So far in 2026 world events, the geopolitical climate, and EU or UK policy and regulation changes mean it’s been an ever changing travel landscape, where ABTA has been at the forefront of supporting members.

With the deadline for the full implementation of EES landing on 10 April, ABTA has been closely monitoring the customer experience and continued to urge authorities to make use of mitigation measures. The media team has provided consumer advice across interviews and comments in media, and social media content advising what people should expect continues to be widely accessed.

The narrative around the impact of the Middle East conflict on travel has continued to change each week, from assisting people in the region and getting customers back home, to future cancellations and rebooking, alternative destinations, and the impact of rising costs. As I write, a temporary ceasefire has come into effect, but the situation remains extremely uncertain and volatile.

All throughout ABTA has been keeping members fully informed of the travel impact in destinations and championing the benefits of booking with an ABTA member in the media and through the social media content and website. ABTA has been sharing member feedback on how they’ve have been supporting customers, as positive good news stories, in the face of a global crisis.

The Public Affairs team continue to address with government the barriers facing travel, including the growing regulatory and tax burdens on UK travel businesses and their customers. They’ve been stressing how important it is for policymakers to help create an environment that helps travel businesses succeed.