Mallorca has hit back at the Spanish government over “unacceptable” strict new tourist rules.
Since the controversial “Big Brother Law” took effect on December 2, Spanish hotels, holiday apartments, and car rental companies are now forced to collect a great deal of personal information from tourists.
The new rules mean that anyone who is 14 or above must provide a wide range of information, including up to 31 additional details, including their names and surnames, ID numbers, home address and email addresses, telephone numbers, card details, passport numbers, and account numbers.
Tourists who wish to rent a vehicle also need to share their driving licence and GPS information. The centre-right Partido Popular (PP) on the Council of Mallorca has expressed concerns about this law.
PP believes the measures “violate the privacy of travellers by requiring the collection of up to 30 pieces of information per accommodation booking and up to 60 in the case of car hire”.
According to Núria Riera, a PP spokeswoman for the Council of Mallorca, the regulations “could have a direct impact on the competitiveness of Mallorcan tourism” as they ” force businesses to face an excessive administrative and technological burden.”
Ms Riera added that it “does not take into account the reality of the sector” and the “lack of technical preparation” for implementing the decree, which, according to her, has led to “real operational chaos.”
Riera believes smaller companies are especially at harm as they have fewer resources to assume new costs and legal requirements”.
Pedro Fiol, president of the Aviba Balearic Association of Travel Agencies, warns that the failures have already had an “international impact” after the new system for registering traveller information crashed on its first day.
He said: “It is disproportionate and has already had an international impact. We cannot upload data that we don’t know.”
A spokesperson for the Interior Ministry previously said: “It is justified for the general interest for the security of citizens against the threat of terrorism and other serious offences committed by criminal organisations.”