“We understand that the Ministry of the Interior and the Police need control mechanisms to fight crime and terrorism, but this is no argument for demanding by decree that thousands of companies be thrown into administrative chaos and the uncertainty of whether they will be fined when it is impossible for them to comply with the new obligations of documentary registration of travellers,” says Carlos Abella, secretary general of the tourist board.
In his opinion, the update of this Royal Decree obliges accommodation companies, car rental companies and intermediary tour operators to provide customer information telematically with an excessive level of detail, also providing for penalties of up to 30,000 euros in case of infringement. All this in addition to “cumbersome booking procedures”.
The tourist board warns that many travellers will be reluctant to provide certain personal details and will opt for other international destinations, with the consequences for Spanish tourism.
Moreover, taking into account that personal data and sensitive information is handled, from contact emails to bank cards, “there is a high risk of a clash with the Data Protection Act, which is a very strict regulation in Spain”.
“It is incomprehensible that the government does not listen to tourism professionals and entrepreneurs, those who are involved in the real day-to-day dynamics, and that it imposes without any consultation a regulation that impacts them and their customers,” said the secretary general of the tourist board, criticising the “repeated insensitivity towards the driving force of the Spanish economy”.
Joining all the sectoral organisations and employers’ associations that have voiced their complaints in recent weeks, the board has launched a last urgent appeal to the Government to reconsider the regulation, revoke the updated Royal Decree and sit down to talk with the private sector to find alternative and viable solutions.
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Zoltan TeglasYes, sounds ridiculous. But I'm still trying to figure out whether they're serious, or some idiot politician only suggested it, or if it's actually not what the tabloid says it is at all. In any case, I seriously doubt it will ever happen as implied here. It's much too stupid. But I don't see what this has to do with their passport? Hotels (and ETVs) already collect that data and have for many years. It's collecting the credit card/bank account data that's new, unnecessarily invasive and useless in any practical sense, and probably illegal too.
Serious criminals and terrorists are not going to come in to the country through an airport using their own passport so this law is a bit of a nonsense.