Laurence Dollimore
A LEGAL battle is brewing between the government and tourism bosses in Spain over the much-hated ‘Big Brother Law’.
The legislation is set to come into force on December 2 and will force hotels, holiday apartments and car rental companies to collect a mountain of information from tourists.
This will include their names, ages, email addresses, credit card details, departure dates and other data – with fines of €30,000 for businesses that fail to comply.
The legislation is part of a plan by the Ministry of the Interior (basically Spain’s Home Office) – headed up by Fernando Marlaska – to tighten up security among visitors to the country.
But industry leaders have repeatedly 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 will add a mountain of work for hotel and other staff and could cause serious delays and chaos for the industry, which they say is not yet prepared for the changes.
After securing three postponements to the legislation, it is set to come into force on December 2 of this year.
But the Spanish Confederation of Hotels and Tourist Accommodations (Cehat), has now vowed to take legal action against the measure.
Cehat president Jorge Marichal said in a statement announcing the move: “We have been requesting dialogue and concrete proposals for months to guarantee legal security and the viability of the sector, but we have not received any response.
“Given this lack of political will, we are forced to consider legal avenues to protect both business owners and travellers.”
He also insisted that the law is opposed by the ‘entire sector both within and outside our borders.’
The European employers’ association also expressed its ‘opposition, alarm and bewilderment’ in a letter to the Government on September 19.
Cehat claims that since October 4, it has not received any official communication nor has there been any concrete progress in clarifications promised by the government.
In added that a so-called Ministerial Order that would activate the law has not been issued either, which leaves hoteliers in a ‘defenseless situation less than a week before the decree comes into force.’
Marichal concluded: “Spain cannot allow such a damaging regulation to come into force without its multiple defects having been resolved.
“We will not stop fighting to ensure that our sector and our travelers receive the respect and protection they deserve.”
He said the industry will continue to collaborate with the authorities in search of solutions.
