When it started in April 2024, the scheme initially opened up 10 Greek islands for Turkish visa-on-arrival tourists. That number was expanded to 12 islands in 2025, a year during which Turkish visitors to Greece increased by 300,000 to hit 1.5 million, with Turkish travel agents crediting the scheme for the growth.

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis agrees, noting the visa programme’s “particularly successful” outcomes and indicating it would continue, both as an economic driver and a soft power play helping to attenuate historic tensions between the Aegean neighbours. Maritime borders in the region have long been the subject of disputes and the islands made accessible by the scheme (Chios, Kalymnos, Kastellorizo, Kos, Leros, Lesvos, Limnos, Patmos, Rhodes, Samos, Samothraki and Symi) are all situated close to the Turkish coast.

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 “In the last year alone, hundreds of thousands of Turkish friends have travelled to the Greek islands, bringing our peoples closer together,” Mitsotakis said.

Despite some teething problems in the form of long waits for authorisation on entry, the visa-on-arrival scheme gives Turkish citizens an alternative to the handful of mainly Balkan nations (Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia) that also offer visa-free European travel. It also comes at a time when Schengen zone visa applications entail long waits, increased costs, and potential refusal for Turks.

Türkiye’s potential for joining the European Union has been a major bone of contention in the bloc’s immigration and security debate. European lawmakers have criticised Ankara over its lack of an independent judiciary, pressure on journalists and political opponents, its closeness with Russia, non-recognition of the Republic of Cyprus and refusal to engage in dialogue.

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The seven-day door visa cannot be extended and does not give Turkish citizens full Schengen access, preventing onward travel to mainland Greece and other Schengen countries.

Greece is not a stranger to controversial border policy, having unilaterally said it would suspend the EU’s new Entry/Exit System early in 2026, due to the disruptive effect of the biometric process on arrivals from the UK, a major source market. Air arrivals for the first half of 2026 reached 10.7 million passengers, a 3.8% increase over 2025 according to data from the Institute of the Association of Greek Tourism Enterprises (INSETE).

Introduced in April 2024, the visa-on-arrival scheme, known in Turkey as the “door visa” (kapi vizesi), initially covered 10 Greek islands before being renewed and expanded to 12 last year.

The list of islands — all near the Turkish coast — includes Rhodes, Chios and Kos.

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It allows Turkish citizens to visit participating islands for up to seven days without obtaining a full Schengen visa in advance, but cannot be extended and does not permit onward travel to mainland Greece or to other Schengen-area countries.

“Getting a Schengen visa is becoming increasingly difficult for Turks, but this new system makes it easy and fast for us to visit the Greek islands,” said Emirhan Gurses, a 21-year-old student from Manisa.

Nearly 1.5 million Turks visited the country in 2025, up from 1.2 million in 2024, according to Bank of Greece figures. Turkish travel agents say most of them took advantage of the express visa to see the islands.

For many Turks, it has offered an affordable alternative at a time when soaring inflation has made holidays at home increasingly expensive.

During a visit to Ankara in February, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis hailed the scheme as “particularly successful”.

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“In the last year alone, hundreds of thousands of Turkish friends have travelled to the Greek islands, bringing our peoples closer together,” Mitsotakis said, adding that both countries want to renew the programme.

The island visa is a bright spot in an otherwise tense backdrop between the two NATO allies and neighbours, and not just because of the centuries-old Greek-Turkish rivalry.

Ankara recently complained about Athens shutting down Turkish-language schools, a move the Greeks blame on declining pupil numbers.

Athens in turn has been irritated by a Turkish plan to enshrine into domestic law claims over parts of the Aegean.

‘Great support’

The visa-on-arrival scheme comes as Turkish demand for travel to the European Union has outpaced the capacity of many consulates to process Schengen visa applications, leaving applicants facing long waits, rising costs and uncertainty over approvals.

The visa-on-arrival scheme for Turks was introduced in 2024 and has since expanded to cover a dozen Greek islands © Sakis Mitrolidis / AFP

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For tour guide Mikail Esabalioglu, a Greek resident of Samos originally from Istanbul, Turkish visitors have become an increasingly important part of the island’s tourism economy.

