Dreaming of trading the Dutch winter chill for some Spanish sun? A borrelplank for some Tapas? Well, you better get ready to share some of your personal information with the Spanish government.
In a push to enhance safety, Spain could soon require each of its 85 million annual tourists to answer over 40 personal questions before stepping foot in the country.
This new rule would also affect the 4 million Dutch travellers who flock to Spain every year, writes RTL, adding a little paperwork to our packing list. 🧳
Doing too much? Probably
Although the Spanish government is convinced this new questionnaire will boost national security, the country’s travel industry isn’t so sure.
Many have slammed the plan as “out of all proportions” and “an invasion of travellers’ privacy” — and they might be right.
Here are just some of the questions Spain could soon ask incoming travellers:
- Will you pay for your accommodation in cash or by card? With a physical card or with a smartphone or watch?
- How long ago did you book your trip? Last minute or far in advance?
- How much internet do you plan on using in your hotel room?
- Travelling with a minor? Are you their parent, teacher, or maybe football coach?
If you’re thinking, “Jeez, that sounds like a pain” — you’re entirely right. Frank Radstake from the Dutch trade association ANVR took his time to fill out the questionnaire himself.
And it took him… *drumroll please*… a whopping 45 minutes. 😀
But… why exactly?
Great question. By collecting this data about its tourists, Spain believes it will be easier to catch terrorists and criminal gangs coming into the country.
This is especially relevant for the south of the country, where there is a lot of organised crime, as well as more than a hundred international drug gangs, including Dutch ones.
The catch? Not only does the list of questions add a lot of prep work to something that should be enjoyable, but the Spanish government also plans on storing all the answers for three years.
If everything goes according to the government’s plan (and it looks like it will), the questionnaire could be introduced as soon as December 2 of this year.
What are your thoughts on this new measure? Share your thoughts in the comments.