TOURISTS in Spain have faced huge queues following new “Big Brother” rules that have been slammed as a “complete mess”.
The controversial new tourist registration rule was introduced across the country in December and requires all visitors, including Brits, to provide a full range of personal data on arrival at their accommodation.
New rules in Spain are causing huge queues at hotel check-in[/caption]
Hoteliers have been warning for months that the new rules would not work and would lead to chaos at receptions and their alert is proving true.
Hotels in Majorca say the system is already failing and is leading to computer crashes and frustration for newly-arriving tourists.
And in Tenerife, holidaymakers are facing long queues of more than an hour when they arrive at their hotels because of the need for visitors to fill in the forms.
One fed-up British family said: “We took one look at the queue at our hotel reception, dumped our bags and went across the road to the nearest pub.”
Spanish hoteliers want the new regulations to be looked at again in view of the system’s “failure” and are also calling for compensation for the extra time and work entailed.
The Hotel Business Federation of Majorca (FEHM) says it is recording every failure to protect members if faced with fines from the government.
They say the failure to collect tourist data is not their fault but down to deficiencies of the system.
Manager of the employers’ association of tourist rentals Habtur, Maria Gibert said: “It is a complete mess: the day tourists arrive, the system collapses; but the main problem is that you cannot even enter the system unless it is 5am in the morning.”
In addition to the complaints about operational failures, hoteliers say it is increasing the time to check in at the hotel, for example as well as causing confusion and even refusals from the traveller when requested for additional data.
The Government’s Ministry of Tourism is on the side of the sector, focusing on one of the major problems with the project – the possible violation of the data protection law due to possible invasions of privacy.
The registration asks for a wide range of data, including names, addresses, telephone numbers, bank accounts etc.
The car rental sector is also obliged to collect this information.
Julio Nieto, president of Baleval, the rent-a-car employers’ association in the Balearic Islands, points out that “they are asking for fields with very sensitive information about clients to be included and we are the only European country that obliges tourists to provide this information.”
He said 40 per cent of the companies in his association have documented problems with the computer system.
The OCU and travel agencies have asked Brussels for the precautionary suspension of Royal Decree 933/2021 that tightens the registration of travellers and the European Commission is already studying it.
Pedro Fiol, president of the association of travel agencies in Majorca and Ibiza, AVIBA: “It should not have been launched without having been polished first.”
He criticised the Spanish Interior Ministry for not responding to the requests for the poor functioning of the system.
He said that in this first stage of implementation of the protocol, they should have been “provided with information, attention and also financing to integrate the system” amid fears of an “astronomical extra cost for companies.”
He said the new rules were even being seen as “anti-tourist measures” that were designed to scare aware holidaymakers to other competing countries.
Full list of the 42 details you will need in Spain
The following details could be asked when you are checking into your hotel in Spain:
- Name and surname
- Type of identity document (DNI, passport).
- Identity document number.
- Date of issue of the document.
- Place of issue of the document.
- Expiration date of the document.
- Gender.
- Date of birth.
- Place of birth.
- Nationality.
- Country of habitual residence.
- Province of residence.
- Municipality of residence.
- Address of residence (street, number).
- Postal code of residence.
- Contact landline telephone number.
- Contact mobile telephone number.
- Email address.
- Occupation or work activity.
- Company for which you work.
- Company address.
- Relationship between travellers (if you are staying with minors).
- Marital status.
- Vehicle details (if you arrive by car): license plate.
- Credit card number.
- Credit card expiration date.
- Payment method used (cash, card, transfer).
- International Bank Account Number (IBAN) code of the bank account (if a transfer is made).
- Date and time of check-in at the hotel.
- Expected date and time of check-out.
- Assigned room (room number).
- Dietary preferences (if catering service is requested).
- Special needs or medical requirements (if applicable).
- Guest signature (on registration).
- Purpose of travel (leisure, business, etc.).
- Name of companion (if applicable).
- Companion’s ID number.
- Companion’s date of birth.
- Companion’s nationality.
- Companion’s place of residence.
- Companion’s email address.
- Companion’s signature.
We’ve rounded up some other Spain rules Brits need to be aware of.
And here are some other new travel rules Brits need to know about this year.
Some families had to wait more than an hour to check in[/caption]
