Aruba streamlines US travel procedures with the new Aruba Happy One Pass
Recently, Aruba’s Minister of Tourism and Public Health, Minister Dangui Oduber, announced the successful trial of a pilot program for a new mobile application called the Aruba Happy One Pass (HOP).
SITA, in partnership with Indicio, the Aruban Government, and the Aruba Tourism Authority, announced the implementation of a verifiable digital credential technology which would allow seamless travel to the One Happy Island.
The Digital Travel Credential (DTC) technology used in the Aruba Happy One Pass would allow passengers arriving to Queen Beatrix International Airport to fulfill government immigration requirements without needing to manually enter information from paper travel documents as it turns their physical passport into a digital credential. A critical feature of the DTC is that the authenticity, integrity, and ownership of the data can be automatically and repeatedly verified with the passenger’s consent. The new app would streamline the airport’s arrival and border control process while reducing the risk of error, identity theft, or fraud.
Dangui Oduber, Aruba’s Minister of Tourism & Public Health, said: “The milestone that our island has reached with The Aruba Happy One Pass is a remarkable one within the future of seamless travel experiences. Innovation within the tourism industry has always been a focal point in our strategic vision and policy making. We are pleased that Aruba is part of this groundbreaking progress, ensuring quality and excellence for all of our visitors.”
Ronella Croes, CEO of Aruba Tourism Authority (ATA), said: “As a Caribbean destination with one of the highest return rates, Aruba continually strives to implement innovative technology in an effort to deliver an exceptional travel experience from the moment travelers leave their homes. Through the Aruba Happy One Pass program, traveling to and from Aruba has never been easier. We are thrilled to offer our guests a more streamlined process, showcasing Aruba’s innovation in the tourism industry.”
Jeremy Springall, SVP, SITA at BORDERS, said: “The world of travel is becoming increasingly interconnected, where passengers are expected to share their identity each step of the way. Governments, airlines, and airports are increasingly seeing the benefit of a digital credential, which streamlines the identification process and still allows the passenger to better control their data using a medium they prefer: their mobile device. Working with Aruba and Indicio, we are excited to be leading the way to making digital travel a reality.”
Heather Dahl, CEO of Indicio, said: “A government-issued passport represents the highest form of identity assurance. What we’ve done is built a way to translate the trustworthiness of a passport into an equally trustworthy ICAO DTC type 1 digital credential – all without needing to store any personal data about the passenger outside the credential.”