Spain’s leisure and business travellers face the biggest regulatory overhaul since Schengen controls were abolished in the 1990s. From 12 October the country began the phased roll-out of the EU Entry/Exit System (EES). The new platform replaces manual passport stamps with automated kiosks that capture travellers’ fingerprints and facial images. Every non-EU visitor—including visa-waived executives on short business trips—must complete the biometric registration on entry and exit. Border-force unions warn that the extra steps could add three-to-five minutes per passenger at peak times, potentially lengthening queues at hubs such as Madrid-Barajas and Barcelona-El Prat over the Christmas conference season. Airlines have already asked Aena for additional staff and signage at the 15 airports that will install the kiosks before year-end.
Controls at the frontier are only one part of Spain’s new mobility landscape. Regional governments are also tightening regulations aimed at “overtourism” that has fuelled housing inflation in key expatriate destinations. The Balearic Islands will lift their overnight visitor levy from a maximum of €3.90 to €5.85 per adult in high season, while Barcelona plans to double its municipal surcharge on hotel stays by December. Cruise passengers, whose day trips put heavy pressure on local infrastructure but generate little overnight spend, will see fees that are up to 200 % higher than last year. Corporate travel buyers should budget accordingly for incoming delegations and incentive trips.
Behavioural rules have been strengthened in the party hotspots that traditionally attract international students and seasonal workers. The “six-drink rule”—three at lunch and three at dinner—introduced experimentally in Magaluf and San Antonio becomes permanent. Organised pub-crawls are banned, and Palma de Mallorca has frozen new short-term-rental licences, a move expected to displace some digital nomads to Valencia and Málaga. Remote workers already in Palma will have to renew permits under a stricter zoning map that takes effect on 1 November.
At beach destinations, local councils have extended “smoke-free sand” ordinances and introduced fines for loud music, cooking or erecting large sun-shades. Gran Canaria’s new by-law sets penalties ranging from €30 to €2,900. Although these measures target leisure visitors, corporates should note the reputational risk if incentive groups flout local rules.
The bottom line for global-mobility managers is clear: Spain remains open and attractive, but the cost and compliance burden of entry, accommodation and on-the-ground conduct will rise. Companies should update pre-trip briefings, allow longer connection times and revisit per-diem allowances—especially for teams entering via regional airports where coaching on the new EES kiosks is less comprehensive.
Controls at the frontier are only one part of Spain’s new mobility landscape. Regional governments are also tightening regulations aimed at “overtourism” that has fuelled housing inflation in key expatriate destinations. The Balearic Islands will lift their overnight visitor levy from a maximum of €3.90 to €5.85 per adult in high season, while Barcelona plans to double its municipal surcharge on hotel stays by December. Cruise passengers, whose day trips put heavy pressure on local infrastructure but generate little overnight spend, will see fees that are up to 200 % higher than last year. Corporate travel buyers should budget accordingly for incoming delegations and incentive trips.
Behavioural rules have been strengthened in the party hotspots that traditionally attract international students and seasonal workers. The “six-drink rule”—three at lunch and three at dinner—introduced experimentally in Magaluf and San Antonio becomes permanent. Organised pub-crawls are banned, and Palma de Mallorca has frozen new short-term-rental licences, a move expected to displace some digital nomads to Valencia and Málaga. Remote workers already in Palma will have to renew permits under a stricter zoning map that takes effect on 1 November.
At beach destinations, local councils have extended “smoke-free sand” ordinances and introduced fines for loud music, cooking or erecting large sun-shades. Gran Canaria’s new by-law sets penalties ranging from €30 to €2,900. Although these measures target leisure visitors, corporates should note the reputational risk if incentive groups flout local rules.
The bottom line for global-mobility managers is clear: Spain remains open and attractive, but the cost and compliance burden of entry, accommodation and on-the-ground conduct will rise. Companies should update pre-trip briefings, allow longer connection times and revisit per-diem allowances—especially for teams entering via regional airports where coaching on the new EES kiosks is less comprehensive.