“We receive many Turkish guests, especially from Izmir and other parts of Turkey’s Aegean coast,” he said.

But the programme could be improved even further, he said: “because visitors sometimes have to wait a long time at the entrance and the arrival process can be difficult”.

Samos business owner Giannis Kagias said Turkish visitors had “made a big difference” to the island’s economy.

“Our Turkish friends who come here are a great support,” he said, adding: “Without Turkish visitors, I think the situation for businesses on the island would be much more difficult.”

Even though the scheme makes it easier for Turks to visit, they can still encounter long lines for authorisation when they get off the ferries © Sakis Mitrolidis / AFP

Selim Zuberi, a 38-year-old consultant from Mersin, said the programme was also important for bringing people from the two neighbouring countries closer.

People can “experience each other’s cultures”, he said.

“History has had its conflicts, but we should not carry those burdens forever. We should enjoy life”.

L’article Greece’s ‘door visa’ scheme boosts Turkish tourism to EU islands by 25% est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

The figures reveal Czechia ahead of Iceland, which sits in second place after 11% growth, followed by Denmark with eight per cent. Czechia is also the most searched-for destination in Central and Eastern Europe and has seen hotel occupancy surge to over 60%.

As a whole, Europe welcomed more than 130 million international tourists in the first quarter of 2026, a four percent increase driven in part by tourists turning away from Middle Eastern destinations due to the Israel-US war on Iran. Growth across the region is described as “steady” in the Travel Insights 2026 report. Arrivals went up by four percent in Southern Mediterranean Europe and Northern Europe during the first quarter of 2026. Central and Eastern Europe saw arrivals up six percent compared to the same period in 2025, while Western Europe recorded 2% growth.

The United States, Germany, and Spain dominated air passenger volume and scheduled seats, in addition to strong year-on-year growth from Japanese (19%), Danish (11%), and Egyptian (eight percent) source markets.

Although Spain remains in high demand, as the region’s most searched-for and booked destination, the growth data reflects an ongoing trend for so-called “coolcations” away from southern Europe’s traditional sunshine spots, as well as travellers’ increasing appetite for breaks off the beaten track, and outside of high season. 

In line with those phenomena, hotel occupancy peaked at 80 per cent in September 2025. The UK and Germany came fourth and fifth for most booked, and the UK was the second most searched-for destination in Europe. Switzerland (+36%), Sweden (+36%), Denmark (+34%), Ireland (+33%), Belgium (+32%) and Norway (+31%) all saw search growth over 30%. Outside the region, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan saw searches up 64%.

Still, arrivals to Southern and Mediterranean Europe over the region’s traditional summer season across July and August are reported to hit 70 million in air passenger volume and scheduled airline seats, thanks to the sub-region’s expansion of air connectivity, with approximately 1,100 new flight routes added to timetables in the past year. Over 200 of those connections are to Germany, France, Italy, and Spain, and new connections from Slovakia to Spain, Ethiopia to Portugal, and China to Greece promise to keep southern Mediterranean destinations at the forefront of European travel.

L’article Czech Republic becomes fastest-growing tourist destination in Europe est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

On 30 July 2026, some 40,000 to 60,000 people (specific numbers vary per source) crossed the border between Morocco and the Spanish North African enclave of Ceuta, most of them via sea. According to Morocco’s Interior Ministry, who first commented on the matter on Sunday 2 August, the movement was sparked by a combination of misinformation on social media, human trafficking networks, and a Spain court ruling which bans the immediate return of migrants arriving by sea.

@kronikinsights Une scène qui fait le tour des réseaux sociaux : un migrant marocain a été filmé transportant son vélo après avoir rejoint Ceuta lors d’un important afflux de migrants. Selon plusieurs médias, des dizaines de milliers de personnes ont tenté de franchir la frontière entre le Maroc et l’enclave espagnole de Ceuta, un territoire dont la souveraineté est revendiquée par le Maroc et administré par l’Espagne.#info #insolite #viral #buzz #Politique ♬ son original – Kronik insights

Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and Deputy Prime Ministers Antonio Tajani and Matteo Salvini were quick to respond to the situation. During the evening of Thursday 30 July, they announced the country would be temporarily suspending the Schengen free movement agreement between Italy and Spain, Introducing “targeted and selective” checks on Non-EU travellers. The decision was formally approved on 31 July and took effect on 1 August, scheduled to last for one month.

