The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) warns that operational failures and long wait times at border crossings could sharply reduce tourism demand in Europe.

Based on a survey of over 2,500 short- and long-haul travellers, the organisation found that systematic delays of three hours or more would cause approximately one-third of tourists to abandon plans to visit countries participating in the free-movement agreement.

Financial and operational risk

This scenario of border friction poses a significant financial and operational risk to the European ecosystem.

According to WTTC predictive models for 2026, persistent bottlenecks at airports and seaports could result in the loss of up to 41 million international visitors, representing a potential $45.4 billion loss in direct revenue.

The organisation emphasises that Europe’s lack of flexibility and skilled personnel, despite border modernisation and security priorities, places it at a distinct competitive disadvantage compared to rival destinations offering substantially more streamlined entry processes.

Three urgent courses

To mitigate these risks and ensure a smooth transition, the business association's leadership proposes three urgent courses of action directed at policymakers.

The plan entails accelerating adoption of the "Travel to Europe" mobile app to enable digital pre-registration of passenger data, immediately launching coordinated information campaigns in key source markets, and ensuring full operational capacity at airports by bolstering staffing levels and the reliability of biometric equipment.

The sector's sustainability is critical to regional macroeconomic stability, given that tourism contributed $3 trillion to the European economy and supported 40.7 million jobs at the close of the last fiscal year.

Smart borders

In official statements included in the same document, WTTC President and CEO Gloria Guevara emphasised that the introduction of smart borders must be a practical process focused on the user experience, warning that Europe cannot afford to compromise its global appeal due to avoidable bureaucratic hurdles.