UK tourists vow to 'cancel' Spain, Greece, Portugal holidays over new rule

UK tourists are set to "ditch" holidays in Europe - all because of a new entry rule. Brit holidaymakers are dreading the introduction of the so-called Entry and Exit (EES) System from October in the European Union in the aftermath of Brexit.

"As German I avoid EU as a Plaque! Why would I travel to the EU? For what reason?" asked a Twitter user on social media, in the wake of the new system being announced. A second said: "The UK is introducing the same system, but as EU citizens now need an expensive Passport instead of an ID card, they will not be going, so not as many queues.

"If you do not like the rules, please visit Skeggie." Another said: "Strange rule." The Department for Transport's poll, conducted among 1,584 people aged 16 and over, found 20 per cent of respondents indicated they would cancel or postpone ferry trips if delays exceed one hour due to the new system.

READ MORE UK tourists in Greece warned to 'stay inside' between '11am and 3pm'

The new EES system impacts all of your favourite holiday destinations - including Spain, Greece and Portugal. France could be particularly impacted, with a triple-pronged problem in the form of the Eurostar, Dover/Calais crossing and French airports.

"The detailed questions and forms for those holidaying in the US or Canada doesn't put anyone off, nor the long queues, so why should these new rules make any difference?" another wrote on Twitter in the wake of the DfT findings.

Julia Lo Bue-Said, chief executive of Advantage Travel Partnership, said: “Safety and security are of course paramount, but it is crucial that the Government and the travel industry work together to make sure that Brits have a thorough understanding of the new system, when they come into effect and how they will impact travel.

“We do advise travellers to be prepared in case of delays on their first trip to any of the 29 European countries involved in the new system as they will need to have their fingerprints and facial images taken. We understand that people can be hesitant to travel if they expect delays, however, with this information valid for the next three years of travel, we then hope to see the use of automated border control checks and self-service systems increase the speed of processing times and improve the overall experience for all travellers so we do not think it should discourage people from travelling.

“We expect the EES to be a small addition to the process of travel and have minimal impact on the incredibly strong demand we are seeing for travel this year from consumers. We recommend booking through your local travel agent who will be able to ensure you are fully compliant with all travel requirements.