As the UK government’s public consultation on the introduction of a tourist tax in England concludes this Wednesday, February 18, the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) has released a study estimating that a £10 daily levy could result in at least £14 billion in potential economic losses.
Sri Lankan authorities are currently dealing with a technical issue affecting the transmission of Electronic Travel Authorizations (ETA). Despite these delays, travelers who have already submitted their applications are permitted to travel to the country and will be assisted upon arrival in Sri Lanka.
Since February 16, 2026, the fee for Madagascar’s short-stay (15-day) electronic visa has increased. The official portal, evisamada-mg.com, now lists a new fee of €30, or US$35, for this category of visa issued online.
Nicaragua is undertaking a sweeping overhaul of its entry requirements. The elimination of visas on arrival for dozens of countries, along with the end of several visa exemptions, marks a significant turning point, against a backdrop of U.S. diplomatic pressure tied to migration flows toward the United States.
Starting February 17, 2026, holders of ordinary passports from Canada and the United Kingdom will be able to stay in China for up to 30 days without a visa. This decision, now officially confirmed by the Chinese government, will remain in effect through December 31, 2026.
From January 1 to July 1, 2026, Armenia is implementing a temporary visa exemption for certain foreign nationals holding a residence permit issued by several major economic and regional jurisdictions.
The prospect of the 2026 World Cup is driving a sharp increase in ESTA applications for visa-free travel to the United States. U.S. authorities report that, between October and December 2025, they approved more than one million authorizations for nationals of countries qualified for the competition.
While several recent reports incorrectly announced that new ESTA application requirements had taken effect as of February 9, 2026, the U.S. Embassy in France has issued an official clarification. The proposed changes, including the possible requirement to provide social media identifiers, remain under review and could, at the earliest, be implemented starting in mid-2026, according to a projected timeline.
Mozambique has launched a new version of its e-Visa and Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) application portal, now operated with the support of VFS Global. Unveiled in Maputo during the first National Conference on Digital Transformation, the platform is part of the government’s broader strategy to modernize public administration and aims to simplify, secure, and expedite entry procedures for international travelers.
At its meeting on February 10, 2026, the Cabinet approved a progress report on Thailand’s visa reform initiative launched in 2024 to support tourism and stimulate the national economy. While most of the measures are already in effect, authorities confirmed their consolidation and signaled several potential adjustments, including a possible revision of the 60-day visa exemption in response to documented cases of abuse.
Since this weekend, several media outlets have claimed that new information is now required to enter the United States under the ESTA authorization, including the disclosure of social media histories or more detailed family data. A careful reading of the official document, however, shows that these changes are not yet in effect and are still subject to a preliminary public consultation.
Since January 30, 2026, Singapore has implemented a new border security measure under which certain categories of travelers may now be denied boarding before their flight departs.
The modernization of the European Union’s external borders is now underway. Since the fall of 2025, the Entry/Exit System (EES) has been gradually rolled out, while ETIAS, expected by the end of 2026, will complete this new digital landscape. Two acronyms that are often confused, yet two clearly distinct systems, both reshaping travel formalities for journeys to Europe. Here’s a closer look.
The European Commission has simultaneously presented the first European strategy on asylum and migration management and the European Union’s very first visa strategy. Designed as two complementary pillars, these initiatives set out a shared direction for the next five years, aimed at strengthening border controls, reducing irregular migration, attracting talent, and modernizing mobility management in a changing geopolitical and security environment.
Commissioned by the World Travel & Tourism Council, a large-scale international survey highlights the potentially deterrent effects of proposed changes to U.S. entry requirements under the ESTA program. The planned requirement to provide social media information could discourage some international travelers and place a significant burden on the U.S. tourism economy.
