The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) has warned this Monday that possible delays at border crossings linked to the implementation of the new European Entry and Exit System (EES) could compromise up to 41 million tourist arrivals and $45.4 billion (39,330.90 million euros) in tourism spending from some of the main source markets to Europe.
According to an analysis commissioned by the organization and based on a survey of more than 2,500 travelers from the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, and Australia, nearly a third of participants would be less likely to travel to the "Schengen area," the zone comprising European countries that have abolished internal border controls, or would even refrain from doing so if usual waiting times at controls reached between three and four hours.
The document indicates that, if these results are extrapolated to traveler forecasts for 2026, prolonged queues at control points could affect millions of visitors and generate a notable impact on the tourism activity of the European continent.
By origin, 39% of British tourists state they would be much less likely to travel to Europe in the face of delays of three hours or more, a percentage that drops to 33% among travelers from the United States and Canada and to 27% in the case of visitors from Australia.
65% support the new system
Despite these risks, the study also notes broad support for the new border control model. Specifically, 65% of respondents declare they support the EES once its operation is explained to them, while only 6% have expressed a very negative opinion about the use of biometric controls (fingerprints, facial recognition...) at border crossings.
Among the most cited benefits are increased border security, faster processing for subsequent trips, and increased confidence in entry and exit procedures.
Lack of knowledge about the EES system
However, the WTTC emphasizes that the level of knowledge about the system remains low. More than half of the travelers consulted admit to knowing little or nothing about the EES, and almost half are unaware of the requirements they will need to meet to enter or leave the Schengen area.
Faced with this scenario, the entity urges member states to strengthen communication aimed at tourists, accelerate the deployment of digital pre-registration tools, and ensure sufficient personnel and resources at controls to prevent delays from harming the travel experience and the competitiveness of European tourism.