AS Spain anticipates one other bustling yr for tourism in 2025, a number of vital adjustments are set to impression guests, notably these from the UK.
Final yr was a watershed second for Spanish tourism, not simply as a result of report 94 million vacationers that have been welcomed, however due to the widespread protests that broke out within the Canary Islands, Barcelona, Basque Nation, and Malaga to call a number of.
READ MORE: Tourist tax in Spain: Popular resort in Gran Canaria announces new levy for holidaymakers
It’s no shock, then, that travellers to Spain might be confronted with new guidelines and rules upon entry in 2025.
These developments vary from enhanced information assortment protocols to new border management techniques and changes in native rules.
Here’s a complete overview of what Brits ought to count on…
- Huge Brother rule
From December 2, 2024, Spain has applied stringent information assortment necessities for vacationers staying in motels, Airbnbs, and campsites.
Company are actually obligated to supply in depth private data, together with full title, nationality, passport or ID quantity, date of delivery, gender, full handle, electronic mail, cellphone quantity, and fee particulars.
This information is transmitted to Spanish safety providers as a part of a royal decree aimed toward bolstering nationwide safety and combating organized crime.
Whereas supposed to boost security, these measures have confronted criticism from hospitality teams involved about privateness implications and the executive burden on companies.
- Entry/Exit System coherent with elevated customer surveillance
Within the first half of 2025, the European Union will roll out the Entry/Exit System (EES), an automatic IT platform designed to register non-EU travellers getting into and exiting the Schengen Space.
This technique will report private particulars akin to title, journey doc kind, biometric information, and the date and place of entry and exit.
EES goals to interchange handbook passport stamping, expediting border crossings and enhancing safety.
- Golden no extra
Spain will finish its Golden Visa scheme in April 2025 to deal with the nation’s rising housing disaster.
Since 2013, this system has granted residency to non-EU nationals investing at the very least €500,000 in Spanish property.
Presently, traders can get hold of a three-year residence allow, renewable each 5 years if situations are met.
Nevertheless, Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez introduced the scheme’s closure, citing its impression on
housing availability in main cities the place property costs have surged, making it troublesome for residents to search out inexpensive houses.
- Stricter rules on short-term leases
In response to housing shortages and rising dwelling prices attributed to mass tourism, a number of Spanish cities are imposing stricter rules on short-term rental properties.
As an example, Malaga has imposed a three-year ban on new vacation leases in all of its 43 neighbourhoods and should revoke licenses for properties missing separate facilities.
Barcelona plans to part out 10,000 flats licensed for short-term leases by 2028.
These measures intention to deal with the housing disaster and mitigate the adverse impacts of overtourism, although they might have an effect on lodging choices for vacationers.
- Non-residents face 100% property tax
Spain’s authorities has introduced plans for a 100% tax on property purchases by overseas consumers, aiming to ease the nation’s rising housing disaster.
The proposed measure seeks to discourage non-EU nationals from buying houses in Spain, with Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez emphasising that housing ought to primarily serve Spanish residents and migrants who contribute to the nation’s financial system.
Nevertheless, the tax will not be but legislation and should move by means of parliament, the place Sanchez’s occasion lacks a majority, making approval unsure.
In the meantime, it’s but to be made clear what the 100% tax will imply in follow, i.e. whether or not it refers to property buy tax or a 100% tax on the total sale value.
Earlier legislative efforts on housing have confronted challenges, elevating questions on whether or not this proposal might be efficiently applied.
- Vacationer tax piles on prices to Brits
Together with the proposed property tax, vacationer taxes are rising in a number of widespread Spanish locations by 2025, together with Asturias, Galicia, Tenerife, Alicante, and Sevilla.
These taxes, often paid when checking into lodging, will price guests extra.
Moreover, Mogan in Gran Canaria has launched a €0.15 per individual night time cost, which might be reinvested into the city.
Mogan’s mayor, Onalia Bueno, said that the tax is designed to make sure vacationers contribute to the prices of providers they use, with out inserting the monetary burden on native residents.
- Delays at automobile rental corporations
Vacationers renting a automobile in Spain could face longer check-in instances as further paperwork and ID verification change into extra frequent, mirroring stricter resort check-in guidelines.
Prospects might have to supply additional documentation, probably resulting in delays.
To ease the method, some rental firms are introducing on-line kind submissions earlier than arrival, permitting vacationers to finish a lot of the paperwork prematurely and cut back wait instances on the counter.
- Sinking cruise ship numbers
A number of Spanish vacationer hotspots are transferring to restrict cruise ship numbers attributable to overcrowding and environmental issues.
In 2024, each Ibiza and Mallorca introduced plans to cap cruise arrivals and enhance docking charges, whereas Barcelona relocated its congested cruise port additional south.
Different cities are contemplating related measures, together with greater taxes and restrictions on bigger vessels.
Consequently, cruise strains could alter their routes to keep away from affected Spanish ports.
Marie-Caroline Laurent, European Director of CLIA, said that itinerary adjustments might be thought-about if passenger experiences are impacted.
- Restricted entry to landmarks
In 2025, entry to some widespread Spanish sights could also be extra restricted attributable to efforts to cut back overcrowding.
Tenerife has banned vacationer buses from Anaga Rural Park to guard the setting.
In Sevilla, a small entry payment might be launched for Plaza de España, with funds used for its conservation, although residents can nonetheless enter totally free.
Binibeca Vell in Menorca has restricted customer hours, however has not imposed a complete vacationer ban.
These measures intention to protect native ecosystems and historic websites whereas managing tourism.
