Western Med availability ‘still good’ Juliet Dennis


Demand is continuing to rise for the western Mediterranean due to the Iran conflict but availability is currently “not an issue”, according to the trade. Agents said the western


Mediterranean, Caribbean and US were among the most sought-after destinations for new bookings and rebooked holidays. Spanish Tourist Office UK


director Manuel Butler said the country had experienced a “spike in bookings” but stressed: “There is no problem with availability.” He admitted price and availability


could be impacted in the longer term by the war’s duration but insisted: “Spanish hotels are not being greedy.”


Many agents said they were


encouraging clients to take advantage of strong deals for post-Easter travel in the belief prices would rise after the conflict. Designer Travel managing


director Amanda Matthews said bookings last week were less than 10% down year on year. She added: “Our message to clients is, ‘Don’t wait until it’s all over’. There are great bargains and no problems with availability after Easter.” Barrhead Travel president


Jacqueline Dobson also cited “great deals” for April and May, with Tenerife, Palma, Alicante and Lanzarote “standout” destinations. The Travel Network Group said


Spain currently accounted for 23% of members’ bookings. Commercial


Fears of EES delays spark calls to use contingency plans


Ian Taylor


Government and industry sources warn of “severe” delays at many European airports over Easter with the EU Entry/Exit System (EES) due to fully replace passport checks from April 10. This requires the biometric


registration of all UK and other non-EU citizens, with queues of two-to-four hours expected at some airports, although the system may be turned off if delays are “significant”. Airports, airlines and trade


associations have called for the deadline to be relaxed after assessing initial implementation from last


4 26 MARCH 2026


autumn, and the EC has extended a provision for the system to be suspended for up to six hours at a time. But Abta director of public affairs Luke Petherbridge noted that while some destinations “stand down the system if there are significant delays, some aren’t doing it at all”. “Member states can use


‘contingency measures’ right through the summer, but we’re not seeing it in any consistent way,” he said. “There is also no guidance on


what constitutes ‘significant delays’.” He insisted: “Our focus with the


government, the Commission and destinations is, ‘Use the contingency measures’.”


A government source warned


of “severe delays” on entry to some destinations over Easter, suggesting “the EC is not listening” and said: “The hope is the chaos forces the EC to rethink.” An industry source agreed, saying:


“It may be very difficult in places, but maybe there need to be delays for the EC to wake up. There is a disconnect between what the industry is seeing and what the EC is saying. Anywhere there are significant volumes of travellers and attempts at 100% registration, it isn’t working.” The source noted: “EES is being


rolled out by interior ministries and if it’s registering 90% of visitors, that


Our members are cautiously optimistic beyond Easter [but] peak-season stock is likely to become dearer


director Katharina Peck said members were “cautiously optimistic beyond Easter” but warned availability was “tightening” in Spain, Portugal and Greece, adding: “Peak-season stock is expected to become more expensive and less flexible.” Iglu chief executive David Gooch


reported rising interest in cruises to northern Europe, the fjords, Arctic, Canada, New England and the British Isles, and availability at competitive


prices beyond Easter. “Families in particular are keen to lock in a booking right now, in anticipation of possible price rises,” he said. Tailor My Travel director Gopal


Shah reported a “huge influx” of enquiries for holidays to destinations such as Barbados and Saint Lucia in the next six months, adding: “This will help put the Caribbean back on the map.” But he reported Caribbean prices


for April to June were now “almost identical to peak-season rates”. Jet2holidays noted confidence


was “temporarily impacted” in Cyprus and Turkey but “will return”, while Mercury Holidays chief marketing officer Christian Armond warned oil price hikes were likely to feed through to higher airfares.


The EU’s new border system


requires biometric registration of all non-EU citizens from April 10


is a ‘success’ even with three-to-four- hour delays. Destinations need to say, ‘We’re going to stand down EES’.” The system at French border


control, including at Eurostar and the Port of Dover, remains dogged by IT issues and incapable of registering travellers. There is also a risk of delays


at US airports over Easter, with a federal government shutdown now in its sixth week leaving security staff unpaid and the US Travel Association warning of “hours-long security lines”. The delays risk passengers


missing connecting flights, adding to


workloads for agents and operators. i ‘EES risks horrendous summer’, page 11


travelweekly.co.uk


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