The summit brought together Angola’s President João Lourenço, the President of Mozambique, several prime ministers from across the region, nearly ten tourism ministers, UN Tourism Secretary-General Shaikha Al Nowais, WTTC President and CEO Gloria Guevara, and investors from around the world.

For Angola, the gathering was about more than tourism. It served as a political and economic signal that the country intends to place tourism at the heart of its diversification strategy and position itself as one of Africa’s emerging investment destinations.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Bulut Bağcı delivered a personal message about Angola’s place in his own journey.

“Angola is not only a destination where we do business. Angola is my second home. I would especially like to thank President João Lourenço for creating this trust, this vision, and this opportunity,” Bağcı said.

Bulut Bağcı: “Angola is my second home”

His remarks also pointed to a deeper shift in the forum’s engagement with Angola. Bağcı stressed that the Global Tourism Forum is not only organising an international event in the country but is also committing to long-term investments on the ground.

“We are not here only to organize a summit. Together with my partners, we have signed for several investments in Angola’s gastronomy and hospitality sectors. Very soon, we will begin our construction processes. I am pleased to share this good news from here,” he added.

The announcement gives the summit a practical dimension beyond diplomacy. It suggests that Angola’s tourism ambitions are beginning to move from policy discussions to concrete investment activity, particularly in hospitality, gastronomy, coastal tourism, cultural tourism and destination infrastructure.

From summit diplomacy to investment commitments

The strong international presence in Luanda also reflects a broader trend across the continent. Throughout Africa, tourism is increasingly being viewed not only as a visitor economy but also as a catalyst for infrastructure development, job creation, foreign direct investment and regional competitiveness.

For Angola, the summit represents an important milestone. With high-level political backing, international institutional participation and growing private-sector interest, the country is seeking to present itself as a credible destination for tourism investment.

Bağcı’s message captured the tone of the opening day: Angola is not merely hosting a global forum. It is making a case for itself as a rising gateway for tourism investment in Africa.

L’article Global Tourism Forum opens in Luanda with high-level international backing est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

Where do people choose to travel in times of geopolitical uncertainty? According to a new analysis from The Data Appeal Company/Almaviva Group, Southern Europe comes out as the region showing the strongest year-on-year growth in travel demand. Greece, Spain, and Italy inn particular seem to be popular choices among travellers, with the region representing 11.71% of global international travel intent between June and August 2026 – up 2.47% when compared to 2025.

Athens comes out as the top grower of the Southern European destinations, capturing 0.77% of global travel intent, which can be explained through the fact that it functions both as a city destination and a gateway to the Greek islands. Barcelona (capturing 1.01% of global travel intent), Rome (0.85%), Madrid (0.91%) and Milan (0.76%) remain important city hubs in the region.

“Summer travel intent data suggests that, as air connectivity and flight corridors are disrupted by rerouting, higher costs and geopolitical uncertainty, long-haul demand is naturally reorganising towards destinations that feel closer, more familiar and more accessible,” explains Carlos Cendra, Chief Marketing and Communications Officer at Data Appeal.

Other trends for Summer travel in 2026

The second-biggest grower in terms of travel intent is North America. With 8.36% of global international travel intent during the Summer of 2026, interest grew by +1.01 percentage points year-on-year. The main driver seems to be the FIFA World Cup 2026, which boosts tourism in destinations such as New York, Los Angeles, Miami, and Orlando, although other cities that aren’t concerned by the World Cup such as Vancouver and Calgary in Canada scored well too.

Meanwhile, Eastern Asia (14.41%) and South-Eastern Asia (13.58%) remain the region capturing the largest share of international travel demand for summer 2026. Although more than a quarter of international travellers will thus be heading to the region over the coming months, interes in Eastern Asia is down by -1.67 percentage points, while South-Eastern Asia shows an increase of +0.55 percentage points compared with the Summer of 2025.

“Western Asia is also losing ground in summer 2026, recording a very significant decline of -2.69 percentage points in international market share compared with summer 2025, as geopolitical uncertainty continues to weigh on global demand. Nevertheless, intra-regional travel, demand from Gulf markets, and the strong summer appeal of destinations such as Türkiye, Cyprus and Georgia are helping the region mitigate the impact of ongoing uncertainty, allowing it to retain 10.71% of global travel intent”, The Data Appeal Company report reads.

