Yzabelle Bostyn
TOURISTS in Spain are fighting back against new ‘Big Brother law’, refusing to hand over swathes of personal data.
Brits holidaying in Spain are clashing with the country’s new data collection rules for visitors, refusing to hand over the over 30 pieces of information.
The new rules state anyone over 14 must provide their names, gender, nationalities, addresses, phone numbers, passport numbers, birthdays and emails, to hotels, rentals, taxis and campsites.
Those wanting to rent a car would also need to hand over their driving license.
The law has been met with much criticism, with some suggesting it violates EU data protection rules.
Javier Hernandez, the Vice President of the Costa del Sol Hoteliers Association (Aehcos), said: “We have guests who refuse to provide us with data.”
He also highlighted the amount of technical hiccups experienced by the ses.hospedajes platform hoteliers are obliged to use.
These issues have caused great problems and delays for hotels, who struggled with their Property Management Systems (PMS), an essential tool for registering guests.
However, Spain’s Interior Ministry insists the rules will help fight against organised crime and terrorism by keeping track of potential criminals.
I don’t blame them, especially since the Spaniards have been behaving the way they have recently. Sanchez sounds like a real peach.
This law has been in place for a couple of years at least. They’re not asking for any extra details that establishments, who have been abiding by the rules, haven’t already been asking for. But, as usual, the whinging British tourists expect whichever country they visit to bend the rules to suit them. How about they just start to grow up & accept that the world doesn’t revolve around them – if they don’t like the rules in foreign countries, then stay in the UK, it isn’t that difficult….