Thursday, November 28, 2024 The Spanish government has announced new regulations for travelers arriving in the country starting 2025. British tourists, who form a significant portion of Spain’s visitors, are set to face stricter requirements when checking into hotels, renting cars, or accessing other services. Traditionally, tourists have been required to present their passports upon arrival at hotels.
Under the new rules, they may also need to provide additional personal information, such as bank card details, family relationships, and addresses. This change aims to improve security and enhance visitor monitoring across the country. The new rules will apply immediately to tourists visiting Spain for winter breaks and those planning their summer holidays.
While the measures are part of an effort to deter crime, concerns have been raised about their potential impact on privacy and the visitor experience. Critics argue that the added bureaucracy might lead to delays during check-in and other services, potentially disrupting travel plans. Ramón Estalella, Secretary General of the hotel association Cehat, has expressed concerns that these new requirements could infringe on privacy rights.
He also emphasized that Spain already has the strictest regulations in the European Union, requiring hotels to send guest ID information directly to the police. In other EU countries, such data is only stored temporarily by the hotels. Estalella added that the added steps could complicate th.
