Albufeira, Faro, Portugal, March 2, 2026 (Lusa) - Algarve hoteliers on Monday asked the Portuguese government to suspend the European border control system (EES) at Faro airport during the high season, warning of the "risk of damage to the image" of the Algarve as a tourist destination.
The request was made by the Algarve Hotels and Tourist Resorts Association (AHETA) in a letter addressed to the prime minister and the ministers of the economy and tourism, announced today the largest hotel association in the Algarve.
In the letter, AHETA expresses "deep concern about the implementation of the Entry/Exit System (EES), the new European border control system for biometric registration of passengers from outside the Schengen area".
Following a recent meeting with the management of Gago Coutinho (Faro) Airport, the association concedes that the outlook for summer 2026 "is frightening", anticipating a scenario of congestion "that could exceed the chaos experienced in previous years and cause irreparable damage" to the Algarve's reputation as a tourist destination.
The EES, resulting from an agreement between 29 Schengen countries, began testing in October 2025 and is scheduled to become fully operational in April 2026, coinciding with the start of the high season in the Algarve.
AHETA argues that "the inefficiencies already demonstrated" by the system have caused monumental queues at European airports, highlighting Lisbon Airport, where the government suspended the application of the EES at the end of 2025 for three months "to prevent the collapse of the operation and normalise passenger flow".
The association points out that the UK market accounts for more than 50% of traffic at Gago Coutinho Airport in Faro between April and October and, as it is a country outside the Schengen Area, it will be fully subject to the new biometric and registration controls.
"The effort to diversify markets, which has made it possible to increase the number of tourists from the United States and Canada, could also be compromised, as these long-haul passengers will face the same procedures on arrival," the note reads.
To avoid queues and several hours of waiting at Faro Airport, AHETA urges the Government to follow the recommendations of the British Travel Agents Association and apply, to the fullest extent, the contingency measures provided for by the European Union.
The main demand is for the temporary suspension of the new passenger control system between 1 June and 30 September, to prevent the peak tourist season from being marked by several hours of waiting and "mass protests" by passengers and operators.
AHETA also calls for "urgent reinforcement" of human resources and electronic control points, considering that it is imperative to do everything within the power of the State and institutions to "minimise the difficulties" of those visiting the country.
JPC/AYLS // AYLS
Lusa
