More travellers aware of new EU travel rules, says Abta study

An increasing number of UK travellers are aware of new European Union travel rules which are set to start next month, according to Abta research.

 

The EU Entry/Exit System is scheduled to begin on October 12, almost a year after its original planned launch date of November 2024.

 

More than half (51%) of people say they are aware of the upcoming requirements, up from 44% in 2024.

 

It rises to 61% among those who have been on a holiday abroad over the last 12 months, suggesting those who travel abroad more regularly are more likely to know that changes are coming.

 

Abta says people’s experience of the system will depend on where they are travelling, meaning travellers may initially see only limited changes, or indeed none, from their previous trips to Europe.

 

This is because EES is being introduced in phases across a period of six months, building up to being fully operational by April 10, 2026.

 

However, countries or borders that are ready to go live fully can do so earlier if they wish, with the option to scale back operations or stand down the system if problems occur.

 

To help members prepare, Abta is holding a video conference call with the UK government’s Cabinet Office and the association’s experts.

 

The hour-long conference call will take place on Tuesday September 9, from 11am.

 

Abta has also published a new resource for members to help them explain the phased approach to the implementation of EES, and how people may see only limited changes to begin with.

 

Mark Tanzer, Abta chief executive, said: “We are very supportive of the EU adopting a phased introduction of the new scheme. Launching a new digital border system in 29 countries is no mean feat, and doing it over a six-month period should allow the system to bed in whilst minimising impact on travellers.

 

“It also takes the pressure off peak travel periods, such as October half-term and Christmas.

 

“But it does present a communications challenge for the industry – it’s hard to prepare passengers for a system that they may or may not experience particularly as, due to security reasons, we’re unlikely to know which borders go live from day one.

 

“We’re helping our members prepare their customers by providing them with information they can use to explain the phased introduction.

 

“We’re also working closely with the UK government, and are liaising with the EU, to make sure our members have all of the information they need to be able to prepare for the changes and support their customers.”

 

More details are available on the Abta website.

 

The research was conducted between July 21-August 1, with a nationally representative sample of more than 2,000 UK adults.