Brits dreaming of a Spanish holiday this year may need to brace themselves for some hurdles.
Whether you’re planning a week-long sun-soaked getaway or considering retiring under the Spanish sun, it’s crucial to stay updated with the evolving rules.
The housing crisis in Spain, characterised by shortages and skyrocketing prices, has sparked anti-tourist protests in several cities including Barcelona and Seville. Local campaigners argue that the influx of foreign buyers and mass tourism exacerbate the situation.
As the summer holiday season looms, Brits heading to Spain have been alerted about nine changes they will face this year. In 2024, the country welcomed an unprecedented number of overseas visitors, with approximately 94 million arrivals. Despite the protests, it is still forecasted to be a major holiday hotspot for 2025, so here are the nine changes British travellers should be aware of if they’ve picked a Spanish holiday.
Hotel data rules
On December 2, 2024, the Spanish government implemented new regulations, mandating that hotels must gather extensive personal information from tourists. This includes family details, bank card specifics, and addresses, which will be shared with security services, reports the Express.
Under these stringent new rules, holidaymakers arriving in Spain will have to provide a significant amount of personal data to their hotel. Hotels in Spain are up in arms over new regulations demanding they collect 42 pieces of personal data from tourists, with the system already in place but not yet tested during the peak summer rush. This could mean longer waits for holidaymakers at check-in.
The Spanish hotel association CEHAT has criticised the rules as an “unreasonable” load on small businesses and a privacy nightmare: “This Royal Decree infringes upon fundamental privacy rights and is contrary to several EU directives, which is why CEHAT asserts that compliance is impossible due to the risk it poses to establishments being subject to lawsuits from travellers,” they declared.
Automation at the border
In another twist for travellers, the EU’s set to shake things up at its borders come 2025. The upcoming Entry and Exit System (EES) will keep tabs on non-EU visitors, including Brits, clocking every entry and exit with an automated IT setup. This means names, travel docs, biometrics, and all the details of comings and goings will be meticulously logged.
The UK is set to revolutionise its entry process with an innovative system that’s poised to eliminate the need for passport stamps, offering a swift and efficient experience at the border. No longer will passports be manually stamped – a practice deemed outdated and ineffective in providing accurate data on border crossings and tracking overstayers.
This move paves the way for greater use of self-service systems and automated checks, ensuring travellers enjoy a seamless entry.
The end of golden visas
Spain is preparing to bid farewell to its lucrative “golden visa” scheme as it tackles its escalating housing crisis head-on. For almost a decade since 2013, this initiative has welcomed non-EU nationals with open arms, granting them residency rights in exchange for substantial investments in Spanish property.
Presently, with an investment of no less than €500,000 (£420,405) into the Spanish housing market without leveraging loans, foreigners can secure a renewable residence permit which entitles them to live and work in Spain for three years initially.
However, the days of golden visas are numbered, with renewals possible every five years provided certain conditions are met. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has slated the cut-off for new applications to 3 April 2025, highlighting the urgency to reorganise national priorities.
During his announcement, he noted: “Today, 94 out of every 100 such visas are linked to real estate investment… in major cities that are facing a highly stressed market and where it’s almost impossible to find decent housing for those who already live, work and pay their taxes there.”
Rising tourist taxes
Brits planning a Spanish getaway, take note: tourist taxes are on the rise across several beloved destinations including Asturias, Galicia, Tenerife, Alicante, and Seville, with fee hikes expected in 2025. Visitors will typically cough up the tax when they check into their accommodation.
Over in Gran Canaria’s Mogan, holidaymakers are already feeling the pinch with a new nightly charge introduced this month, costing a mere €0.15 per person each day. The move, announced last month, sees local authorities promising to reinvest the extra cash into the tourism industry.
Mogan’s mayor, Onalia Bueno, didn’t mince her words last December, insisting: “The tourists who stay in the municipality contribute to paying what proportionally corresponds to them for the services and activities they enjoy during their stay. Under no circumstances do we want the residents to assume all the tax pressure through an increase in rates.”
Holiday rental crackdown
Meanwhile, Malaga is cracking down on rental properties, putting a stop to new rentals in 43 areas where they makeup more than 8% of homes. This three-year experiment kicked off this month.
And Barcelona?
The city’s authorities are on a mission to reclaim housing for locals by gradually phasing out all 10,000 licensed short-term rentals, aiming for a total ban on such tourist apartments by 2028.
Huge tax rise for non-residents
Spain’s Prime Minister has made a striking move in the nation’s battle against the housing crisis by proposing a whopping 100% tax on property sales to foreigners. He’s on a mission to keep Spanish homes primarily for Spanish residents and industrious immigrants, declaring: “Spain’s housing should be for Spanish people to live in, as well as for migrants who come here to work and build a life and contribute to the development and prosperity of our country.”
But it’s not a done deal yet – his plans are now teetering on the edge of a parliamentary cliff-edge, with Sanchez known to struggle in passing legislation without a ruling majority.
Car hire check-in could take longer
Get ready for even more hassle if you’re looking to rent a car on your Spanish getaway. Brit holidaymakers could face extended procedures due to extra bureaucracy and tightened identification requirements, somewhat akin to the fresh regulations enforced upon hotel check-ins.
A top tip to skirt around the added delay – some savvy car hire firms are offering to let customers fill out forms online before they’ve even packed their bags.
Cruise crackdown
Spain’s beloved cruise hotspots might soon dial back on the welcome mat for the ocean giants. Picture less bustling decks in Ibiza and Majorca as they flirt with the idea of capping cruise ship arrivals and ramping up docking dues from 2024.
Barcelona’s taken the lead by shifting its packed port further south. Meanwhile, other coastal cities are mulling over their own tactics to handle hordes of sea tourists, pondering everything from new levies to limiting the massive maritime visitors by size.
Cruise lines could be forced to steer clear of Spanish shores as they react to potential disruption. Marie-Caroline Laurent, European Director of CLIA, in a statement to Reuters, warned: “There will be some consideration of adapting the itineraries if for some reason we feel that all passengers will not be well-treated.”
Access to popular attractions could be restricted
With over-tourism in mind, Spanish destinations are cracking down to preserve their beloved sites. Starting next year, Tenerife is banning tourist coaches from Anaga Rural Park in a bid to protect its fragile environment. Seville’s iconic Plaza de Espana plans to charge a small entrance fee to aid in upkeep, though locals will still roam free of charge.
And in the quaint village of Binibeca Vell in Menorca, limited hours for tourists have been introduced, stopping short of enacting a full prohibition.
