The Spanish government has introduced a new law requiring British holidaymakers to provide 43 pieces of information when checking into their accommodation.
UK travellers visiting Spain will soon be asked to share these 43 details upon arrival at their hotel, apartment, or rental, under new regulations expected to start by the end of the year.
Critics have compared this new law to Big Brother-like surveillance, as it greatly increases the amount of personal data collected from tourists when they check in or hire a car.
The Spanish government argues that these tighter requirements will help improve safety by allowing the Ministry of Interior to know who is staying where and when, helping track down terrorists and organised crime groups.
Originally planned to begin on October 1, the start date was moved to December 2 to give businesses time to set up the needed technology.
However, the hotel industry is concerned that this rule change will add more work for already busy staff and might discourage some people from choosing Spain if they feel uneasy about providing so much personal information.
Currently, hotels and car rental companies collect 14 pieces of information from guests to share with authorities. In December, this will rise to 64 pieces for car rentals and 43 for accommodations.
The Spanish hotel and accommodation confederation, Cehat, has strongly criticised these regulations, calling them ‘incompatible with the realities of the tourism industry.’
The group is concerned about ‘legal uncertainty, unclear wording, and extra administrative burdens.’
Critics argue that collecting 43 details per guest is ‘extremely complex’ and raises questions about possible breaches of guests’ privacy rights.
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