ISSUE 355 MARCH 2026


UK & Ireland £1/€1


www.nitravelnews.com


PASSPORTS AT THE READY


AS the peak summer season approaches, how will the new EES system impact travellers?


BY ERIN ENGLISH erin@nitravelnews.com


AMIDST a cluster a


plethora


announcements, new hotel openings, and


of new route of


immersive


experiences, the travel industry is ever-changing. Never before has a customer had so much variety; from long-haul travel, luxury getaways,


mini-breaks, solo adventures, and


enriching cultural experiences. There is an abundance of opportunities available to the modern day traveller.


Recent data conducted by the Civil


Aviation Authority revealed 302 million passengers travelled through UK Airports in 2025, a figure which exceeds pre-pandemic levels. Dublin Airport also achieved record- breaking figures in 2025, with 36.4 million passengers passing through the airport’s two terminals.


Such momentum seems set to continue


in 2026, with the CAA further noting that almost a third of consumers have expressed a desire to fly more in 2026 than last year. Such figures and data make it abundantly


clear, the demand for travel is sky- rocketing but is the infrastructure there to support it? As summer approaches, border forces


across Europe are coming to terms with the introduction of the EES system. The new biometric system, which began to be phased out across EU borders back in October, means that UK passport holders, and all non-EU travellers will be required to provide fingerprints and facial biometric checks when arriving in countries within the Schengen zone. Implementing the new biometric


system is set to benefit holiday-makers Continued on pg 3...

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