The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) and the International Border Management & Technologies Association (IBMATA) announce a partnership to promote safe, secure and seamless travel across international borders making best use of new and emerging technology, while enhancing border security.
WTTC represents the global private sector of Travel & Tourism, and IBMATA is a global non-profit organisation promoting communication and collaboration between border agencies and technology providers worldwide.
WTTC’s Seamless Traveller Journey programme envisages a future where the traveller won’t need to provide the same information or passport multiple times. Instead, their experience will be seamless, faster and more enjoyable throughout their entire journey. Biometrics will work at every touchpoint of the journey to make travelling easier for the passenger while providing border services with greater security.
IBMATA works with Border Agencies worldwide to help them facilitate the genuine movement of passengers swiftly and easily across international borders making best use of new and emerging technologies, without compromising border security and border control.
Together, both organisations commit to making the best use of new and emerging technology and established border management principles with their respective members to deliver an improved international passenger experience globally across borders.
Gloria Guevara, President & CEO, WTTC said: “Travel & Tourism employs one in ten people on the planet today and over the course of the next 20 years we will witness a doubling of the number of travellers and the creation of as many as 100 million jobs around the world. We have a responsibility to prepare for the future by transforming the traveller experience while increasing security by working together and with governments. Our relationship with IBMATA will help to promote the concept of safe and secure travel across international borders and improved passenger experience.”
Tony Smith CBE, Chairman of IBMATA, said “Border Agencies are dealing with more international passengers at their international borders than ever before, against a backdrop of static or declining resources. It is important that they make best use of new and emerging technology to enable them to facilitate the traveller experience for the vast majority of low risk traffic, whilst at the same time maintain safe and secure borders. Our relationship with WTTC will enable us to maximise collaboration between the travel industry, border agencies and technology providers to help us deliver this important function.”