“The temporary suspension of Schengen with Spain is a necessary choice to safeguard the security of our citizens and defend the European borders. A measure provided for by the treaties and made unavoidable today. The migrant crisis in Ceuta reminds us that the management of the Union’s borders is a shared responsibility among our countries, one toward the other. We must work together to prevent uncontrolled migrant flows from entering EU territory, with all the consequent risks and the threat of terrorism, which must be countered without hesitation,” Deputy Prime Ministers Antonio Tajani wrote on X.

Sono favorevole alla chiusura dello spazio Schengen con la Spagna e ho piena fiducia nell’operato del Ministro Piantedosi. L’immigrazione irregolare e incontrollata rappresenta un pericolo per la sicurezza nazionale. Le immagini che arrivano da Ceuta dimostrano come la scelta del…

— Antonio Tajani (@Antonio_Tajani) July 30, 2026

Italian critics of Meloni said the measure was largely symbolic, as there was no reason to believe that the migrants arriving in Ceuta wanted to travel onwards to Italy.

Although Italy’s decision was heavily disputed, several EU member states including the Netherlands, Finland, the Czech Republic, Denmark, and Sweden seemed to be approving Meloni’s measures. Multiple European far-right parties, such as the French National Rally, the German Alternative for Germany (AfD), and the British Reform UK have praised the decision.

Le immagini arrivate da Ceuta hanno dimostrato ancora una volta quanto sia urgente una risposta europea all’immigrazione clandestina.

Per questo l’Italia ha promosso, insieme alla Danimarca, una lettera sottoscritta da 22 Stati membri dell’Unione europea, che chiede un’azione… pic.twitter.com/v8nmxzSYKn

— Giorgia Meloni (@GiorgiaMeloni) August 1, 2026

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez and Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares, however, condemned the suspension of the Schengen agreement.

“Solidarity and empathy are optional. Respect for European treaties and the facts is not. This is not the time to divide. It is time to continue building a strong and united EU,” Pedro Sánchez said on X, citing Frontex figures showing the number of illegal entries via Italy between 2021 and 2026 was higher than those via Spain.

Following the border crossings, France, too, announced it would be reinforcing its border checks with Spain. The French Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez, took to X to share France’s measures.

“In response to the situation in Ceuta, in accordance with the request from the President of the Republic, the deployment of reinforcements has begun at the Spanish border. From this Friday, in addition to the resources already deployed on a daily basis, the number of reinforcements will be tripled, with 184 police officers mobilised alongside enhanced drone surveillance. From tomorrow, these numbers will be increased fivefold, bringing the total to 334 police officers and gendarmes in addition to the usual numbers deployed. Aerial surveillance capabilities will also be strengthened with the deployment of three Border Police aircraft. Furthermore, there will be an increased presence of patrols on trains along the Franco-Spanish rail link”, Nuñez wrote.

Face à la situation constatée dans l’enclave de Ceuta, j’ai, dès hier soir, donné des instructions pour renforcer sans attendre les contrôles à la frontière espagnole. Par ailleurs, j’active la Force Frontière d’intervention rapide pour des contrôles en profondeur.

— Laurent Nuñez (@NunezLaurent) July 31, 2026

By Sunday 2 August, most of those who crossed the border had walked back into Morocco, with Spanish officials saying 72 people died in the border rush and some 1,000 were treated by medical services. Authorities also installed a 500-meter long floating barrier in the sea off Ceuta, in order to boost border security, while police and army patrols were reinforced.

The European Union interior ministers are scheduled to meet for emergency talks on Tuesday 4 August, as 22 member states have requested coordinated border measures. According to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, “the Commission has offered support to Spain from the first moment.”

L’article Italy temporarily reintroduces border checks with Spain over Ceuta migrant crisis est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

The one-hour webinar, taking place from 12:00 to 13:00 UK time, will also mark the launch of the new Responsible Tourism Award categories for 2027.

The Responsible Tourism Awards Worldwide recognise organisations and initiatives that are helping make tourism more sustainable. Winners will be announced across categories including nature-positive and regenerative tourism, cultural tourism, creating economic impact, adapting to climate change, and advancing diversity, equity and inclusion.

