ABTA used a high-attendance webinar with EU officials to help travel businesses understand the next wave of Europe border changes. The message was that preparation had to cover both customer advice and operational pressure at key UK-EU crossing points.
ABTA used its World Travel Market plans to position member support as a mix of networking, industry insight and practical policy discussion. Among the topics on the agenda were Holiday Habits research and a dedicated session on EES and ETIAS.
At the start of 2025, the central message for British travellers was that the EU's next border changes were still delayed. The Entry/Exit System had to come first, and the later ETIAS permit could only follow once that system had been fully running for months.
The European Commission says the Entry/Exit System is foreseen for October 2025 after earlier delays. Operators at Dover, Eurostar and Eurotunnel say they are preparing infrastructure, but uncertainty over the exact launch date keeps queue concerns in focus.
ABTA's updated consumer guidance recasts Europe travel as a preparation issue rather than a last-minute border surprise. Its message is that travellers should understand the phased EES rollout now, while remembering that ETIAS is not yet open for applications.
ABTA's opening assessment for 2026 argues that travel businesses are entering the year with a crowded policy and operational agenda. Its five-priority list ranges from border systems and pricing rules to artificial intelligence, youth mobility and accessibility.
ABTA presented EES and ETIAS as changes that travel businesses needed to explain well before implementation. Its guidance model combined a member hub, a consumer advice page and regular updates as more official detail became available.
A misleading rule survived online for years and risked confusing travellers at exactly the wrong moment. The correction matters because the Schengen passport test is simpler than many officials, airlines and websites have claimed.
Dover's boss sounds the alarm: new EU biometric requirements could paralyse western Europe's busiest passenger port. Here is everything travellers need to know about the post-Brexit border upheaval.
Non-EU travellers are being warned about fake ETIAS websites exploiting confusion around upcoming EU border changes. Here is what ETIAS and EES actually mean, when the rules take effect, and how to protect yourself from scams.