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We all know Spain is a top spot for year-round getaways, from the Canary Islands to Barcelona. But with its popularity comes overtourism, and recently, there have even been protests aimed at tourists.
Now, new rules are introduced with the aim of battling overtourism.
Stricter rules are coming in for Spain travellers, including more data control and higher tourist taxes. Starting October 1st, Barcelona will hike its tourist tax to between €5 ($5.48) and €7.50 ($8.21) per night, depending on where you stay. The new rules were delayed to give hotels time to adjust.
Furthermore, Spain is tightening its entry rules for tourists, with new regulations aimed at better controlling arrivals and their movements for security reasons. A reform by the Ministry of the Interior, it requires every tourist—even for just a one-day stay— to provide over 40 pieces of personal data, including sensitive information like bank account details. This "screening" of tourists, outlined in Royal Decree 933/2021, has sparked major controversy. This will affect US tourists who are renting a hotel room or are hiring a car in Spain.
Initially set to take effect on October 1, 2024, the start date has now been postponed to December 2, 2024, following pushback from the tourism sector, particularly hotels and car rental companies.