Entries are currently being assessed from candidates across North America, the Caribbean, the Middle East, Asia and Australasia. The worldwide ceremony is the fifth regional Responsible Tourism Awards event to take place this year, following award announcements in Latin America, Europe, Africa and Southeast Asia.

The awards will be presented by Harold Goodwin, founder of ICRT Global and chair of the judging panel. He will be joined by fellow judges Jane Ashton, ICRT Global board director; Eleanor Cox, sustainability executive at DERTOUR; Ruth Crichton, ICRT Southern Africa chair and representative of The Long Run; Yashin Dujon, executive director at the Belize Audubon Society; Karen Edwards, author and writer; Tiomóid Foley, net zero tourism manager, business development and intermediary marketing at VisitScotland; Carol Hay, ICRT Global special advisor; and Jane McFadzean, senior director of global sustainability at Trip.com.

Alongside the awards, the event will reveal the ten recipients of the 2026 ICRT Global Scholarships, delivered in partnership with ITB Berlin. Ryan Fuller, head of CSR and host country coordinator at ITB Berlin, together with ICRT special advisors Carol Hay and Sarah Habsburg, will outline how the programme supports the next generation of responsible tourism professionals.

The scholarship recipients will have the opportunity to complete one of ICRT Global’s online professional certificate courses in Responsible Tourism, Rebalancing Tourism or Creating Economic Value. The courses provide participants with expert teaching, global case studies, peer discussions and practical tools that can be applied within their own organisations and destinations.

The scholarship programme is backed by partners including easyJet holidays, The Institute of Tourism, Lemongrass Marketing, Mathur & Co and Responsible Travel. Recipients will also have opportunities to engage with representatives from the sponsoring organisations during the programme.

The Responsible Tourism Awards Worldwide is a part of a broader international awards network that also includes regional programmes in Africa, the Indian Subcontinent, Europe, Southeast Asia and Latin America. Gold winners from the regional competitions go on to compete for the Global Responsible Tourism Awards, sponsored by the Belize Tourism Board.

Debbie Hindle, chair of ICRT Global, highlighted: “We want this event to celebrate those already making a difference, but also to inspire others to take responsibility for the impacts of tourism. By bringing together award-winning initiatives, scholarship recipients, industry leaders and responsible tourism practitioners, we will be demonstrating the breadth of work taking place around the world to make tourism a positive force change, creating better places to live in and visit.” 

The free webinar is open to participants worldwide, with sessions scheduled for 7:00 a.m. EDT on the US East Coast, 12:00 p.m. in London, 3:00 p.m. in Dubai, 8:00 p.m. in Japan and 9:00 p.m. in Sydney. Registration is available through the ICRT Responsible Tourism Awards Worldwide and Scholarships event page.

L’article ICRT to announce Responsible Tourism Awards Worldwide and 2026 Scholarships in free global webinar est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

The tax is levied at the same rate year-round, putting an additional five percent on overnight accommodation, including Airbnb, bed and breakfasts, barges and boats, hostels, hotels, and short-term rentals. The fee is collected by accommodation operators and capped at five nights to promote longer stays.

Approved back in early 2025, the tax began applying on 1 October 2025 to advance bookings for stays on or after 24 July 2026. The money raised is to be targeted at measures to improve the balance between city-dwellers’ and visitors’ needs.

“We know that the city’s popularity comes at a cost through the pressure it puts on our services and on the people who live and work here all year round,” Council Leader Jane Meagher said. “This small new contribution from overnight visitors will help improve the services and public spaces we all depend on, while better managing the effects of tourism and major events.”

At the time of writing, the city is approaching the height of its event calendar, with August’s International Festival on the horizon, encompassing the worlds of the arts, comedy, theatre, books, and film and expected to see 3.85 million attendances at events across the month.

Money generated by the new tax has already been earmarked for public safety at the carnival that kicks off festival season. What’s more, over €9 million is dedicated to new arts venues, in the shape of the restoration of Leith Theatre and the transformation of the Old Royal High School into a national music centre.

Edinburgh's Visitor Levy officially comes into effect tomorrow!

