(Posted 25th April 2025)
By Andy Smith, Director of Industry & Innovation, SITA
Take eight billion people a year and squeeze them through the eye of a needle. You have 30
seconds. Now go…
That’s the dilemma facing under-resourced airports and border control officers. Eight billion
airline passengers taking off, landing and being funnelled through constrained immigration
and customs control points by 2043. Airports facing a capacity shortfall of 1.5 billion by 2040.
An aviation industry workforce gap of 1.6 million people looming by 2030.
At the same time, pressure is mounting on governments to counter emerging security
threats, terrorism, human trafficking, and global health threats.
How do you do more, with less?
One solution is to build bigger and bigger infrastructure projects or throw more money and
resources into the pot to prop up outdated traditional systems. The other is to join the global
uptake of digital borders.
Since the tentative early days of 1998 – a pivotal year in which Malaysia introduced the first
electronic passport and SITA developed the world’s inaugural Electronic Travel Authorization
(ETA) system – the world has woken up to the value, efficiency and security imperative of
digital border management.
Driving this digital uptake is the traveler. Having tasted the seamless, secure and safe digital
travel journey, people want more. The 2024 IATA Global Passenger Survey tells us that 73%
of passengers would prefer to use biometric data to board and go through passport control.
Of those surveyed, nearly half had used biometrics at the airport in 2024 and 45%
expressed a desire to complete immigration procedures before arriving at the airport.
That’s not all. A new breed of traveler is also pushing hard for the widespread rollout of
global digital travel systems. The 30- to 40-something Millennials and the 20-something
Generation Zers both embrace digital solutions and online booking methods. They prioritize
convenience and efficiency. And they spend at a scale that surpasses previous generations.
Keeping all travelers – and particularly these travel-hungry younger generations – happy is a
trend no government, airline or airport can afford to ignore.
Choose your IT partner wisely
Enabling digital travel systems is just the beginning. Digital borders are just one important
element of a world-wide technological trend that includes digital identities, biometric
authentication, seamless data exchange and risk assessments powered by artificial
intelligence (AI).
Right now, every corner of the world is embracing digital transformation. If you doubt this for
a moment, just consider that between 2004 and 2028 some 5.6 trillion biometric digital
identity transactions will take place around the world, bringing in around US$315 billion in
revenue while simultaneously helping to improve efficiencies, ramp up fraud protection,
enhance the customer experience, and streamline regulatory compliance.
Driven by passenger demand, digital wallets, digital identities, and online loyalty programs
are all becoming the norm as companies and governments seize every opportunity to
innovate across the unfolding digital border journey.
As this ecosystem grows, partnering with a global leader in border management solutions is
not a nice-to-have, it’s an imperative. To truly export a sovereign border back to the point of
check-in necessitated leveraging Interactive Advance Passenger Information (iAPI) that
equips border officials with detailed passenger information prior to departure, building in
valuable time to address any red flags efficiently behind the scenes. The level of real-time
risk assessment which iAPI data enables simply cannot be achieved using yesterday’s
technology or border systems.
Why traditional borders are falling behind
Fortunately, many governments now see how technologies can be incorporated to
complement existing physical processes and checkpoints which alone cannot meet the
demands of sophisticated travelers and the high-volume airline industry.
The forward-thinking Caribbean island of Aruba is a great example. Aruba has adopted
emerging standards for transformational international travel that embrace digital solutions
and platforms. Aruba recognized the value – financially and in terms of both security and
goodwill – of more streamlined pre-boarding clearances and at-border processing. Other
nations are also waking up to this potential, although many are still battling to grasp that a
digital border is not just about digitizing existing physical processes, it’s an entire mindset
shift.
A digital border moves the parameters of existing border management right back to the time
of booking a ticket, and the moment when a passenger applies for digital pre-clearance in
the form of an eVisa, traditional entry visa or ETA.
A digital border process affords airlines and governments time to cross-check passenger
details and conduct security checks, reduce workloads, and making the entire process
smarter, faster, and more secure. For travelers this translates into a more enjoyable and
hassle-free experience.
No longer a trend, but a clear flight path
Borders are evolving. That’s a fact. It’s not just regions like the United States, the
Antipodeans or the European Union that see digital transformation as a means of enhancing
competitiveness, transparency and efficiency. Emerging nations across Africa, Latin America
and Asia increasingly recognize the power of digital borders to leapfrog them into global
contention. After all, digital borders help:
? Check passenger data
? Streamline airport and border activities
? Optimize border agent activities
? Combat trans-national crime
? Control migratory flows
? Assist with risk prevention
? Attract and promote tourism
? Boost trade and economic development
Back in 1998 taking those first bold steps towards enabling a digital border was visionary,
today it’s a non-negotiable evolution to ensure the future global competitiveness of
countries, airlines and airports. To achieve that sort of transformation, you need a partner
like SITA, who understands that digital solutions don’t have to be overwhelming and that you
can think big, even if you’re starting small.
