Spain introduces controversial new travel rules

OVIEDO, Spain

Controversial new rules requiring Spanish hotels, car rental agencies, and other tourism operators to collect additional personal data from travelers came into effect on Monday.

The new rules are reportedly meant to help police combat terrorism and organized crime, but the beefed-up personal information requirement has sparked criticism from the tourism industry, which argues this will infringe on privacy while making travel more expensive and time-consuming.

“Now we have to include around 40 client data points, asking for personal information about relationships, payment methods – like which account or cards are used – and this is even necessary just for making bookings,” Jorge Marichal, head of the Spanish hotel association CEHAT, told broadcaster COPE on Monday.

CEHAT said it is considering legal action over the negative impact the new rules could have.

A hotel manager told broadcaster RTVE that the process could extend the average check-in time by as much as 10 minutes per customer.

The data must be submitted through an online application run by the Interior Ministry. However, on Monday, users reported that the app had crashed.

“We don’t know the technical reasons, but ... this is proof of the ministry’s lack of foresight, as they haven’t adequately calibrated the volume of daily operations,” said Catiana Tur of the tourist agency association ACAVE, speaking to industry daily Hosteltur.

Travelers have also expressed concerns about the impact on their privacy, with some British tourists telling GB News they plan to avoid Spain due to the new rules.

The ministry contends that the changes are merely an update to previous data collection rules, which have been “made obsolete” by advances in payment technology and shifts in the tourism industry.

It argued that criminals have increasingly found ways to circumvent data regulations when renting cars or booking accommodations.