Not in the short term. On 9 October 2026, the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) called on Europe to speed up the digital Schengen visa, issue more multiple-entry visas and make biometric border checks smoother. These are recommendations from the private sector, not new rules, and the entry requirements that apply to your trip today remain unchanged.
What the report does offer is a clear view of where European travel formalities could be heading over the next decade, and of the pressure the tourism industry is putting on EU decision-makers. This guide explains what the WTTC is asking for, why, and how to tell what is already in force from what is coming and what is only proposed.
Who is behind the call to simplify travel to Europe?
The WTTC represents the private side of global travel and tourism: airlines, hotel groups, airports, cruise lines, tour operators and booking platforms. Its report, Travel & Tourism in Europe: A Deep Dive Into Growth, Outlook and Policy, was presented at the organisation’s 26th Global Summit in Valletta, Malta. It sets out eight strategic priorities for Europe, from investment and sustainability to workforce, connectivity and AI adoption.
The timing is deliberate. Several European countries are rolling out new national tourism strategies, the European Commission is preparing the EU’s first dedicated tourism strategy, and negotiations are under way on the EU’s long-term budget for 2028 to 2034. The industry wants travel facilitation on the table while those decisions are being made.
For travellers, the most relevant priority is what the WTTC calls “secure and seamless travel”: how you obtain permission to visit Europe and how quickly you cross its borders.
Why does the WTTC want more multiple-entry Schengen visas?
A multiple-entry Schengen visa lets you enter the Schengen Area several times during its validity, instead of applying again for each trip. The report points to a sharp decline in their use. Schengen states issued 5.3 million multiple-entry visas in 2025, 40% fewer than in 2019, and their share of all visas issued fell from 59% to 51.7% over the same period.
The WTTC’s argument is about repeat visits. A traveller who must go through a full consular application before every trip is less likely to return regularly than one holding a visa valid for several years. Overall Schengen visa issuance has also not yet returned to pre-pandemic levels, which the industry sees as a missed opportunity.
When will the Schengen visa go digital?
Today, an approved Schengen visa is still a physical sticker placed in your passport. EU legislation already provides for its replacement: a common online platform where applicants submit their request, upload supporting documents and pay the fee, then receive a digital visa instead of a sticker. According to the European Commission’s reference timeline, this platform is expected around 2030, depending on technical progress. The WTTC wants that schedule brought forward.
What does the industry want from the EES and ETIAS?
The WTTC does not question the two new systems reshaping entry to Europe. It accepts that they strengthen security. Its concern is how they affect the passenger experience.
On the Entry/Exit System (EES), fully operational since 10 April 2026, the report highlights the queues, delays and missed connections seen during the rollout. Its position is that biometric registration must go hand in hand with smooth border crossings. If you want the operational detail of what happened at European airports this summer and where each country stands, see our article on the EES rollout.
On ETIAS, the report mentions an expected launch in early 2027. This is not an official date. The European Union’s position remains that ETIAS is not yet operational and that its start date will be announced several months in advance. As of October 2026, there is nothing to apply for yet. Our ETIAS complete guide covers who will need it and how the application will work.
Could Europe get its own trusted traveller programme?
One of the report’s most forward-looking proposals is an EU-wide trusted traveller programme, inspired by schemes such as US Global Entry and built on reciprocal recognition between programmes. Pre-screened travellers would clear border controls faster using biometric technology, potentially without stopping at a traditional checkpoint.
The WTTC also calls for consistent European rules on the voluntary use of biometrics at airports, particularly regarding GDPR compliance. At present, rules on facial recognition for boarding and border processing vary between member states, which limits how far airports can automate the passenger journey.
These remain industry proposals, not measures adopted by the European Union. No such programme exists today, and there is no timeline for one.
Why does the industry worry about the cost of travelling to Europe?
The report flags a less visible issue: the accumulation of small charges attached to an international trip. Air passenger taxes, tourist levies, accommodation charges and electronic travel authorisations such as the UK ETA and the upcoming ETIAS may each look modest. Taken together, the WTTC warns, they could weaken the appeal of some destinations.
