The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) has highlighted a significant concern regarding the new Entry/Exit System (EES) controls at European borders. According to WTTC analysis, if delays reach three hours at border entry points, up to 41 million visitor arrivals across Europe could be at risk.
These potential delays stem from the implementation of the EES, designed to enhance border security by recording the entry and exit of non-EU nationals. However, slow processing times linked to this system threaten to cause lengthy queues and prolonged waiting times at border crossings.
Potential Impact on European Visitor Arrivals
The warning from WTTC underscores the possibility that lengthy
procedures associated with the EES may result in significant disruptions to tourism flows throughout Europe. The three-hour threshold serves as a critical point where visitor arrivals could notably decrease due to the inconvenience of extended waits.
While the analysis focuses broadly on Europe, it does not specify individual countries or quantify the precise economic impact of these delays. The emphasis remains on the need for efficient EES implementation to prevent adverse effects on tourism arrivals in 2026.
