Spain’s opposition Partido Popular (PP) will present motions to demand the immediate withdrawal of the new register of travellers, which it has been dubbed “Big Brother Tourism”.
The application of the new Big Brother law, officially known as Royal Decree 933/2021, came into force on December 2.
The law applies to all businesses that accommodate tourists, including hotels, campsites, car rental companies, and rental properties. The fines can be as high as €30,000 (£25,000) for non-compliers.
Businesses must collect up to 42 pieces of information per guest. For children under 14, adults must explain their relationship to the child.
The law has triggered a backlash from the tourism industry and UK media, who say it’s invasive and will make holidays in Spain more difficult. The Spanish government says the law is necessary for national security reasons and will make the country safer.
Now, the centre-right Partido Popular (PP) will take the repeal of this regulation in the plenary sessions of all town councils, deputations, councils, general assemblies and councils during the remainder of December and next January.
They will also call for the development of “consensual” with the sector and the various operators of a new legislation to ensure competitiveness, according to the party’s statement.
The motion denounces the “legal uncertainty” caused by this new legislation, as well as “the disproportionate administrative burden it entails, the competitive disadvantage for Spain, the inadequacy of the technology designed and the violation of the right to privacy of tourists and users”.
The PP claimed the Government has approved the law “against the opinion and interests of the sector and deceiving its representatives” and argues it has not taken into account the repeated warnings from the sector about the risks for travellers and for Spain’s international reputation.
The PP understands that this law causes a strong legal uncertainty and ignores the operational complexity of collecting such amounts of data, even before the provision of the service, which in fact makes it almost impossible to comply with.
This situation, it continues, causes a competitive disadvantage with respect to the European market, as obligations are imposed on companies that the national laws of other European states do not impose.
The legislation is part of a plan by the Ministry of the Interior – headed up by Fernando Marlaska – to tighten security among visitors and fight against terrorism and organised crime in Spain.
However, industry leaders have fought back against the law, saying it will put off tourists and seems “useless” as they can “easily put in fake information and addresses”.
They claim it has added mountains of work for hotels and other staff and could cause serious delays and chaos for the industry, which was not prepared for the changes.
Among the data requested includes home address, phone numbers, occupation, marital status and credit card information.
