There are fears new Spanish legislation, that could see UK holidaymakers face heft fines, will put tourists off visiting hotspots like Majorca, Ibiza and Benidorm. A new rule was due to come into force on October 1, but has now been pushed back until December.
Under the new law, hoteliers and rental property owners will be required to submit a vast array of personal information about their guests – some 43 pieces of data in total, the Express reports. The Mesa del Turismo of leading figures in the country’s tourism sector, and the industry at large, successfully lobbied for the controversial decree to be postponed due to “the impossibility of compliance with the rule for tourism companies and potential conflict with the Data Protection Act”.
The suspension, however, may only be delaying the inevitable, with people risking penalties of up to 30,000 euros (£25,000) if details such as full names, addresses, credit card details, passport and driving licence information are not provided.
The Spanish government insists that the measures are necessary to improve safety by giving the Ministry of Interior access to information on the whereabouts of both local and international visitors, aiding in the fight against terrorism and organised crime. But many feel it is an infringement on their human rights.
Benidorm local and TikTok user @frankthestagman said in a new video: “I’ve got to be honest with you, I can’t believe we’ve got to a stage in life where anybody can actually ask for this type of information.”
Hoteliers have warned that the policy will add to their staff’s already high workload, while others have branded it as a “Big Brother” policy which could result in tourists booking holidays elsewhere.
The Spanish Confederation of Hotels and Tourist Accommodation (CEHAT) has been among the major bodies to raise the alarm over the policy, arguing: “It is impossible to automate the process and it would involve additional and disproportionate manual work for establishments and a considerable increase in errors.
The Spanish Confederation of Hotels and Tourist Accommodation (CEHAT) has been among the major bodies to raise the alarm over the policy, arguing: “It is impossible to automate the process and it would involve additional and disproportionate manual work for establishments and a considerable increase in errors.