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Greece and Turkey benefitting from EU border chaos, says Advantage, as late bookings surge

Analysis
Harry Kemble
22 July 2026

Greece and Turkey appear to be benefiting from the patchy rollout of the EU's new biometric border checks, according to the Advantage Travel Partnership, with both countries appearing among the consortium's top-performing short-haul destinations for 2026.

Kefalonia in Greece
iStock/ mrtekmekci

Greece and Turkey are among the top-performing short-haul destinations for Advantage members

Greece chose to delay requiring travellers from Britain, one of its top source markets, to complete the new EU Entry-Exit System (EES) checks, while Turkey sits outside the European bloc, meaning travellers there don't have to clear EES.

Julia Lo Bue-Said, Advantage Travel Partnership Chief Executive, said: “Greece tops the charts as the highest growing summer holiday destination, in part thanks to the delayed rollout of the EES scheme, while Turkey has seen a last-minute rise in bookings by travellers seeking fantastic value for money and beautiful destinations.