British holidaymakers have criticised a new rule brought in by Spanish lawmakers.
Tourists will now need to prove they have €113.40 (£97) every day if they visit the mainland, Canary or Balearic islands.
It comes as Spain has been cracking down on the impact of tourism on its environment and public services.
But some UK travellers have vowed to boycott the country amid the new regulation.
They took to social media to complain about the move, with one saying: “If the country would stand together and boycott Spain in favour of other Mediterranean countries, within three months they would be begging us to come back. 17 million visitors is a lot of money to the Spanish economy.”
“Another Mediterranean country tried to move away from tourism. They forgot how much tourism contributed to the economy,” a second agreed. “Anti-British? Holiday elsewhere! The money rule shows how desperate they are for our cash,” said another.
“Spain forgets its a poor country, without tourists they have nothing to sell,” another wrote. But another defended Spain and replied: “A poor country?? lol… Ranked 15th in the list of countries by GDP, just behind South Korea and Australia. lol.”
“Simply don’t go and spend your money in uk or elsewhere instead and those country’s will lose out! they will soon put an end to it when they are not receiving any money from British tourism… a while back many of you even took an experimental jab just so you could go on holiday for a week abroad and many suffering now due to doing so or not with us anymore,” another wrote.
Another asked: “Why not take it to a country where you are welcome and not just your money? Vote with your wallet. Spain will get the message, even if by then you’ve discovered better places and never return to Spain.”
Another said: “This is since Brexit. Nobody going into Spain is generally asked (we had to show proof of accommodation in Latvia but no other country has asked) I have heard that a few people landing in Gibraltar and crossing to Spain have been asked. A credit card and return flight details would be sufficient.”
The Mirror reports that earlier this month, new rules were announced limiting water consumption on the Costa del Sol amidst an ongoing drought. Water supplies in some areas have been switched off overnight while Junta de Andalucia introduced a limit on the filling up of private pools and garden watering.
Tourism operators expressed concerns the stringent measures could stop some people visiting the area, which relies heavily on tourism for its economy. Some local authorities have also called for stricter nightlife restrictions which could see bars and restaurants being forced to close earlier, The Mirror revealed earlier this year, although these measures are in discussion rather than coming into force for now.
One rule in Benidorm could see some people landed with £1,000 fines. The holiday and nightlife hotspot has a ban on swimming in the sea between midnight and 7am. Those who ignore the restrictions can risk of a fine between €750 and €1,200 (£641 to £1,026).
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