The phenomenon of illegal rentals of villas and trulli is also spreading to luxury tourism Puglia.
Two citizens, both from Salve, lower Salento in the province of Lecce, were subjected to a tax assessment by the Guardia di Finanza. They owned three properties, two villas and a trullo, rented illegally to tourists, and they allegedly failed to declare revenues of around 200 thousand euros. The financiers have identified the two luxurious homes and the trullo in the Salve marina, overlooking the sea of Torre Pali and Pescoluse. The properties had recently been renovated and equipped with every comfort, relaxation area and swimming pool. The owners were identified thanks to some inspections carried out by the Guardia di Finanza soldiers with the support of the many databases available to the
departments.
“It’s sad to hear this news because in first place in a tourism operation, in addition to professionalism and a quality product, there is undoubtedly legality – he comments Giuseppe Serafino, president of the Tourism section of Confindustria Lecce -. But – he points out – I’m surprised why luxury tourism travels so much traceable booking channels and transactions are made mainly with credit cards and through specialized portals with people who organize travel.”
He concludes: “It is thanks to the fact that today Salento is an international destination even in the luxury segment
also of capable entrepreneurs who operate with transparency in compliance with the rules.”
In the last three months, explains corriere.it, similar operations of illegal rentals of holiday homes have also been completed in the Brindisi area, in the Taranto area, and again in the Lecce area on the Ionian coast. Finally, in Ostuni, 200 thousand euros of undeclared revenues emerged from owners of farmhouses and B&Bs.
