The Spanish tourism sector has come out strongly against controversial new hotel registration rules soon to be implemented, warning that the significant increase in personal data to be collected by hotels is overly-administrative, will make holidays more expensive for travellers, and could even be incompatible with European data protection legislation.
Several groups representing hoteliers, travel agencies and tour operators have denounced the new data requirements, which are set to come into force from October 1st 2024.
But it’s not just Spanish organisations concerned about the changes. European tourism employers' associations have also been critical, arguing that rules will not only make holidays more expensive but could also impact the number of tourists coming to Spain and therefore jeopardise the Spanish tourism sector's competitiveness internationally and status as a European leader.
The Spanish Confederation of Hotels and Tourist Accommodation (Cehat), the European Travel Agents and Tour Operators Association (Ectaa), the European Tourism Association (ETOA), the European Federation of Rural Tourism(Ruraltour) and Hotrec, the European association representing hotels, restaurants, bars and cafés in the European Union, have all rallied together in an open letter.
They warn that “the decree will impose a significant and unnecessary administrative burden and additional costs, which will de facto increase the price of holidays in a highly competitive market.”
Among the criticisms are concerns that the personal data collection could come up against problems of “incompatibility with EU law” and present “legal uncertainty and impossibility of compliance” for many smaller companies.
The letter also argued that most companies “do not have the capacity to adapt technologically to the regulations and will be faced with a disproportionate and unbearable administrative burden and costs.”
The Spanish government, for its part, argues that with record numbers of tourists arriving on Spanish shores this year, boosting the information on who exactly is coming to the country will serve to make Spaniards safer.
Critics argue that measures are overbearing and that some tourists, not wanting to hand over so much personal information, could look elsewhere when booking holidays.
What are the rules?
The royal decreeincreases the amount of personal information hotels and tourist companies must now collect from 9, which it currently is, to 17 in total.
All guests over 14 years of age must sign the entry form with their data, and it will impact holidaymakers regardless of whether they’re in Spain for one night or three weeks or longer.
The information now required includes:
First name
Surname
2nd surname (if applicable)
Sex
Identity document number
Document support number
Type of document (ID card, passport, TIE)
Nationality
Date of birth
Full address (legal residence)
Region/province/locality (legal residence)
Country (legal residence)
Phone number
Mobile phone
E-mail address
Number of travellers in the group
Relationship between the travellers in the group (in the event that any of them are minors).
Conor Faulkner