The analysis further mentions Latin America and the Caribbean, accounting for 3.38% of international travel intent during the Summer of 2026. With an increase of 0.72 percentage points year-on-year, the region seems to be benefiting from the boost promised by Data Appeal Mabrian after the start of the U.S.-Israel war on Iran.

Finally, the international travel intent towards Northern European destinations has grown over the past year. The region captures 5.96% of global international travel demand, gaining 0.60 percentage points in travel intent year-on-year. The so-called coolcation destinations are being led by London, Edinburgh, Dublin, Copenhagen, and Iceland – proving Europe’s travel appeal goes beyond the classic sun-and-sea holidays.

L’article Greece, Spain, and Italy drive travel demand in summer 2026 est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

The new lounge will come into service on North Sea crossings from 13 July 2026, offering 36 bookable seats. Customers choosing to book the facility will also be provided with a complimentary blanket, plus storage lockers and USB charging points for their belongings and devices, gaining comfort and convenience in what Time Out is describing as “business class flight-style” seats, without having to splash out on a private cabin.

Announcing the development, P&O Ferries said the Sleep Lounge formed part of its expansion of “the range of experiences it offers passengers on the North Sea route between Hull and Rotterdam.”

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Departing at 8:00 pm from Hull, passengers aboard the service will retain the usual possibility to book a cabin, but the growing range of experiences on offer includes onboard dining, bars, coffee shops, World Duty Free shopping, and entertainment, which are all options open to passengers who use the Sleep Lounge.

Louisa Bell, chief commercial officer at P&O Ferries, said: “Every journey is different, and we want customers to have the choice of options that work best for them. Whether they are travelling with friends, heading away for a short break or starting a longer trip into Europe, the Sleep Lounge is another way to make the crossing while experiencing the atmosphere and facilities that come with travelling by ferry.”

Tickets for foot passengers between October and December are priced from £47 per person (€54) each way, with a top up of £25 (€29) giving access to a Sleep Lounge recliner. Meanwhile, travellers taking their car with them on the ferry can do so from £121 (€140) for one vehicle, one passenger and one reclining Sleep Lounge seat, depending on dates and availability.

The new P&O facility comes amid travel industry reports that suggest premium services are increasingly helping to prop up profits for airlines and hotel groups. Analysts and CEOs have described seeing “K-shaped” growth and late bookings as consumers navigate geopolitical uncertainties, high oil prices, and disincentives such as tightening US immigration policy or the European Union’s new Entry/Exit System.

On top of those market conditions, P&O is still suffering financially and reputationally from the mass sacking of 800 workers who were replaced by agency staff in 2022. The move led to UK government investigations, was widely criticised, and is reported to have cost the company £47 million (€54 million), leading to ongoing bailouts from Dubai-owners DPWorld.

L’article P&O Ferries introduces new sleeper lounges on UK–Europe North Sea routes est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

In a public statement, Dr Hans Henri P. Kluge, WHO Regional Director for Europe, said to would-be attendees at World Cup matches: “Let me reassure you: none of the host countries, nor the European Region, currently has Ebola cases. There is no reason to change your plans. Travel as normal, stay informed and enjoy the tournament.”

While Kluge recognised that a patient had recently been isolated and treated for Ebola in Germany, after evacuation from Uganda, he noted the patient had recovered and that contacts monitored for 21 days had shown no signs of infection or local transmission within the European region.

Kluge also acknowledged that while there is no licensed vaccine or specific treatment for the form of Ebola in the recent outbreak but described early supportive care as “effective” and said, “European Region health systems are well prepared.”

This echoes optimistic remarks by United States health authorities, where €260 million (around €224 million) in World Cup preparedness funding has helped to provide nationwide training exercises and guidance for physicians, alongside partnerships between FIFA and local officials in host cities to conduct threat assessments and weigh the need for disease-specific detection and treatment plans. Discussions have included supplies of protective gear and surveillance tools such as wastewater monitoring, air quality data, and medical records.

Ebola is not the only disease authorities are looking at, with the most likely threats during the 39-day event across the US, Mexico, and Canada considered to be COVID-19, influenza, and measles. A simulation for a potential MERS outbreak has also been carried out.

WHO has released its first-ever set of comprehensive guidelines for the clinical management of filovirus disease which include all Ebola and Marburg diseases.

Ebola disease, and Marburg disease are serious, and often fatal. There have been 72 outbreaks of Ebola and Marburg… pic.twitter.com/zGHG1ULCiQ

— World Health Organization (WHO) (@WHO) June 17, 2026

In addition to those precautions, the US, Mexico, and Canada are conducting airport screening and have applied travel bans restricting entry of non-citizens with recent travel to countries affected by the Ebola outbreak. To comply with these, the Democratic Republic of Congo team left the home nation in May to train in Belgium before journeying to the US.

