The mayor of Salou, Pere Granados, has conveyed to the Minister of Industry and Tourism, Jordi Hereu, concerns about the effects of the new European EES system on airports receiving international tourism. Granados highlighted Reus Airport as a key infrastructure for British visitors to the Costa Daurada. The meeting also included ABTA CEO Mark Tanzer, Secretary of State for Tourism Rosario Sánchez, and representatives from tourist municipalities.
In this context, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between the municipalities of Seville, Calvià, Benidorm, and Lloret de Mar, ABTA (an association of UK travel agencies), and the Ministry of Industry and Tourism. The agreement aims to strengthen cooperation in tourism quality, sustainability, market knowledge, and destination promotion.
The new EES system, which replaces passport stamping for controlling non-EU travellers entering the Schengen area, is causing significant operational delays at airports like Reus, particularly during peak travel periods. This system requires the collection of biometric data, such as facial images and fingerprints, upon first entry.
In response to this situation, the mayor of Salou has proposed analysing measures to expedite border controls. A key suggestion is to allow some of the required data to be registered in the countries of origin before boarding, thereby reducing waiting times upon arrival.
Minister Jordi Hereu agreed on the importance of evaluating the system's impact and expressed a willingness to explore solutions to minimise operational issues at airports with high international tourist activity.
The historic link between Salou and the British market was also highlighted during the meeting, recalling the town's active participation in the ABTA annual congress in Birmingham in 1994, an initiative for international projection.