The UK's first city-wide levy is projected to raise up to £50 million a year to invest back into our city -improving the services we all depend on, while better managing the effects of tourism and major events. pic.twitter.com/Jq2YiZW4Tl

— The City of Edinburgh Council (@Edinburgh_CC) July 23, 2026

But the scope of the tax spend goes beyond both the festival and the summer. Over €1.5 million will go towards additional waste, cleaning, and patrol operations in the city centre, and around €3.5 million will be spent on public lavatories. Parks and green spaces have been allocated double the rangers and a planting budget intended to give them a new lease of life. As Julie Ashworth, Chair of the Edinburgh Visitor Levy Advisory Forum, explained: “From revitalised public spaces to better visitor infrastructure and experiences, we’re confident the levy can help Edinburgh stay welcoming, resilient and successful.”

Still, not everyone is happy. Hospitality stakeholders in the Scottish capital have voiced fears that the tax will put travel consumers off Scotland and reduce their spending in the region. Fiona Campbell, chief executive of the Association of Scotland’s Self-Caterers, has also raised concerns about inconsistent implementation and a lack of guidance to businesses about collecting the levy. Others note that the tax penalises holidaymakers who have chosen to stay and spend in the city, rather than targeting day-trippers, who can add to congestion without generating much revenue.

Given the benefits to the arts sector the tax is intended to bring, some criticism of the levy comes from seemingly unlikely sources. Scottish Ballet has had to cut short its winter run of performances in the capital, blaming the strain that the additional five percent would put on its bill of over €230,000.

But Edinburgh is not alone in charging the overnight tax, following in the footsteps of destinations such as Venice and Amsterdam. British cities like Liverpool and Manchester already apply a visitor tax, and other Scottish cities such as Aberdeen and Glasgow are set to bring in their own overnight visitor charge within the next two years.

L’article Edinburgh becomes first city in Scotland to implement tourist tax est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

The trend mirrors similar tourism boosts seen after other World Cup success stories. Spain’s tournament victory triggered a 33-fold increase in flight searches from China, while Cape Verde’s historic World Cup debut drove a 5,000% surge in US travel searches, highlighting the growing influence of major sporting events on tourism demand.

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According to Euronews, online interest in Norway has risen sharply since the tournament. Google Trends data shows searches for the Polish term “Norwegia” increased by 200% year-on-year, while global searches for the English keyword “Norway” were up 300%. Flight search data from Kiwi.com also revealed that average daily searches for flights from Poland to Norway between 1 and 20 July were 32.3% higher than during the same period in 2025. Meanwhile, Airbnb recorded a 15% increase in accommodation searches for Norway between 11 June and 12 July compared with a year earlier.h

Much of the attention has centred on Manchester City striker Erling Haaland, who guided Norway to its best-ever World Cup finish by reaching the quarter-finals. According to the Institute of Media Monitoring, Haaland gained 31.9 million Instagram followers during the tournament – the largest increase of any player at the World Cup – making him the fourth most-followed active footballer in the world behind Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappé. He also ranked third for Instagram interactions during the competition. 

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Rather than relying on polished promotional content, Haaland attracted audiences with behind-the-scenes videos from the Norwegian camp and his relaxed, humorous approach on social media.

“An increase of almost 32 million followers in such a short time is above all the result of the Norwegian’s sense of humour and authenticity. Internet users reward organic virality, behind-the-scenes access and people who keep a healthy distance from themselves. These elements mean that short videos spread rapidly online, generating spectacular reach,” said Tomasz Lubieniecki, head of the Media Reports Department at the Institute of Media Monitoring. 

Norway’s supporters also became one of the defining images of the tournament through the now-famous “Viking row” celebration, with thousands of fans sitting behind one another and mimicking rowing movements in unison. The celebration quickly spread across social media and was adopted by players, appearing in stadiums, city streets and public transport. Combined with Norway’s Viking-inspired visual identity – including shirt numbers styled as Nordic runes and strong references to Viking culture – the celebration became one of the tournament’s most recognisable symbols. 

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The spike in online attention has translated into measurable tourism interest. Wikipedia traffic for Norway peaked on 11 July, when the national team faced England in the World Cup quarter-finals, while travel and accommodation searches also climbed. According to Lubieniecki, the data suggests that the tournament generated more than temporary online buzz.

