British tourists will be forced to hand over sensitive information every time they visit Spain under a controversial new “Big Brother” law.
The rules, which will come into effect from October, require hoteliers to hand over tourists’ credit card numbers and contact details to the police, local media reported.
Under the new legislation, bank account details and personal addresses may also be requested.
Currently, hotels and apartment blocks make a copy of the passport or identity document that is given to the officers.
The new law has been criticised within the Spanish tourism industry amid fears it could breach privacy guidelines.
Hotels and sunbeds near Levante beach in Benidorm, Spain
Thousands of Mallorcans took to the streets on July 21 to protest against ‘overtourism’ on the island
Hoteliers have also said it will only create more work for staff already busy, and in Mallorca there have been meetings between authorities and tourism chiefs.
Meanwhile, there are fears that tourists will decide to go elsewhere if they do not want to hand over their personal data to the police.
However, the Spanish government has defended the proposal, saying it will make the country safer.
The Home Office said it wanted to know who was staying in hotel and apartment complexes across the country.
This comes as Spain faces a wave of anti-tourism protests this summer, with demonstrators even spraying visitors to Barcelona with water pistols.
The mayor of the Catalan capital has also pledged to eliminate short-stay tourist accommodation in the city within five years.
Tourists sunbathe on the beach in Benidorm, Spain
A protester holds a sign that reads: “Enough speculation in housing, SOS neighbors”
Protesters hold a sign reading ‘tourism yes, but not like this’ during the march in Palma
Pictured: Los Cristianos Beach in Tenerife, Canary Islands
A protester holds a sign reading “it’s not tourismophobia, it’s Mallorcan” during the protest
Protesters are calling for changes to tourism in Mallorca, arguing that the number of foreign visitors is leaving the island struggling to cope with the crisis.
A Spanish woman with the words “tourists, go home” on a piece of paper taped to her shirt takes part in the protest.
Mayor Jaume Collboni believes the move will make Barcelona more affordable for young people who have been forced out by rising rents.
Rental prices in Barcelona have risen by around 70 percent over the past decade, while the cost of buying a home has risen much more slowly, by 39 percent.
And in Mallorca locals started a movement to “take back the beaches” from tourists with demonstrations that took place throughout the summer.
A shocking video shows a woman sitting on a path leading down to the popular Caló des Moro cove while a local shouts to potential tourists: “Come on, come on, come on!”
In another incident, more than 200 activists descended on Caló des Moro, a favourite spot for social media influencers and regular tourists alike, to boo any tourists who dared to sunbathe or splash around in the cool waters.
