British tourists get crucial update on new Spain travel rules

British tourists will be forced to hand over sensitive information every time they visit Spain under a new “Big Brother” law that has caused widespread controversy.

The proposed legislation would require hoteliers to provide authorities with sensitive guest details, including bank account information, personal phone numbers and home addresses.

It would even require hoteliers to know the exact nature of a couple’s relationship. 

However, Spanish hoteliers have reassured Brits they will not stop them checking in if they refuse to comply with the demands the country’s government wants to force on holidaymakers. 

The contentious law has been plagued with delays after it was first set to be introduced on October 1, but got temporarily suspended following significant pressure from the tourism industry.

The law was delayed until December over concerns about privacy and data protection.

While many hotels have had to record and pass on the names and ID or passport numbers of guests for years, extra information will be expected to be passed on including the exact relationship between clients booking the same rooms. 

It will potentially leave adult couples in the embarrassing situation of having to declare whether they are married, common-law partners or weekend lovers.

Critics have pointed out the government decree breaches EU data protection laws and say they put hoteliers, campsites, car rental firms and travel agencies affected by the new rules in a “lose-lose” situation, risking potential fines from different administrations for collecting information or failing to do so.

Forty-two pieces of data will need to be uploaded onto an online platform under the new set-up, according to one local newspaper report. 

Benidorm-based HOSBEC, the Valencian Community’s Hotel and Tourism Business Association whose 358 affiliate members include 117 hotels and nine campsites in the famous Costa Blanca resort, announced on Wednesday it was considering legal action after another leading hotelier association – CEHAT – threatened to take the Spanish government to court.

On Saturday, HOSBEC president Fede Fuster admitted the new regulations were likely to increase check-in times but reassured member hotels wouldn’t stop British tourists from checking in if they refused to hand over sensitive information. 

He said: “It appears the Spanish government has listened to the hotel associations because there appears to have been a modification on the online platform in the last couple of days and instead of having to hand over guests’ bank account or credit card details, we’ll only have to say now whether they paid by card, cash or bank transfer.

“But I think the new system will come into effect on Monday and there won’t be any last-minute suspension. We believe that’s inevitably going to cause check-in delays, especially in the first few days, although we’re not expecting a situation of chaos. 

“Before putting any guest who has chosen to stay at one of our hotels into an uncomfortable situation, we’ll fight the Spanish government wherever we need to, starting with a demand in the courts for a precautionary suspension of the new decree once it comes into force.”

HOSBEC accused the Spanish government of burying its head in the sand earlier this week as it said the new rules would have “serious implications” for holidaymakers.