The US has urged Europe to impose similar travel restrictions, but Kluge’s statement made clear the WHO does not recommend travel restrictions and urged people to “challenge stigma,” noting that “people from affected regions and African communities have faced unfair suspicion. The spread of Ebola is not determined by nationality or ethnicity. Stigma discourages people from seeking care and can make outbreaks harder to control.”

The organization maintains that “the best protection for the European Region is stopping the outbreak where it began. WHO and partners are actively supporting response efforts in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda, protecting communities there and here alike.” Noting that “large events bring people together,” it summed the statement up by urging people to “stay informed, rely on trusted sources, and treat others with understanding. With common sense and compassion, we can keep both people and the game safe.”

L’article WHO European director issues Ebola statement ahead of FIFA World Cup est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

The measure, introduced by the Villasimius Council, applies specifically to Punta Molentis, one of Sardinia’s most photographed beaches, located on the south-eastern coast of the island.

Renowned for its crystal-clear turquoise waters and white sand, Punta Molentis forms part of a protected marine area. Its popularity and “Instagrammability”, however, have put pressure on the surrounding ecosystem, particularly its delicate dunes.

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Under the new rules, visitors aged 10 to 65 will no longer be permitted to bring their own beach umbrellas or other shade structures, such as gazebos and tents. Families with young children and visitors over 65 will be permitted to bring one umbrella per family or per person.

The council ordinance states that it is “prohibited to set up beach umbrellas or any other form of shade” except for those who fall under one of the exempt categories. Only authorised installations provided on-site will be permitted.

To further reduce pressure on the beach and prevent overcrowding, the authorities have introduced stricter access limits. The number of vehicles permitted to park each day will be capped at 70, and access to the dunes will be limited to 150 people.

Tickets must be purchased online in advance at a cost of €10 per person.

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Visitors arriving by boat will also face restrictions, with stays limited to one hour ashore. They will not be permitted to bring rucksacks or cool bags onto the beach, and the total number of visitors arriving by boat will be capped at 100 per day, with an access fee of €5.

The new measures also introduce regulated opening hours, with access permitted between 8:00 am and 9:00 pm.

These restrictions follow wildfires that broke out in the area last summer, burning hundreds of hectares of vegetation and forcing the evacuation of beachgoers. Although there were no casualties, several vehicles parked near the beach were destroyed.

According to the council, the fires, combined with “exceptional marine weather events”, have reduced the capacity of the dunes and threatened local habitats. The authorities argue that stricter controls are now necessary “to limit the human impact and ensure the protection of this heritage for future generations”.

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However, the announcement has not been welcomed by everyone. The Guardian reported that several social media users reacted with irony after the new guidelines were published on Facebook. One commenter jokingly asked, “Do I need to rent a child to put up an umbrella?”, while others questioned how the rules would work in practice.

This touches on a sensitive subject in Italy, where beach culture is deeply rooted in everyday life. For many Italian families, the summer ritual of heading to the coast, renting a spot, and spending the entire day by the sea is almost sacred.

Last year, proposals affecting access to parts of Italy’s coastline sparked controversy, particularly regarding the role of private beach concessions, with concerns that seaside holidays were becoming less accessible for ordinary families.

Punta Molentis is not the only Italian beach trying to address overcrowding. In Jesolo, near Venice, the authorities have reduced the number of sun loungers and parasol spaces by 20,000 in an attempt to create more space between visitors.

L’article Sardinian paradise beach restricts umbrellas to protect fragile coastline est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

Speaking at an event hosted by UK travel association ABTA in London, Uku Särekanno, deputy executive director at Frontex, said: “We expect the situation will stabilise in one or two years because the most challenging part is the first enrolment.”

Intended to improve the way immigration is tracked and monitored, the Entry/Exit System requires third-country nationals entering the Schengen-plus zone to provide a facial image and fingerprints as well as passport details and trip information when they first cross the border into the bloc. This data is stored digitally for up to three years or until the passport expires, meaning that on subsequent entries, visitors should be automatically recognised and not have to repeat the process.

But some travellers have found they have been asked to re-register details on repeat entries, while others have been left unsure about how much of the process they have completed, due to the way the EES requirements are being abandoned at some border checkpoints.

