Set Up a Travel Agency in Italy

Do you want to open a travel agency in Italy? This can be an optimal business idea in this country, and we recommend that you collaborate with our lawyers in Italy from the start. Our legal specialists can guide you through all the procedures and provide you with comprehensive assistance so that your business can start as quickly as possible. You can read this article and find out more useful information about how to incorporate a travel business in Italy and what procedures must be followed.

Steps in opening a travel agency in Italy

If you have decided to open a business in Italy and a travel company is what you want, it is good to know the formalities in this regard. In most cases, a limited liability company or SRL in Italy is recommended, one of the most popular business entities. Here are some of the formalities and conditions for registering a travel agency in Italy:

• Articles of Association with complete information about the shareholders and the company’s activities are mandatory;
• opening a bank account in Italy is required. EUR 10,000 is the standard share capital for an SRL in Italy; however, any amount from EUR 1 (fully paid in cash) might be permitted under certain conditions;
• registration for tax purposes in Italy as a travel agency is also mandatory;
• depending on the type of activity of the tourism agency, a business license permit will be required.

You can choose the legal services of our attorneys in Italy for opening a travel agency. We assure clients that all formalities and procedures are met and that the entire registration process is free of complexities.

Licensing procedure for Italian travel agencies

As a general rule, all Italian company owners must file a SCIA or apply for authorisation with the authority designated by regional law (Region, Province or municipality). Among the information required, these are mandatory:

• the business name, legal address, and type of company,
• the identity of the directors,
• the plan of the location,
• cadastral and health certificate.

Other information may also be requested, depending on the region the travel agency will operate in. In Tuscany, for example, the registration of a travel agency is quite a straightforward and simple procedure, and the company may start operating after proving all the legal requirements have been met.

What kind of licenses and permits are required for a travel agency in Italy?

Here are some business licenses and permits required for opening a travel agency/tour operator in Italy:

• business permits from the local municipality, in accordance with the activities,
• a SCIA or authorisation filed with the competent regional/local authority (the Ministry of Tourism, separate since 2021, sets national rules but issues no agency licence),
• compliance with consumer-protection rules, which are enforced by the Competition Authority (AGCM); the AGCM issues no licence or certificate.

Do not hesitate to collaborate with our attorneys in Italy if you want to open a travel agency in this country. We are here to offer you specialized legal assistance and guide you in all legal proceedings.

Insurance requirements for Italian travel agencies

According to the Tourism Code (Legislative Decree No. 79/2011, as amended by Legislative Decree No. 62/2018), all travel packages provided by Italian companies operating as travel agencies must fulfill certain financial requirements in order to carry out their activities. All travel agencies must have an insurance policy that covers all customers’ impairments in case of failure to fulfill their contractual duties. Tour operators in Italy are also required to be covered by an insolvency guarantee (insurance policy, bank guarantee or private guarantee fund) for refunds and repatriation; the public National Guarantee Fund was abolished in 2016.

NACE codes for travel agencies in Italy

The following NACE codes may be used by Italian companies in their travel agency activities:

• Section N, division 79 (NACE Rev. 2.1 / ATECO 2025) for travel agency, tour operator and reservation activities,
• 79.11 for travel agency activities and 79.12 for tour operator activities,
• 79.90 for other reservation service and related activities.

In addition to support for opening a travel agency in Italy, our specialists can also help you in other situations. For example, you can buy a house in Italy with legal support offered by our Italian lawyers. Regardless of the situation you want to resolve, we recommend that you get in touch with our law firm in Italy and learn more about the legal services offered.