“We can see a clear link here between the sporting event and consumers’ purchasing and travel decisions. The key point is that the spikes in search engines and on Wikipedia were reflected in Airbnb’s business data and in analyses of the Polish tourism market. This shows how online virality can build reach that has real value for the image and economy of an entire country,” he said. 

Norway’s World Cup campaign adds to growing evidence that success on football’s biggest stage can influence travel demand, with destinations increasingly benefiting from the global attention generated by the tournament and the viral moments that capture audiences far beyond the pitch.

L’article World Cup fuels Norway tourism surge as Haaland and viral Viking celebration capture global attention est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

Yet, the National Statistics Institute has also published data showing that, after playing host to so many international holidaymakers, nearly a third of the Spanish population could not afford to take a week’s holiday of their own. The Institute says 32.2% of Spaniards did not take even a week’s vacation in 2025, and 27% have no holiday plans for summer 2026.

While rising fuel costs and air tickets due to Middle East tensions have affected the travel marketplace, the phenomenon taking place in Spain is not new. It’s an issue that Travel Tomorrow has reported before, with problems around the cost of living and housing manifesting themselves across Spanish territories in the form of anti-tourism protests and official crackdowns on short-term rental sites such as Airbnb that are blamed for taking accommodation off the mainstream market.

Speaking to Euronews, Ileana Izverniceanu, Communications Director at the Spanish Organisation of Consumers and Users (OCU), agrees that the cost of travel alone is not the only problem. “The fact that one in three Spaniards cannot go on holiday this summer is not an isolated event, but the reflection of an economic reality that OCU has been observing for years,” she pointed out.

The OCU’s Family Solvency Index remains below pre-COVID times and shows, according to Izverniceanu, that “On paper, the economy is improving, but many families still do not feel that recovery in their day-to-day lives.”

The cost of a family holiday starts at around €665, and that’s for a domestic trip “back home.” Beach holidays are pricier, averaging €1,555, and foreign vacations entail an outlay of €2,327 euros, sums that for many are “simply unaffordable,” the OCU says.

As well as creating tensions between residents and visitors, the issue is affecting how consumers spend on travel, the OCU highlights, with would-be holidaymakers choosing to go away for shorter periods, stay closer to home, and cut back their leisure budget.

With spending by foreign visitors anticipated by the Ministry of Industry and Tourism to go up by 10% compared to 2026, the OCU is calling for measures to ease the cost of living, particularly on energy, food, and housing, for Spanish citizens, so they are not left behind.

L’article Tourism is booming in Spain, but one in three Spaniards cannot afford a holiday est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

Albania

Lonely Planet says that Albania’s scenery, castles, culture, and beaches “rival any in the Mediterranean and continue to enchant.” Whether travellers are looking for hiking, turquoise waters, or city nightlife, this is a booming destination that is a candidate to join the EU but still operates its own border system.

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Bosnia and Herzegovina

What Bosnia and Herzegovina lacks in beaches, it makes up for in natural beauty and outdoor pursuits, boasting forested cascades like Kravica Waterfalls, and promising white water rafting in the Una National Park. Bosnia and Herzegovina is not part of the European Union or the Schengen Area, but anyone considering a pan-Balkan trip should be aware that EES is active at the territory’s neighbouring EU borders—such as Croatia’s—requiring third-country travellers (including citizens of Bosnia) to register in the EES when crossing.

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Cyprus

Cyprus is in the EU and cooperates with parts of the Schengen Zone rules, but is not fully integrated, meaning arrivals escape the drudgery of completing EES steps. With consumer demand hit earlier this year by travel alerts prompted by geopolitical tensions in the Middle East, it’s possible some bargain Mediterranean island breaks could be on offer.

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Ireland

Ireland, too, is an EU country but opted out of Schengen zone rules in order to remain part of the UK-Ireland Common Travel Area, meaning EES is not in operation at its borders. Long-known for its warm welcome, stunning scenery, and coastal scapes, Ireland also offers English speakers the comfort of a shared language while away from home.

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Kosovo

Europe’s baby, Kosovo, is an EU candidate, and EES is not yet in place. Despite being such a new nation, its history, Ottoman architecture, location at the crossroads of cultures, and legendary hospitality make it a top tip for an accessible yet off-the-beaten-path destination.