For travellers, the practical point is organisational. A trip combining the UK and the Schengen Area will soon involve two separate authorisations, each linked to your passport, each with its own validity period. Keeping track of both, and of which passport each one is attached to, is becoming part of normal trip preparation.
Adding the UK to your European trip?
Your UK ETA must be approved before you board. Apply online in your language, and we check your application for errors before it is submitted.
Why is Europe looking for visitors from further afield?
Europe remains the world’s leading tourist region, with 757.3 million international overnight arrivals in 2025, or 49.1% of the global total. Yet almost three-quarters of those arrivals came from within Europe itself.
Long-haul markets show a mixed picture:
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Arrivals from China remain 43.2% below their 2019 level, while Japan and South Korea are around 30% below.
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Arrivals from the United States are 23.2% higher than in 2019.
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Some emerging markets are growing fast from small bases, with Uzbekistan up 73.9% and Kyrgyzstan up 56.7% in 2025.
This is where the visa argument becomes economic. The WTTC recommends pairing destination marketing in long-haul markets with easier visa access, on the basis that complicated procedures limit the return on promotion. Many travellers from Asia, Africa and Latin America still need a Schengen visa, so the speed and predictability of that process directly shape where they choose to go. With arrivals forecast to reach 1.14 billion by 2036, and Spain projected to overtake France as the world’s most visited destination by then, the stakes are rising.
What is in force, what is coming, and what is only proposed?
With several systems and reforms discussed at once, sorting them by status is the simplest way to see what actually applies to you.
In force today (October 2026):
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The EES at the Schengen Area’s external borders, with biometric registration for non-EU short-stay travellers.
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The traditional Schengen visa, still issued as a passport sticker, for nationalities that require one.
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The UK ETA, required since February 2026 for visa-exempt travellers to the United Kingdom, including EU nationals.
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The 90 days in any 180-day period limit for visa-exempt visitors to the Schengen Area.
Planned, but not yet operational:
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ETIAS, with no official launch date announced as of October 2026.
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The digital Schengen visa and common EU application platform, expected around 2030.
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A reform of the Schengen Visa Code, currently being prepared by the European Commission.
Industry proposals only:
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Restoring wider use of multiple-entry Schengen visas.
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An EU-wide trusted traveller programme with reciprocal recognition of schemes such as Global Entry.
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A common European framework for biometrics at airports.
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Faster completion of the UK-EU Youth Experience Scheme, which would ease mobility for young people between the UK and the EU.
Does the WTTC report change anything for your next trip?
No. Your requirements depend on your nationality and itinerary, and none of the WTTC’s recommendations has been adopted. If you need a Schengen visa, the consular process is unchanged. If you are visa-exempt, a valid passport remains enough for the Schengen Area until ETIAS launches.
The one authorisation that the report mentions and that already applies is the UK ETA. If your European trip includes a stop in the United Kingdom, you need an approved UK ETA before boarding, unless you are a British or Irish citizen or already hold UK immigration permission. This applies to EU, US, Canadian and Australian passport holders alike, and to every traveller in your group, including children. Our UK ETA complete guide covers the details.
How Service eVisa fits into your European travel plans
Service eVisa specialises in electronic travel authorisations and eVisas. We do not process Schengen visa applications, which are handled by consulates and their appointed visa centres, and EES registration takes place at the border.
Where we help is with the authorisations that apply to visa-exempt travellers: the UK ETA today, and ETIAS once the European Union opens applications. Our platform is available in multiple languages and checks your application for accuracy and completeness before submission, since a single mismatch with your passport data can lead to a boarding refusal. Express processing is available if your departure is close, and our support team is on hand if a question comes up during your application.
No. The WTTC is a global organisation representing private travel and tourism companies. Its recommendations are not binding and only take effect if EU institutions or member states adopt them.
Not yet. The WTTC’s call is a recommendation. Any change would come through the Schengen Visa Code reform the European Commission is preparing, which has not been adopted.
No. The report mentions early 2027, but only the European Union can set the official date. It has committed to announcing it several months before ETIAS becomes mandatory.
No. An EU-wide trusted traveller scheme is a WTTC proposal. No such programme exists in the Schengen Area today, and the EU has not announced plans to create one.