French authorities at the UK Port of Dover temporarily paused the registration process in May, and Greece announced that it too would be suspending the EES processes for British tourists who represent an important source market for Greek travel stakeholders. Meanwhile, visitors entering Europe at Lisbon Airport, where extra police and the national guard have had to be deployed to control crowd flow, told Travel Tomorrow they have no idea whether they will be expected to re-do their EES registration, after the system appeared to “go down” as they tried to complete the necessary steps.

The discretion to suspend EES processes will not be extended beyond a previously announced cut-off date in September, Särekanno confirmed, denouncing the inconsistencies in the way EES is being implemented and emphasising how hard border teams are working: “We’re trying to ensure there’s a coherent approach to the border procedures. We’re putting in a lot of effort to ensure practices are harmonised.”

ABTA’s chief executive called Särekanno’s comments and estimate of a two-year lead-in period, “very painful” while Airlines UK chief Tim Alderslade said, “I think we’ve got some work to do.”

L’article European Union EES border delays could last up to two years, official estimates say est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

The proposal, made in September 2025, would have introduced a charge aimed at applications for the country’s H-1B visa programme, which for over 35 years has allowed US-headquartered firms to hire foreign specialists in certain fields. The annual number of H-1B visas issued is capped at 85,000.

A score of US states had challenged the Trump plan to bring in a $100,000-levy or “penalty” (amounting to a 20-to-50 fold increase on existing rates). In court, they argued that the huge hike in the fee would severely impact recruitment at academic and research institutions and medical facilities, putting a price and a disincentive on foreign expertise.

President Donald Trump, on the other hand, has been a long-term critic of the H-1B programme, which he claims suffers “abuses” that “present a national security threat by discouraging Americans from pursuing careers in science and technology, risking American leadership in these fields.”

With around two-thirds of H-1B visas snapped up by specialists in computing, the move would represent a significant potential financial burden for America’s highly international tech sector. But members of the Trump team, such as Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, have claimed that Silicon Valley supports the move. Whether or not that’s the case, U.S. District Judge Leo Sorokin’s decision that the increased visa cost is a tax that Trump does not have the power to impose has let them off the hook for now.

Experts immediately predicted that Trump would appeal the decision. White House spokeswoman Taylor Rogers later said in a statement that the administration is confident Sorokin’s ​order will be reversed, saying: “President Trump has clear legal authority to restrict entry of any class of aliens he determines is not in America’s best interests, and ‌that is ⁠exactly what he did.”

The H-1B visa is not the only area of immigration policy in which Trump wants changes. In spring 2025, he expanded the B1 and B2 visa bond to apply to citizens of 50 countries, imposing a deposit of up to $15,000 on their visits to the States. In addition, in December 2025, he officially launched a new fast-tracked immigration scheme offering high-net-worth foreign nationals a direct route to United States residency and eventual citizenship in exchange for a minimum payment of $1 million.

L’article U.S. court blocks Trump’s $100,000 foreign worker visa fee est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA) has announced eight consecutive Saturdays of synchronised fireworks displays running from 6 June through 25 July, transforming the city’s skyline into a tribute to America’s semiquincentennial. According to KTNV, each show will begin at 9:00 pm and last approximately 8 minutes, with fireworks launched from multiple locations across the Las Vegas Strip and downtown.

The celebrations began on 6 June with displays from Caesars Palace, Treasure Island and The Venetian Resort, accompanied by pop music broadcast on local radio stations. Subsequent weekends will feature different venues and musical themes, ranging from jazz and rock to country, hip-hop and electronic music.

The weekly celebrations will continue according to the following schedule:

• Saturday, 13 June – MGM Grand, ARIA Resort & Casino, and Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino – featuring jazz music.
• Saturday, 20 June – The Plaza Hotel & Casino, Binion’s Gambling Hall, and Fremont Street Experience parking garages – featuring rock music.
• Saturday, 27 June – Resorts World Las Vegas, Fontainebleau Las Vegas, and The STRAT Hotel, Casino & Tower – featuring R&B music.
• Saturday, 4 July – Fireworks will be shot off from nine rooftops across the Strip, with coordinated red, white, and blue lighting and a 30-minute marquee takeover across the city.
• Saturday, 11 July – MGM Grand, ARIA Resort & Casino, and Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino – featuring country music.
• Saturday, 18 July – Resorts World Las Vegas, Fontainebleau Las Vegas, and The STRAT Hotel, Casino & Tower – featuring hip-hop music.
• Saturday, 25 July – Caesars Palace, Treasure Island, and The Venetian Resort – featuring electronic music.