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Moldova

Moldova is not in the EU or Schengen, but EES is operational when crossing into Moldova from Romania (the other borders are with Ukraine). One of Europe’s least visited countries, crowding and anti-visitor sentiment are unlikely to feel like issues here, and wine tourism is on the rise.

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Montenegro

As an EU candidate, Montenegro does not currently operate the EES. Despite its diminutive size, this nation is increasingly reputed for its year-round offer, with hiking in scenic locations like Durmitor National Park best for spring and autumn, glamorous Adriatic beaches for summer, and skiing for winter.

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North Macedonia

Sticking with the Balkans, North Macedonia is another nation not in the EU or the Schengen Area, meaning EES does not operate at its domestic borders. Condé Nast Traveller gushes about its “deep valleys,” “soaring peaks,” “rushing rivers” and “placid lakes”, noting that the country’s physical beauty is only surpassed by the “warmth of its people.” High praise, and as a nation less accustomed to tourism than some of its neighbours, it oozes the authenticity today’s travellers crave.

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Serbia

Serbian capital Belgrade boasts not one but two rivers and an enviable nightlife vibe. Hailed by travel expert Simon Calder for its affordability, vibrant street life, and character, Serbia also proposes mountain peaks and national parks to get away from it all. And all that can be done while avoiding the rigours of EES because Serbia remains an EU candidate country for now.

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Türkiye

Türkiye is an affordable destination straddling Europe and Asia, with over 1,600 km of Mediterranean coastline and no EES queue. Turquoise seas, island-hopping cruises, traditional markets, and a massive foodie culture are just some of the temptations on offer.

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United Kingdom

The UK chose to leave the EU in 2016’s Brexit referendum, meaning it became a “third country”. It has always operated its own border system, and still does, with the recent introduction of the ETA (Electronic Travel Authorisation) for non-visa nationals. From the cultural hubs like Edinburgh in Scotland, the poetic Lake District, and Yorkshire Dales and Moors in the north, to the fashionable buzz of the capital, and the southern “Sunshine Coast” –there’s something for everyone, and it’s EES-free.

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Beyond Europe

Beyond the European region, and so without EES of course, short-to-mid-haul destinations such as Azerbaijan combine breathtaking landscapes, gastronomy, history, and modernity, while, after a difficult year reputationally, African archipelago Cabo Verde has enjoyed a new spotlight thanks to its participation in the 2026 World Cup.

L’article Where can British travellers holiday in Europe without EES in 2026? est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

According to data from Chinese online travel platform Qunar, compiled by Spanish company Stamp, searches for flights between Shenzhen and Barcelona increased 33-fold shortly after Spain secured the title. Searches for flights to Tenerife rose 19-fold, while those to Málaga increased 10.5 times. Other routes also recorded significant growth, including flights from Kunming, Qingdao and Guiyang to Barcelona, as well as services from Kunming and Jinan to Madrid. 

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The surge comes as Spain continues to rebuild its connectivity with China. According to Spanish airport operator Aena, air traffic between the two countries reached 707,530 passengers during the first half of 2026, representing a 46.8% increase compared with the same period in 2025. The recovery has been supported by new air links and growing passenger numbers from Chinese cities including Chengdu and Guangzhou, with the World Cup victory further accelerating demand.

The timing is particularly significant as China prepares for Golden Week, its major national holiday running from 1 to 8 October, when millions of Chinese residents travel domestically and internationally. Stamp believes Spain’s football success offers retailers and tourism businesses an opportunity to attract more visitors during one of China’s busiest travel periods. Based on the size of Spain’s €1.69 trillion economy, Euronews estimated that the increase would amount to around €4 billion.

To help businesses prepare, the company has published guidance encouraging Spanish retailers to improve their visibility on Chinese social media platforms such as Xiaohongshu, Weibo and WeChat, where 77.8% of Chinese travellers plan their shopping before travelling. Stamp also recommends wider acceptance of digital payment systems including Alipay and WeChat Pay, which it says account for more than 90% of purchases made by Chinese tourists overseas. 

