Travelers to Spain will not have to fill in annoying new forms, in reassuring news after fears that a new data law would force tourists to submit more data before they arrive.
Travelers will simply provide their name and passport or ID number as in the past, the government says, after industry fears the planned registration law would create much more bureaucracy.
The number of travelers to Spain is growing steadily, with a record 64.3 million people visiting the country’s beaches, cities and mountains in the first eight months of the year.
Spain’s new law aims to improve public safety and will come into force in December after being postponed due to fears over data collection and protection.
It mainly affects accommodation, travel and car rental companies and the government says they do not have to worry about data streams being collected.
The law regulates how data from the tourism sector is recorded and transmitted so it can be cross-checked with police databases to better prevent and investigate terrorism or serious organized crime, the government says.
Tourism is an important sector in Spain, representing approximately 14% of economic output, or 35% in the most popular areas such as Mallorca and the other Balearic Islands.
