Salerno, tourist rentals and B&Bs targeted by the Guardia di Finanza: over €10 million in tax embezzlement discovered.

Salerno – Over €10 million in revenues were hidden from the tax authorities, as were unauthorized tour operators and workers employed illegally or irregularly. This is the result of inspections conducted by the Salerno Financial Police during the recently concluded summer season, as part of an effort to combat tax evasion and violations in the tourist rental and accommodation sector.

The inspections focused on a strategic sector for the local economy, characterized by a strong influx of Italian and foreign visitors and a range of accommodations including short-term rental apartments, bed and breakfasts, and other hospitality businesses.

The operation involved all Guardia di Finanza units in the province, with particular attention to the most popular tourist destinations. These included the Amalfi Coast and Cilento, as well as the center of Salerno, which is increasingly popular with tourists.

h3Ottantacinque inspections: hidden revenues of over 10 million emerged

A total of 85 inspections were carried out during the audit campaign. The investigations identified a turnover exceeding €10 million that was allegedly untaxed.

This result, according to the Guardia di Finanza, highlights the presence of tax evasion and irregularities in a sector where the growth in tourism demand makes it particularly important to ensure compliance by all operators.

The investigation focused on both the managers' tax positions and the administrative compliance of the facilities, with checks on compliance with the requirements for operating accommodation businesses.

h3 Illegal structures and operators unknown to the tax authorities

Among the situations identified were several operators who were operating without being properly registered for tax purposes. In some cases, the inspections revealed that they also lacked the mandatory reporting and authorizations required by public health and safety regulations.

The checks also revealed omissions in the payment of the regional tax on productive activities (IRAP) and local taxes.

This set of violations, in addition to causing damage to public coffers, risks distorting the competitive conditions in the tourism market, penalizing businesses that operate in compliance with fiscal and administrative obligations.

h3 Undeclared workers and irregularities in compliance

Among the most frequent violations contested during inspections are those related to the employment of illegal or irregular workers.

The investigations also concerned the failure to pay the RAI license fee and the fees due to SIAE, as well as irregularities in the communication and display of mandatory information for guests.

In particular, violations were found relating to the failure to display the rates applied by the facilities and the National Identification Code (CIN), the tool used to identify real estate units intended for tourist rentals and accommodation facilities affected by the legislation.

h3The crackdown on illegal tourism

The Guardia di Finanza's activities aim to combat illegal commercial activity and unfair competition in a sector crucial to Salerno's economy, especially during peak tourist months.

The goal is twofold: on the one hand, to recover resources stolen from public taxation, and on the other, to protect operators who comply with the rules, preventing those who evade taxes or operate without the necessary formalities from benefiting from more favorable conditions than legitimate businesses.

The summer inspections thus confirm the Guardia di Finanza's focus on the short-term rental and hospitality sector, a growing market in which verifying fiscal and administrative compliance is essential to ensuring transparency and fair competition.