Lengthy border delays due to the roll-out of the new Entry/Exit System (EES) might compromise traveller arrivals and expenditure in Europe, warned the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC).
In its recent European EES Consumer Research Study, the WTTC revealed that, should EES queue delays exceed three hours, 33%, or an average 41 million travellers, would choose to avoid the Schengen region for upcoming holidays, threatening an estimated US$45,4 billion (R753,7 billion) in travel expenditure.
While travellers broadly support stronger border controls, their willingness to visit Europe declines sharply when faced with the prospect of lengthy and unpredictable queues.
Over 60% of respondents support the EES, with 75% of travellers citing stronger border security, 52% citing quicker processing and 43% saying it made them more confident about border controls.
However, awareness about the system remains low, with more than half of travellers stating they had heard little or nothing about EES and 49% saying they were unaware of the system’s requirements for registration.
Despite this, 87% of respondents said they were willing to accept some temporary disruption if the system eventually became more efficient, easing their travel experience.
Recommendations for improvement
To support a successful roll-out, WTTC is calling for enhanced pre-registration and operational readiness, as well as improved communication campaigns.
“The challenge now is not whether EES should proceed, but how governments, border authorities and the travel and tourism sector work together to ensure implementation is as smooth as possible,” Gloria Guevara, President and CEO of WTTC.
“The good news is that solutions already exist. By making greater use of digital pre-registration tools, improving traveller communications and ensuring operational readiness at border crossing points, Europe can reduce friction and deliver the seamless experience travellers expect.”
