Spain’s hospitality sector is now experiencing Europe’s digital identity future firsthand. So far, the industry response combines optimism with operational caution.
Since April 2, hotels and businesses in Spain must legally accept the MiDNI mobile identity app as valid identification. The move forms part of Europe’s broader digital identity transition under the evolving Electronic Identification, Authentication and Trust Services (eIDAS) 2.0 framework.
As a result, Spain has become one of the first major real-world test cases for digital identity in hospitality operations. The rollout also comes ahead of the wider European Union Digital Identity Wallet launch planned for the end of 2026.
For hotels, the transition is already reshaping guest registration, check-in processes and compliance workflows. However, adoption remains uneven across the sector.
Compliance Drives Early Adoption
Across the industry, compliance remains the primary driver behind Digital ID adoption.
“The current sentiment is more operational and compliance-driven rather than innovation-driven,” said Nestor Castanedo Ruiz, chief digital officer at Spring Hotels.
Initially, many hotels viewed the new guest data requirements as an additional operational burden rather than a guest experience upgrade.
“The vision is attractive, yes,” he said. “But the current implementation feels more like adding a new framework.”
Meanwhile, Gee Mann, founder of Travlr ID, described industry sentiment as mixed.
“People don’t want more admin work. They’re already burdened with stuff,” Mann said.
At the same time, technology teams see long-term potential in the system.
“If you talk to the implementers, they’re excited because they know what it enables,” Mann said. “But some hotel brands worry about extra training and slower check-ins.”
Similarly, Zafiro Hotels has limited deployment while evaluating guest demand and operational readiness.
“Initial steps to comply with the new regulations regarding Digital ID have been taken while remaining cautious about a full operational rollout,” said Andrey Garí, quality assurance at Zafiro Hotels.
Hotels Continue Modernizing Check-In Processes
Despite concerns, some hotels say the regulations have accelerated existing digital transformation efforts.
For example, Spring Hotels has integrated Digital ID into its online pre-check-in and self-service flows.
“We are implementing digital tools like totems and points where the client can make their own check-in,” Castanedo Ruiz said.
Under the process, guests upload identification data before arrival. Then, they receive QR-code access linked to their reservation.
“They arrive at reception, present this QR code in a machine and the card for their stay is already given,” he said. “So it’s very easy for them and for us.”
Likewise, Zafiro Hotels now supports Digital ID during online pre-check-in.
“Guests can complete the registration using their mobile device or, alternatively, with the support of a tablet at reception,” Garí said.
However, the company has not expanded Digital ID across all operational touchpoints.
“Our standard reception scanners are not yet technically prepared to handle Digital ID,” Garí explained.
Additionally, Zafiro has not yet recorded guest check-ins completed entirely through Digital ID.
Fragmented Hotel Systems Create Challenges
Hotel technology fragmentation remains one of the biggest obstacles.
“The hotel technology stack is not clean,” Mann said. “Hotels can run off very different stacks across properties, which causes integration complications.”
Unlike airlines, many hotel groups still rely on multiple property management systems and older infrastructure.
“The challenge is not making digital identity,” Mann said. “The challenge is building those into really messy workflows.”
Garí highlighted similar operational concerns.
“The main challenges are technical readiness of existing hardware, uncertainty around guest uptake, and the need to maintain alternative identification methods in parallel,” he said.
Guest Adoption Remains Limited
Although Spain’s Digital ID initiative is now live, actual guest usage remains relatively low.
Castanedo Ruiz said hotels must balance compliance requirements with guest expectations.
“I think some challenges are balancing compliance and the guest experience,” he said.
In some cases, guests have resisted providing expanded registration data required under Spain’s updated regulations.
“There is still ambiguity in how the regulation should be applied in practice,” Castanedo Ruiz added.
Likewise, Zafiro Hotels continues monitoring customer acceptance levels.
“There is still uncertainty around the level of adoption and acceptance among our clients,” Garí said.
Consequently, most hotels still maintain traditional passport and physical ID verification systems alongside digital options.
Castanedo Ruiz compared the transition to the early days of digital boarding passes in aviation.
“In airports, we are now used to presenting our documentation digitally,” he said. “The hotel sector must now go through the same process.”
Even so, industry experts expect adoption to accelerate as digital identity standards become more consistent across Europe.
“If Digital ID adoption becomes widespread at a European level, we expect the process will evolve further,” Garí said.
Hotels Already See Operational Benefits
Even at an early stage, hotels are seeing operational improvements.
“Without the digital ID implementations, compliance with the regulation would have been a nightmare for hoteliers,” Castanedo Ruiz said.
Digital ID systems help improve data quality, reduce manual entry errors and streamline registration.
“The benefits are mainly related to compliance and data quality improvement,” he added.
In addition, hotels gain access to cleaner customer data for operational analysis and marketing purposes.
“We can get more data like ZIP codes and addresses that are very useful for us in terms of business intelligence,” Castanedo Ruiz said.
Meanwhile, Mann believes the long-term benefits could become much broader.
“Once this is fully deployed, you’re going to have fewer mistakes, smoother check-ins, reduced workload and faster verification,” he said.
He also believes Digital ID could eventually support more personalized hospitality services.
“Identity is only one part of it,” Mann said. “Profile is the next layer.”
Costs Remain Manageable
So far, interviewees said implementation costs remain manageable, especially for hotel groups that already use digital guest systems.
“The direct costs are really very low,” Castanedo Ruiz said.
Similarly, Garí said Zafiro contained costs by adapting existing digital channels instead of pursuing a full operational overhaul.
However, some hidden operational costs still remain.
“It’s not only a financial cost but also an operational and commercial cost,” Castanedo Ruiz said, citing staff training and workflow redesign.
Mann added that Spain’s rollout has exposed deeper technology modernization gaps across the hotel sector.
“The success also unveils how messy data flows are in hotels,” he said. “I don’t think you can patch things anymore going forward.”
Nevertheless, industry sentiment has gradually shifted from resistance toward cautious acceptance of Digital ID technology.