The music will be broadcast on KOMP 92.3 FM, 97.1 FM The Point, and 98.9 HANK FM, featuring the soundtracks to which the fireworks are choreographed throughout the eight-week series.

Independence Day itself is expected to be the highlight of the festivities, as organisers anticipate the event will create one of the largest Fourth of July fireworks spectacles in the United States.

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“Las Vegas is always a hot ticket for summer travel, and this year, the celebrations will reach new heights,” Steve Hill, president and CEO of the LVCVA, said in a statement. “It’s shaping into a summer celebration only Las Vegas can deliver.»

According to the press release, the celebrations will extend beyond the fireworks displays. Complementary programming will be featured on the Exosphere at Sphere every Saturday throughout June and July.

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Among the festivities commemorating the 250^th anniversary, LVCVA have launched a new summer marketing initiative titled “Pack For Vegas,” aimed at encouraging visitors to plan trips during the city’s peak entertainment season. 

“The new ‘Pack for Vegas’ campaign taps into that anticipation and imagination that takes over when people start planning their trip. These spots are playful, unexpected and unmistakably Vegas,” said Kate Wik, Chief Marketing Officer for Visit Las Vegas. 

The playful campaign positions Las Vegas as a high-energy summer destination and is designed to reinforce the city’s appeal through a mix of major events and immersive experiences.

The celebrations come at a time when Las Vegas continues efforts to attract visitors amid shifting travel patterns and concerns over rising costs affecting tourism demand.

In 2025, Las Vegas tourism has weakened, with a 7% drop in the first half of the year following a post-COVID rebound that pushed 2024 visitor numbers above 41.6 million. In June 2025, visitor volume fell to 3.09 million, an 11.3% decline compared with the same period in 2024. Hotel occupancy also slipped to 78.7%, down 6.5%. 

Analysts and commentators have pointed to shifting travel and spending habits among younger adults. Conservative activist Robby Starbuck told Fox News Digital that under-40s are increasingly choosing online gambling and, in general, drink less, which he said could affect Las Vegas’ long-term business model.

According to the US International Trade Administration, tourism to the United States declined by around four million visitors in 2025, highlighting concerns that the sector has been flagging for more than a year. The downturn, sometimes referred to by industry observers as the “Trump Slump,” has been linked by critics to President Trump’s foreign policy stance and stricter border measures, which some argue have discouraged international travel. 

Over the same period, tourist spending reportedly fell by about $8 billion, underscoring the financial impact. Analysts note that the scale of the decline suggests 2025 was even more challenging for the US travel industry than the 2008 recession.

L’article Las Vegas launches fireworks series for America’s 250th anniversary est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

On 29 May 2026, 52-year-old climbing guide Hillary Dawa Sherpa was last seen while pausing at Mount Everest’s Camp 3, located at an altitude of 7,060 meters. Soon after, his client and the rest of his climbing team from Kathmandu-based company Nepal Mount Everest noticed he was missing.

As the party was one of the last to descend the mountain before the end of the climbing season and as the ladders across the Khumbu Icefall had reportedly already been dismantled, they had little other choice than to complete their descent. When search helicopters found no trace of the guide, the choice was made not to assemble a search team to go looking for Hillary Dawa Sherpa. Since that decision has sparked a lot of debate, people are especially questioning the working circumstances of the Nepali guides on the mountain.

Finally, on 4 June 2026, while his family had already started to organise funeral rites as they had lost all hope of being reunited, Hillary Dawa Sherpa was spotted climbing down the ice at Mount Everest’s Base Camp. Members of the Sagarmatha Pollution Control Committee (SPCC), who are in charge of setting up and removing routes, ropes, and ladders through the Khumbu Icefall at the start and the end of the season, were the ones who found the climbing guide.

“When we first heard about it, we could not be sure if that person was indeed our father. So to be certain we asked for photos to be sent and then only we were sure and very happy,” Hillary Dawa’s daughter, Mendo Lhamu, told the Associated Press.

After the people from the Sagarmatha Pollution Control Committee gave Hillary Dawa Sherpa some much-needed food and water, the guide was reportedly carried down the mountain on the back of another climber. Once arrived, he was airlifted to a hospital located in the Nepalese capital Kathmandu. According to news agency Reuters, he was suffering from frostbite and some other complications.

