The WTTC argues that the issue extends far beyond inconvenience for travelers. The organization believes that diminished confidence in the efficiency of Europe's airports could have significant economic consequences across the continent. Its projections indicate that if delays and bottlenecks persist throughout 2026, Europe could lose as many as 41 million international visitors, resulting in an estimated $45.4 billion in lost direct tourism revenue.
The new Entry/Exit System has been developed to strengthen security at the external borders of the Schengen Area by digitally recording biometric data from travelers arriving from non-EU countries. The initiative replaces the traditional manual passport stamping process with an automated system that captures biometric information, including fingerprints and facial images. While the primary objective is to enhance border security and improve migration management, its rollout has raised concerns among airports, airlines, and tourism organizations over its potential impact on the efficiency of border crossings.
According to the study, Europe risks losing competitiveness to other international destinations that offer faster and more straightforward entry procedures. In an increasingly competitive global tourism market, the ease of entering a destination has become a decisive factor for millions of travelers when planning either leisure or business trips.
The organization also warns that the situation could become even more challenging during peak travel periods, particularly throughout the summer season, when millions of passengers pass through Europe's busiest airports every day. Industry operators have already expressed concerns that the new biometric controls could generate substantial delays, especially if technical issues, staffing shortages, or unexpected spikes in passenger traffic occur simultaneously.
To reduce these risks, the WTTC recommends several priority measures. Among them is accelerating the rollout of the "Travel to Europe" mobile application, designed to allow travelers to complete part of their registration process before arriving at the border. This would enable border inspections to be carried out more efficiently and significantly shorten waiting times.
The organization also calls for comprehensive public information campaigns in key tourism source markets to explain how the new system works and minimize delays caused by unfamiliarity with the procedures. In addition, it urges airports to ensure they have sufficient personnel and technical resources to keep biometric equipment operating continuously and prevent disruptions that could negatively affect the passenger experience.
These concerns coincide with other challenges currently facing Europe's aviation sector, including increasing pressure on air traffic control services and record passenger demand during the summer months. Together, these factors underscore the need for coordinated investment, strengthened staffing levels, and improved operational capacity across airport infrastructure to prevent delays from becoming a long-term structural problem that would ultimately harm both travelers and the European economy.
