What 2026 Means for Travel Policy and Regulation

As the new year begins, the travel industry is taking stock of a regulatory landscape that continues to shift at speed. Reflecting on the year ahead, ABTA chief executive Mark Tanzer notes that the pace of policy and regulatory change shows no sign of slowing in 2026. For travellers and businesses alike, understanding the priorities now is the best way to prepare for what is coming.

The past twelve months underline just how busy the agenda has become. ABTA's Public Affairs team responded to 25 consultations on behalf of the industry, covering the review of the Package Travel Regulations (PTRs), changes to price transparency rules, accessibility, and the UK–EU relationship.

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A year of engagement and hard-won outcomes

That consultation work delivered tangible results. Outcomes over the year included welcome moves toward a UK–EU youth mobility deal, the avoidance of major changes to the PTRs, and ABTA's involvement in the government's aviation accessibility workstreams. Each of these matters directly to how holidays are sold, priced and protected.

Behind the policy submissions sits sustained political engagement. Since the general election in July 2024, ABTA has engaged with more than 100 parliamentarians, supported by member visits around the country and continued engagement in Westminster. That groundwork gives the industry a credible voice as decisions are taken on the rules that govern travel.

EES and ETIAS take centre stage

Of all the changes in view, none looms larger than the EU's Entry/Exit System (EES). The new biometric border scheme is expected to be followed by ETIAS, the EU's pre-travel authorisation, later in 2026. Together they represent the most significant practical shift for British travellers crossing into the Schengen area.

ABTA was due to meet the Cabinet Office to discuss the rollout, and will feed members' on-the-ground experiences across government — including the FCDO, the Department for Transport and the Home Office. The association continues to update its member advice as the picture develops. Travellers who want a plain-language summary of how the two schemes connect can consult the ETIAS and EES overview before they plan their next trip.

Priorities for the next six months

EES and ETIAS are not the only items on the agenda. Over the next six months ABTA will also focus on the UK–EU relationship ahead of the next UK–EU Summit, the industry's skills challenges, consumer protection, sustainability, and accessibility — the latter through the Aviation Accessibility Implementation Group and the Maritime Passenger Accessibility Network.

Cruise is firmly in the frame too. ABTA will continue working with CLIA, the Chamber of Shipping and government on the UK Cruise Growth Plan. Taken together, the year ahead is less about a single headline and more about a broad programme of work — with EES and ETIAS as the changes travellers are most likely to notice first.

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