Vacation in Spain? You’ll Be Asked For More Personal Data To Visit

For those planning a vacation in Spain, be aware that authorities are cracking down on organized crime and will require new personal data to visit. Hotels and other tourism operators are required to collect and report more than 40 pieces of personal information. When it comes to car rental bookings, 60 pieces of information are required.

More personal data required when visiting Spain

Starting on December 2, authorities in Spain require more personal data from tourists, including details like their home address, and even their relationship to children traveling in the same party. Vacation rentals, hotels, travel agencies, car rental companies and campsites will collect this information.

According to Spanish officials, the increased checks form part of a royal decree and are related to a wider crackdown on organized crime. Meanwhile, hotels are protesting the introduction of new rules, as they believe it will negatively impact their visitors’ experience.

What additional information is required from visitors to Spain?

Hotels and other tourism operations were already required to send the full name, email address, passport, or ID number of guests to authorities within 24 hours. However, from December 2, they will have to collect and report more than 40 pieces of information for accommodation bookings, and more than 60 for car rental bookings.

The new personal data requirements include home address, phone numbers, payment details, the number of guests in the party and details of family relationships. The collected data will be uploaded to a platform that is monitored by Spanish security forces.

Meanwhile, the new requirement applies to mainland Spain and its islands, including the Canary Islands and the Balearic Islands.

Spanish hotels protest new personal data requirement

Spanish hoteliers are protesting the new personal data collection rules and have been calling for the royal decree to be dismissed, or watered down. Meanwhile, businesses that do not comply with the new requirements could face fines of up to €30,000 (roughly $32,000).

The requirement was originally slated for January 2023, but CEHAT, the leading hotel association in Spain managed to postpone its introduction. However, the association has received no communication from Spanish authorities or offers of solutions.

Jorge Marichal, President of CEHAT, said in a press release:

We have been requesting dialogue and concrete proposals for months to guarantee legal security and the viability of the sector, but we have not received any response.

Meanwhile, CEHAT now says it is considering taking legal action due to the “negative impact that this regulation will have on the hotel sector and travelers themselves.” Marichal added:

Given this lack of political will, we are forced to propose legal avenues to protect both business owners and travelers.

How will the new requirements impact travelers?

According to CEHAT, the new regulations make for more tedious and complex administrative procedures that will compromise visitors’ accommodation experience. According to travel agencies, these procedures will impinge on people’s privacy, while adding a bureaucratic burden they can’t afford. Moreover, this may increase working hours which could increase prices for travelers.

Meanwhile, the European Travel Agents and Tour Operators’ Associations (ECTAA) and Spanish travel agency group ACAVE warn of “severe repercussions for the European tourism market and the protection of travelers’ personal data.”

Readers, have you traveled to Spain since the requirement started on December 2? How did this affect your experience? Let us know by dropping a comment below.