British tourists could be left in the dark as new rules see their favourite holiday hotspots that dim lights at night.
Lighting in the southern region of Andalusia will be kept to a minimum after 11pm due to new regulations.
The governing council has approved light pollution regulations that establish night hours from 23:00 to 6:00, Europasur reports.
This means that towns and cities have minimal lighting.
The government council has approved the decree in Andalusia's new light pollution regulations.
To comply with the regulations, all outdoor lighting installations are excluded, except for those required for specific determined activities and those required for safety reasons.
At the very least, street lighting, specific surveillance, nighttime security lighting, and beacons can be considered necessary for safety reasons.
Additionally, while special regulations on local festivals and lighting during Christmas are in the hands of local governments, there are always systems that minimize light pollution and energy consumption.
Energy saving methods should be used to illuminate festivals and Christmas lights under new rules.
The now approved idea faced a lot of controversy and backlash during the lengthy negotiations.
Some mayors of the municipality pointed out that decorating the municipality with more lighting will help increase tourism during the high season.
For Christmas, the new rules require strict timing for lighting and low energy consumption.
Areas that do not follow the rules will be fined up to 30,000 euros (£25,000).
The Ministry of the Environment, chaired by Catalina Garcia, says Andalusia's night sky is a natural heritage controlled without sustainability standards, threatened by light contamination caused by outdoor lighting installations .
He added that lighting can damage ecosystems and can have a negative impact on the environment.
