam involves non-refundable reservations by a French client with an African surname, claiming late arrival, leading to less scrutiny at check-in. Payment is initially accepted, but hotels face losses when a chargeback is issued after the guest's departure. To prevent fraud, hotels are advised to systematically check credit cards at check-in, train staff, especially night receptionists, and enforce strict policies denying room access if the card cannot be presented. For assistance, call GHR at 01 42 96 60 75.