Brits jetting off to Spain will face a new set of rules from Monday that are set to cause more delays when travelling. Under the new regulations, tourists will be required to provide hotels and accommodation providers with a raft of personal details, including contact information, family relationships, bank card details, and home addresses.
This data, which could total up to 31 pieces of information, must then be uploaded to a platform accessible to security forces. Spain says it has a good reason for all this – to tackle serious crime and keep people safe, but the measures are thought to be the toughest in Europe, the Telegraph reports.
But there are warnings it will cause more delays when checking in – especially at busy times. And concerns have been raised about privacy issues, too.
The change has been likened to a “Big Brother” approach by Spain’s leading hotelier association, Cehat. The new law will apply to tour operators, holiday rental platforms, and car rental companies.
Cehat’s Secretary General, Ramón Estalella, warns it will lead to significant delays during check-in. Estalella told the Telegraph: “Spain is already the only country in the EU where hotels must send guests’ ID info to the police, while in other countries they just have to keep that data for a period.”
He added: “Not only could it violate fundamental privacy rights, but it also threatens to complicate and hinder the experience of millions of visitors who choose Spain as a destination.” He continued: “It is impossible to automate the process and it would involve additional and disproportionate manual work for establishments and a considerable increase in errors.”
However, a spokesperson for the Interior Ministry previously argued in a statement: “It is justified for the general interest for the security of citizens against the threat of terrorism and other serious offences committed by criminal organisations.”
At present, hotels in Spain request ID card or passport details from guests. That will change under the new rules – but Cehat are launching a legal challenge.