Tourists push back as Spain’s controversial new registration rules kick in

Holidaying in one of Europe’s most-visited countries just got significantly complicated with extra red tape, and organised criminals to blame. See how it affects Australians.

Aussies planning a trip to Spain will now be asked a host of new questions as part of a Spanish government crackdown on organised crime.

Australians and other tourists from around the world travelling to the European holiday hotspot must now provide more details about payment, home address, phone numbers, the number of guests in a party, as well as family relationships.

Until now, tourists were only asked for their full name, email address and passport or ID number.

Under new data laws, which came into effect on Monday December 2, hotels, travel agencies, car rental companies and other tourism operators must now report more than 40 new pieces of guests’ personal information to the government.

Businesses which do not comply face fines of up to 30,000 euros ($A49,000).

Close to 41 million tourists were expected to visit Spain this summer. Picture: AFP

HOW HAVE TOURISTS, BUSINESSES REACTED?

Tourists have already been refusing the requests for the extra details with tourism bosses slamming the new law as draconian.

“It’s like ‘Big Brother’ – it’s nuts and will cause chaos,” said Ramón Estalella, head of Spain’s leading hotel association, Cehat.

In the south of Spain – where millions of tourists flock all year round – Costa del Sol hoteliers association vice president Javier Hernandez said there had already been push back.

“We have guests who refuse to provide some of the obligatory information, such as bank account numbers or family relationships with the minors they are staying with,” he said.

Meanwhile, the minister of tourism in the southern Spanish region of Andalusia, Arturo Bernal, said the new regulations “violate the privacy” of tourists.

Over the course of 2024 to July, Spain had welcomed 53 million visitors, with 10.5 million coming from the UK.

The British press didn’t hold back in its criticism of the new law, warning Brits would travel elsewhere.

In Nottinghamshire, headlines pointed out that “Spain’s invasive new travel rules could see Brits flock to other holiday destinations” with articles reporting that tourists have branded the questions as “invasive” and “like Big Brother”.

BirminghamLive reported that “new Spanish rules will make it much more difficult for Britons to holiday in this tourist destination”.

While a local newspaper in Bristol warned that “British holidaymakers are strongly opposed to the new rules that will apply in Spain from [last] Monday”.

Spain's prime minister Pedro Sanchez says the new rules are due to national security reasons. Picture: AFP

WHAT EXTRA DATA WILL TOURISTS IN SPAIN NEED TO PROVIDE?

The new regulations will require tourists to provide details on the following:

• Full name
• Gender
• Nationality
• Passport number
• Date of birth
• Home address
• Landline phone number (if you have one)
• Mobile phone number
• Email address

While under-14s will not need to provide the information, adults travelling with them must explain the relationship they have with the children.

Details about bank accounts will also not need to be provided, however, businesses processing transactions must provide details on how guests paid.

Tourists have threatened to travel elsewhere. Picture: Alamy

WHY HAS SPAIN BROUGHT IN THE NEW RULES?

The Spanish government said the new law has come into effect due to national security reasons.

“The greatest attacks on public safety are carried out by both terrorist activity and organised crime, in both cases with a marked transnational character,” the country’s State Secretariat for Security said.

They added that foreigners are involved in “terrorist threats and other very serious crimes committed by criminal organisations”, and the new data allows authorities to keep closer tabs on who is staying where, as well as crosscheck personal details against databases of “persons of interest”.

HOW DOES THIS DIFFER FROM OTHER COUNTRIES IN EUROPE?

Hotels and other forms of accommodation are also required to check guests’ passports or IDs.

In several countries, including Croatia, Italy and Germany, information including names, contact details and ID numbers must be reported to authorities.

However, their red tape is not as extensive as Spain’s, with no other country pushing out a law like this.

Originally published as Tourists push back as Spain’s controversial new registration rules kick in