EES fears ‘not matched by reality’ Andrew McQuarrie


The trade has reported growing pre-travel concerns from customers about the EU’s Entry/ Exit System (EES) but said the vast majority of journeys had gone smoothly since the new scheme was fully introduced last week. Consumer media outlets


published stories about a flight from Milan Linate to Manchester at the weekend that left without more than 100 passengers because of queues linked to the EES. But many agents said their clients


had yet to face major issues with the system, suggesting most trips have been completed successfully. Stephanie Slark, chief operating


officer of The Travel Network Group,


said: “Our members are saying they are hearing significantly higher levels of anxiety from customers who have yet to travel under the EES than from those who have already experienced it first-hand.” She added that the “vast majority”


of journeys had gone smoothly. ArrangeMY Escape general


manager Jennifer Lynch also said clients yet to travel were more likely to raise concerns. “The British media has a lot


to play in this,” she said. “We’re getting a lot of questions. A lot of the [concerned] clients are slightly older and asking about whether they’ll have to queue and saying they don’t want to.” She added: “It’s a headache


having three [challenging] things at


Cruise sales hold firm but Celestyal forced to eye cuts


Ella Sagar


Cruise specialists have reported positive sales momentum despite some price increases, though the impact of the Iran war continues to be felt by lines with ships in the region. Celestyal confirmed it had


launched a consultation process for a “limited number of roles” and was reviewing its Celestyal Travel tour operation, with both its ships unable to reposition from the Arabian Gulf to the Mediterranean. The line aims to start its


Mediterranean season from early 4 16 APRIL 2026


May, though hopes that the two-week ceasefire between the US and Iran would allow free movement of vessels through the Strait of Hormuz proved unfounded. MSC Cruises cancelled its first


European sailings on MSC Euribia in early May, with the ship berthed in Dubai and unable to reposition. Despite the localised impact,


agents reported positive overall sales, with some noting a shift to earlier bookings. Janet Whittingham, head of cruise


at Travel Counsellors, reported rising booking volumes and average values, with cruise sales up 34% year on year.


She said there was “strong


demand” for both the Caribbean and Mediterranean, while river cruising was also performing well. Jamie Wake, managing director


of Jamie Wake Travel and The Independent Travel Consultants, which has 60 homeworking agents, also reported an upturn in Caribbean sales and new-to-cruise customers booking European river cruises. He noted a “continued shift” to


longer itineraries, cruise-and-stay holidays and tailored packages. Wake said customers were “being


more decisive” and booking earlier to “try and get ahead” of airfare hikes,


We’re getting a lot


of questions – a lot of the [concerned] clients are slightly older and asking about whether they’ll have to queue


the same time: the EES, the Middle East conflict and the energy crisis.” Other agents agreed headwinds


continued to hamper trading, with Leicester-based Barton-Knott Travel managing director Tim Barton-Knott saying: “I think we’re going to be fairly well down [on bookings] this year.” He added: “It really is day by day at the moment.” While travellers are continuing to


book trips to eastern Mediterranean destinations, he said numbers had dropped, with some clients deciding to change their bookings to southern Spain or Portugal. Outlining recent trends


reported by members of The Travel Network Group, Slark said: “What we’re seeing is not a reduction in demand, but a shift in booking behaviour. “Customers are being more


cautious, taking longer to commit and, in many cases, booking closer to departure as they assess the situation and look for greater reassurance.” Luke Petherbridge, director of


public affairs at Abta, said the EES is “not yet operating fully consistently across all locations” and called for wider use of contingency measures.


Celestyal Discovery


adding: “Across the board, pricing is higher than it has been in previous years. Airfares are a huge part of that, but it hasn’t really slowed demand.” Lynsey Joy, cruise manager at


Travel Solutions Belfast, agreed there had been “a visible price increase” across the sector in the past week. “Last week we saw a massive


reduction in late-deal prices,” she said. “When you look like-for-like, prices have gone up again this week.” Joy added that demand was being


driven primarily by couples, including for US and Caribbean cruises for later in the year and short-term bookings for Europe in May and early June.


travelweekly.co.uk


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