Airside, an Entrust Company, the global leader in privacy-based digital identity, announced with the Government of Curaçao and Vision-Box, an Amadeus company, the world's first fully operational pre-processing biometric border crossing program.
MINNEAPOLIS, July 2, 2024 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Airside, an Entrust Company, the global leader in privacy-based digital identity, announced with the Government of Curaçao and Vision-Box, an Amadeus company, the world's first fully operational pre-processing biometric border crossing program. Visitors to the Caribbean island can now experience a seamless, contactless journey to their destination thanks to this pioneering initiative, which aims to streamline and secure the travel process by putting travelers and their data privacy at the center of their trip. The launch coincides with Curaçao's record-breaking tourism surge, as the island saw historic numbers in 2023, closing the year with 1.76 million passengers.
Travel Securely from Airside to Seaside
The Curaçao Express Pass program enables travelers to Curaçao to securely share passport data with border control officials before their trip using the Airside Digital Identity App. Upon arrival at Curaçao International Airport (CUR), pre-processed travelers enjoy expedited clearance through designated lanes where they simply show their faces to process through contactless eGates, powered by Vision-Box technology. This eliminates the need for physical document checks and traditional border control interactions, reducing traveler processing times by more than 50% while maintaining the highest levels of security and accuracy.
"Trust begins with verified identity. Curaçao's innovative approach to border management is truly impressive and Entrust is honored to be part of this landmark program," said Tony Ball, President of Payments & Identity at Entrust. "With the Airside mobile identity application, we're streamlining border crossings and redefining secure, seamless travel. This initiative marks a significant milestone in our mission to enhance security, convenience, and trust for citizens and visitors worldwide."
The Airside Digital Identity App leverages technology trusted by the U.S. government and the world's largest airlines and used by millions to save time in lines and protect data privacy. The app is fully customized to meet Curaçao's specific requirements, empowering travelers to initiate the verification and sharing of their electronic travel data, including biographic and biometric data, to the country's immigration services. All EU, UK, US, and CAN passengers are eligible to use the Curaçao Express Pass service in the Airside app. The app adheres to the highest data protection and user privacy standards, ensuring that travelers remain in control of their personal information throughout the process.
"Most of what you do at an eGate can now be done on your phone in just a few clicks," said Adam Tsao, Founder of Airside. "Our privacy-first approach to digital identity management allows travelers to accelerate their journey without risking their personal data. This aligns perfectly with Curaçao's vision of prioritizing travelers, enhancing their experience from the moment they arrive, and extending their vacation time."
Tourism is a crucial driver of Curaçao's economy, and the new border crossing system is expected to significantly improve the island's ability to welcome visitors efficiently and securely. In 2023, Curaçao witnessed 582,409 stayover visitors, resulting in an estimated economic impact of $1.4 billion. The Curaçaoan government expects to extend this solution to departures from the island starting in late 2024.
"This solution realizes an important component in our vision to create contactless border crossing, as it is essential that we adopt innovative solutions that increase our efficiency and effectiveness as border control officers," said Shalten Hato, Minister of Justice. "Our partnership with Airside will not only enhance the traveler experience but also bolster our national security. We look forward to welcoming visitors to Curaçao with this cutting-edge, user-friendly system."
A Future of Seamless Travel
Entrust's acquisition of Onfido in April 2024, which included Airside, has positioned it at the forefront of seamless travel solutions. Combining Airside's proven expertise in digital identity verification and sharing with Entrust's extensive capabilities in secure credential issuance and authentication, the company is poised to drive the global adoption of secure, contactless border control systems.
About Entrust
Entrust keeps the world moving safely by enabling strong identities, secure payments, and protected data. We offer an unmatched breadth of solutions that are critical to the future of secure enterprises, governments, the people they serve, and the data and transactions associated with them. With our experts serving customers in more than 150 countries and a network of global partners, it's no wonder the world's most trusted organizations trust us. For more information, visit www.entrust.com.
About Airside
Airside, an Entrust Company, provides instant identity proofing – and sharing – that is fast, private, and simple. The patented, decentralized technology allows people to securely verify and store their mobile, digital ID on their phone and share it with control of their data. Learn more at airsidemobile.com or connect with Airside on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.
For more information contact:
Alison Sural
Senior Director, Communications
+1 202.264.9224
SOURCE Airside
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