@thetimes A Nepali climbing guide lost on Mount Everest for six days managed to crawl alone to near base camp. Dawa Sherpa’s wife had given up on the mountaineer and had begun to offer the last rites. He was left by his climbing party on the upper reaches of the world’s highest mountain in bitter conditions early on May 30. In his fifties and better known as “Hillary”, after the climber Edmund Hillary, he was found on Thursday morning near base camp by the Sagarmatha Pollution Control Committee, a Nepali team that helps set routes on Everest and cleans up waste on the mountain. Sherpa’s wife, Damu, said her family was overjoyed. “We were very happy to hear the news, we had given up hope,” she said. “We also began puja [death prayers] yesterday.” He was recovering from “some frostbite” but was conscious, she said. Click the link to read more #mounteverest #sherpa #nepali #climbing #worldnews ♬ original sound – The Times and Sunday Times

“This is nothing short of a miracle surviving so many days in the mountains facing such harsh condition,” Ang Tshering Sherpa, another climbing guide, said in an interview with AP.

According to a video statement posted after his rescue, the guide fell into a crevasse near Camp 1, located at approximately 6,000 meters. He was only able to free himself after having spent two days inside the icy fissure, at which point he started his perilous descent without food or oxygen bottles.

A busy season

Hillary Dawa Sherpa’s story, considered by many as a miraculous event, comes at the end of the busiest season ever on Mount Everest, which started on 29 April 2026 after weeks of delays caused by a massive serac, a large block of glacier ice that experts warned could collapse at any moment.

Overall, more than 1,000 people summited the south side of the mountain, with 20 May registering no less than a record 274 climbers; images of people queuing at the so-called death zone made global headlines, once again raising the question of how responsible it is to climb Mount Everest in a world hit by climate change and overcrowding.

L’article Missing Mount Everest guide believed dead found alive in Nepal est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

Since 10 April 2026, the new Entry/Exit System (EES) has officially been adopted by the European Union, with preparations having started even earlier. The automated system, designed to replace manual stamping, requires biometric data from non-European, third-country arrivals to any of the 29 nations that are part of the Schengen Zone: a facial image, fingerprints, passport information, as well as entry and exit dates.

Despite the fact that the EES has been in place for two months at the time of writing, issues still remain. Passengers have been known to miss their flights on several occasions due to long waiting times at airports across Europe, including in Spain, Portugal, and Italy.

With the traditionally very busy summer season approaching, industry experts are warning non-European travellers in general and Brits in particular to be prepared for long waiting lines caused by the EES. With approximately 52% of British adults planning on travelling abroad during 2026, according to a survey by National Rail and many of them heading to the EU over the summer, things could look grim.

“What we are seeing is a very hard risk of really challenging times or waiting times, talking about expectations of three, four, five, six hours, which is unacceptable. Without EES, it takes between 20 and 25 seconds to process a passenger. With EES, we are talking about 90 seconds and on top of that, you still have issues with technology; you can imagine what the breaking effect would be,” Rafael Schvartzman, the vice-president for Europe at the International Air Transport Association, said during the IATA Annual General Meeting in Rio de Janeiro, according to The Times.

The Iata vice president, who added that aviation is being treated as a political football, insisted on the fact that European states should man their borders sufficiently, make flight schedules known well in advance, ensure that electronic kiosks are operational, and suspend EES checks in advance when queues are likely to get too long.

The only legal exception to the new system that has been included in the roll-out is the possibility to pause biometric collection for six-hour windows during exceptionally busy times, a measure that runs through July and can be applied until September under certain conditions.

Schvartzman is not the only one to be concerned about the long queues. Earlier in June, Wizz Air began advising British passengers to get to the airport three hours before their flights due to the long waiting times caused by the new European Union border processes.

Moreover, in an interview with news outlet The National, the chief executive of transport platform Mozio, Nicole Kerr, warned future travellers.

“While a holiday is meant to be a relaxing and stress-free experience, experts have warned that changes to the travel industry could cause delays and confusion. While the new system is expected to reduce wait times at passport control in the future, Brits have already experienced long delays as the rollout continues,” Kerr said.

Over the coming months, Brits travelling to or from Europe are thus advised to arrive early at the airport – three hours before a flight should be considered as a minimum.

Later in 2026, Britons should also be prepared for the introduction of the European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS), which will require visa-exempt travellers such as themselves to apply for a travel permission costing €20 per person before travelling to the EYU.

L’article New EU entry-exit could mean up to six-hour queues for UK travellers this summer est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.