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“The Chinese tourist today does not have a Tax Free, but a Tax Refund: they pay full VAT at the till and, weeks later, if all goes well, get part of it back,” said Abel Navajas, co-founder and chief executive of Stamp. He argued that reducing friction in the VAT refund process by offering the discount at the point of purchase could help Spanish retailers benefit from the growing influx of Chinese visitors. 

The tourism boost also comes as Spain’s visitor economy continues to expand. Earlier this year, the country announced it was on course to welcome a record 100 million international tourists in 2026, reinforcing its position as one of the world’s leading travel destinations. 

The increased interest also reflects broader research suggesting that hosting or winning major sporting events can generate economic benefits beyond football. A 2024 study by the University of Aberdeen, published in the Oxford Bulletin of Economics and Statistics, found that winning the FIFA World Cup can increase a champion country’s year-on-year GDP growth by at least 0.48% over the two quarters following the final before the effect gradually fades.

L’article Spain’s World Cup win drives 33-fold surge in Chinese flight searches est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

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The Croatian city of Dubrovnik is one of international repute. While its undeniable charm alone is enough to attract many a history fanatic, the UNESCO-listed Old Town is also a popular stop for cruise ships and ‘Game of Thrones’ lovers. Over the years, this led to an increasingly large number of (day) visitors, putting a strain on the beautiful medieval city that was not built to accommodate as many tourists.

In 2017, overtourism threatened to strip Dubrovnik of its UNESCO status; the so-called ‘Respect the City’ scheme was launched under the mayor of Dubrovnik, Mato Franković. Almost a decade later, Franković, who still occupies the same role, went into detail about the initiative in an interview with Euronews.

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“For years, tourism in Dubrovnik wasn’t managed; it simply just ‘happened’ on its own. Previously, there would be days where five or six cruise ships would arrive at once, bringing with them so many day-trippers from nearby destinations. That’s when we realised we needed to manage tourism differently, so we divided it into different sectors,” stated Mato Franković.

Instead of focusing on reducing the overall visitor numbers, ‘Respect the City’ has been trying to spread tourist arrivals evenly over the days, weeks, and months. Successfully, it appears, as the city welcomes some 650,000 arrivals and two million overnight stays between the start of 2026 and mid-July.

One of the ‘Respect the City’ measures consists of limiting the number of docked cruise ships at Dubrovnik’s port to just two, or a maximum of 4,000 arrivals. Moreover, cruise calls have to last at least eight hours, which means tourists are more prone to extend their visit beyond the Old Town – reducing the pressure on the historic town centre – and to contribute more towards the local economy.

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A similar rule applies to coach operators. The bus webshop scheme obliges buses to register in advance, meaning the local authorities can stagger arrivals throughout the day and year by adding a limited number of available slots and by adapting that number depending on events and other arrivals.

Yet the ‘Respect the City’ scheme doesn’t just concentrate on spreading awareness. As the name might suggest, the campaign also stimulates visitors and local stakeholders to respect Dubrovnik and its inhabitants.

“Respect for Dubrovnik is something we ask of everyone: citizens, people working in the city, those who come to enjoy Dubrovnik – this is our message to everyone,” explained Mato Franković.

One of the measures includes limiting noise nuisance, for example by banning tourists from wheeling their suitcases through the cobbled streets of the Old Town and by applying a noise level limit of 55 decibels in outdoor areas.

While ‘Respect the City’ already functions as a successful model for handling overtourism, with international destinations looking towards Dubrovnik for inspiration, Mayor Franković is already looking at future measures. Some of those include concentrating tourism on existing hotspots, while replacing underdeveloped tourism zones with affordable housing for locals.

“Short-term rentals are killing cities because step by step, they push residents out and turn living neighbourhoods into tourist apartment zones. It’s going to be just like a generic Disney-land experience, and who wants to visit a ghost town? That’s not what people want – they want to see and meet the citizens. But if we let this continue, our citizens will be forced out of the major cities and into the far away suburbs”, the mayor told Euronews. The aim of the ‘Respect the City’ scheme is clear: safeguarding Dubrovnik for future generations to enjoy, while giving tourists the chance to respectfully marvel at its medieval beauty.

L’article How Dubrovnik’s ‘Respect the City’ scheme is tackling overtourism est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.