Jurídicos y Administrativos

🔔 The Spanish tourism sector collectively rejects the data registry imposed by the Interior Ministry through Royal Decree 933/2021, effective December 2, on the online platform Hospedajes. GEBTA's Director General Marcel Forns warns of the recovery of tourism and business travel being jeopardized, with agencies required to collect over 30 personal data types from clients, to be stored for 3 years. These demands extend beyond what's collected by international travel clients in other EU countries, affecting Spain's competitiveness.

📈 El Ministerio del Interior de España, liderado por Fernando Grande-Marlaska, aseguró que el registro bajo el Real Decreto 933/2021 no pedirá más datos de servicios turísticos de los ya establecidos, antes de su entrada en vigor el 2 de diciembre. En contraste, las grandes cadenas hoteleras españolas, con más de 1.000 habitaciones, reportaron ingresos por 15.681 millones de euros en 2023, representando el 70% del total de 22.345 millones y manteniendo los primeros ocho puestos del Ranking HOSTELTUR de facturación.

🥃 In Ireland, a country with 30 distilleries, there was a 20% increase in whisky tourism last year, resulting in 2.4 million visitors. These tourists spent an average of 42 euros per person on each visit. Distillery visits have evolved into interactive experiences, including tastings and creating personal whisky blends, with growing interest observed from the US, Germany, and Britain, as reported by Alice Mansergh, head of Irish tourism.

✈ More than a hundred homeless people have found shelter at Josep Tarradellas-El Prat Airport in Barcelona. Since January, they lack social assistance due to the absence of an agreement between Aena, the Barcelona City Council, the airport, and the Generalitat. Local authorities are still negotiating a new agreement, while police officers are overwhelmed, undertaking social work tasks without proper training. A 56-year-old man named Pedro has been living in Terminal 1 for two years, valuing the safety and amenities the airport provides. Other airport "residents" engage in informal jobs like packing luggage and cleaning taxis.

🏖 CEHAT confirmed a collaboration with Spain's Ministry of Interior to work on the new traveler registration system outlined in Real Decreto 933/2021. A meeting held on October 4 with CEOE's tourism council yielded agreements, with no further extensions for adjusting to Ses Hospedajes platform—full application of the decree begins December 2, 2024. The decree won't require additional data beyond current practices. However, ACAVE, FETAVE, and UNAV negatively viewed the outcomes, fearing unaddressed risks and planning informative actions. An EU Commission complaint could exempt travel agencies from the decree.

💳 Spanish travel agencies are challenging the government's decree 933/2021, effective December 2, requiring extensive data collection on travelers. ACAVE, Fetave, and UNAV plan an informational campaign, revealing that hotels must register 43 customer data points, Airbnb 41, and rent-a-cars about 40—up from 14 previously required. Minister Marlaska confirms no further delays, while CEAV announces a potential ministerial order for legal certainty, albeit not before the law's implementation.

📊 The Spanish tourism sector's implementation of the RD 933/2021 data registry has been delayed until December 2, amid widespread opposition and requests for exemption. Originally notified to the European Commission on February 21, 2020, and published on October 26, 2021, the regulation has faced two postponements. Legal experts like José Antonio Fernández Alarcón from Monlex argue the registry should never be activated due to European law non-compliance and administrative burdens. The industry failed to sufficiently assess the impact during the pandemic revival period and the window for challenging the decree has closed. The Ministry of Interior has repeatedly deferred but not withdrawn the controversial registry, which requires travelers to provide over 40 personal data points. European tourism industry representatives also criticize the regulation. Meanwhile, no consensus has been reached to exempt the sector, as recent negotiations between industry federations and the Interior Ministry have been fruitless.

📌 Key facts from Spain's controversial royal decree 933/21, which mandates hotels, travel agencies, and car rental companies to gather extensive customer data, have sparked concern in the UK, labeled as "Big Brother" by British media. The legislation, postponed until December 2, increases data requirements from 14 to 43 items, including IDs, payment methods, and addresses. The information, to be stored by the Ministry of the Interior, aims to aid in preventing serious crimes and terrorism. The tourism sector opposes the measure due to its impracticality and workload, with requests for exemptions.

🚨 The Peruvian government declared a state of emergency in 14 districts of Lima and Callao for 60 days due to a strike by 60 public transport companies protesting violence and extortion by gangs that have taken control, causing deaths and serious injuries. European countries have advised citizens to take extreme precautions. Peru's tourism has faced challenges since 2020, including the COVID pandemic, political rebellions post-Pedro Castillo's government, especially in Cuzco, and various diseases alarming tourists.

💰 Spain's Ministry of Interior delayed the implementation of Real Decreto 933/2021, the new data registry, to December 2nd, due to travel agencies' demand for exemption. This regulation requires agencies to collect over 30 personal data fields from clients, potentially slowing down reservations and increasing perceived privacy intrusion. Accommodation bookings now need 42 data points, while vehicle rentals require 65, rising to 83 with a second driver. Changes in bookings must be reported within 24 hours. Agencies fear this will overwhelm their operations and compromise travelers' privacy.