+ ON THE SOAPBOX: Julia Lo Bue-Said, CEO of The Advantage Travel Partnership

For the October 2024 issue of Travel News Update we highlighted the visa requirements required by non-EU passport holders for European continental travel.  
www.travelnewsupdate.co.uk/article/834

Forget the timetable.  October 2025 is now a suggested date for its implementation.  But it still might not happen.  

Julia Lo Bue-Said, CEO of The Advantage Travel Partnership takes up the cudgels.
 
"The European Union's Entry/Exit System (EES) which is expected to go live in October 2025 could add significant complexities for many travellers who are not clear on what this means for them, and their travel plans to the EU.
 
The new system is designed to make borders more secure which is of course of great importance however there are concerns that Brits could face delays as the new system is introduced. It is crucial that the government works very closely with the EU and the travel industry to make sure that Brits have a thorough understanding of the new system, when they come into effect and how they will impact travel. This is especially important given that the new system has faced several delays inevitably leading to confusion amongst travellers.
 
To avoid significant delays at airports and ports, it remains critically important that the government initiates a clear and robust communication strategy to ensure no one is left with any degree of uncertainty.
 
Under the EES, all passengers without EU passports will be required to have their fingerprints registered and their pictures taken on arrival in the bloc. We understand that people can be hesitant to travel if they expect delays however with this information valid for the next three years of travel, we then hope to see the use of automated border control checks and self-service systems increase the speed of processing times and improve the overall experience for all travellers so we do not think it should discourage people from travelling.
 
We expect the EES to be a small addition to the process of travel and have minimal impact on the incredibly strong demand we are seeing for travel this year from consumers.”

www.advantagemembers.com

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READERS' COMMENT

All comments are filtered to exclude any excesses but the Editor does not have to agree with what is being said. 200 words maximum

Allan Schoenherr, Prague, CZ

Given that previously as part of the EU the UK was involved in the planning of this system and the UK has recently launched a very similar system for EU citizens amongst others then this should come as no surprise to UK citizens. Indeed as one of the tenets of Brexit I am sure Leave voters will welcome this strengthening of border security?

David Bentley, United Kingdom

Minimal impact? What planet is this lady on? I’m not having my fingerprints taken by a foreign power. Who do they think they are? No way Jose. And I won’t be alone. This will kill holiday travel, which is what they want anyway. And what is a ‘Brit’? The word is Briton (noun), British (adjective). I expect that lack of professionalism from the MSM but not a corporate ‘CEO’. I don’t have to tell her what it rhymes with, do I?