ETIAS to come into force in 2021

THE WTTC congratulates the EU on the adoption of the new European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS), a pre-authorisation system which allows the EU to know who is entering the EU, from where and if they pose a risk to EU security. When ETIAS comes into operation, all visa-exempt third-country nationals who plan to travel to the Schengen area will have to apply for pre-travel authorisation. The aim of this is to ease travel to the EU and simplify border checks. 

ETIAS will be free for under 18s and over 70s and 7 euros for all other travellers. Applying for ETIAS requires no more than a travel document, credit card and access to internet. A vast majority of applicants will receive a positive reply within minutes. If additional information, documentation or an interview would be needed, different possibilities will be offered taking into account the situation of the traveller.

The new system was adopted on the 5th July at the European Parliament Plenary in Strasbourg and is expected to come into operation in 2021.



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Egypt introduce new e-visa service

THE Egyptian government have introduced a new e-visa service, whereby citizens from stated countries, including the UK, can now easily obtain an entry visa online.

The new service offers an alternative to applications upon arrival, or through the Egyptian consulate prior to travel.

Simplifying travel to the country and speeding up the process at border control, residents from 46 countries across Europe, Asia and Australasia can now apply for a visa through a simple online application form.



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State of the art arrivals at Dubai International

THE inauguration of the new experience at arrivals at Dubai International Airport coincided with UAE’s Month of Innovation. The roll out of the latest generation of Automated Border Control SmartGates has gone live this month as part of a transformation program which aims at offering passengers a state-of-the art Border Control experience as well as enhancing the immigration security process.

The General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA) from #Dubai awarded the challenge to Emaratech and partner Vision-Box. This ground-breaking project includes the development, delivery and maintenance of a new generation of multimodal biometric passenger flow solution comprising 122 #SmartGates, deployed across all three Dubai International Airport terminals.

The SmartGates are able to expedite passenger clearance at Dubai Airports’ borders, offering a speedy self-service transaction by way of multi-biometric verification, sustained by passport, Emirates ID and SmartGate cards authentication.

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Single biggest opportunity for the Travel & Tourism sector

IMPLEMENTATION of biometric technology to facilitate secure borders is the single biggest opportunity for the Travel & Tourism sector in 2018, according to Gloria Guevara Manzo, President and CEO of the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC). 

Ms. Guevara also highlighted the importance of developments in artificial intelligence and machine learning, virtual and augmented reality and changing demographics, particularly the ‘coming of age’ of millennials and growth of Generation Z, for Travel & Tourism. 

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Up in the air . . .

FOLLOWING a major overhaul of the security search area for departing passengers, Bristol Airport has unveiled plans to address congestion in arrivals.

The £2.3 million project will take the number of passport control points from the current ten to a total of 17 when it opens in spring next year, including ten of the latest ePassport gates which provide a safe, secure and speedy alternative to the conventional border control process.

As well as introducing new equipment, the work will enlarge the immigration hall which will be redesigned to create a more welcoming environment and streamline the border process for passengers.

These improvements build on upgrades to other arrivals areas delivered as part of the current £24 million west terminal extension, including enlarged meet and greet and baggage reclaim zones, and a new World Duty Free store for arriving passengers.

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Victoria Falls Airport and Kazangula Delays

WILD HORIZONS, Victoria Falls tour operators have issued travel advice to their arriving guests that long delays are currently being experienced at both, Victoria Falls Airport on arrival, and at the Kazungula border post.

The delays are brought about by the increase in the volume of traffic using these facilities in peak season. The new Victoria Falls Airport sky-bridge system does, however, ensure a comfortable transition from aircraft to airport and guests are now able to complete immigration formalities inside the new air-conditioned arrival hall.

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Picture Credit: 60397709@N06/17318864625 Vicky Falls via photopin.com

Two countries, one visa for international tourists

AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND’S tourism industry groups are calling for a permanent Trans-Tasman visa that would allow international tourists to travel between both countries with a regional visa – making long-haul flights to #Australia and #NewZealand more attractive. 

A temporary #Trans-Tasman visa arrangement was implemented during the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015, during which visitors needed only an Australian visa to travel to New Zealand. A three-month visa was granted upon arrival in New Zealand to those holding an eligible Australian visa. 

The Tourism & Transport Forum Australia (TTF) and Tourism Industry Association New Zealand (TIA) have written a joint letter to the Australian minister for Immigration and Border Protection calling for the implementation of a permanent Trans-Tasman visa by the end of 2016.

‘Australia and New Zealand are long-haul destinations – it makes a lot of sense for us to package the two countries together in a joint regional visa to prospective international tourists who are weighing up the long flight to our countries,’ said Margy Osmond, TTF CEO. ‘The reality is that if you are coming halfway around the world to Australia or New Zealand, you want to make it worth your while, just as travelling to Europe we visit a multitude of countries on that continent, not just one.

‘Seamless travel between Australia and New Zealand for our own citizens and international visitors is a goal we should be strongly pursuing to make our two nations a more attractive destination in what is a cut-throat, competitive tourism market.’

“A 2014 TTF investigation into the benefits of streamlining the Trans-Tasman border highlighted that a joint visa scheme could increase the number of international visitors to our region by 141,300 people by 2020 – that’s more jobs and economic activity we are missing out on by dragging our feet on a Trans-Tasman Visa.’

TIA CEO Chris Roberts said: ‘It makes sense to invest and market a joint Australia-New Zealand experience to potential international visitors. This is already happening successfully elsewhere – for example, the Schengen zone of European countries, where a single visitor visa is required.’

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Picture Credit: Brisbane Sign, Australia</a> via <a href="http://photopin.com, By Ronnie Macdonald from Chelmsford, United Kingdom - Auckland Harbour View 09, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=25803290

US entry scheme expansion could shorten clearance times

REGULAR travellers to the #US could see dramatically shorter processing times upon entry with the expansion of its #GlobalEntry scheme. 

US Customs and Border Protection commissioner, Gil Kerlikowske, and the director- general of the UK Border Force, Sir Charles Montgomery, announced the plans at the World Travel Market in London.

Global Entry allows for faster clearance of ‘pre-approved, low-risk travellers’. The average processing time at a Global Entry kiosk is one minute.

Preceding the announcement, US ambassador in London, Matthew Barzun, cited the ‘infuriation’ of UK travellers over processing times when they arrive in the US. He said 125,000 UK citizens travel to the US four or more times each year.

Sir Charles said: ‘The expansion of the Global Entry service to British citizens is a testament to the close collaboration between our two countries. We have a mutual interest in operating safe and secure border controls, where legitimate, low-risk travellers are offered excellent levels of customer service.’

Global Entry is currently available at 46 US airports and 13 'preclearance' locations. To register, UK citizens apply through the Home Office website and pay a £42 processing fee. If the applicant passes the UK vetting process they will receive an access code to enter when applying for Global Entry through the Global Online Enrolment System (GOES). Once the application is approved, an interview is scheduled with a Customs and Border Protection officer to assess eligibility. 

The fee for a five-year membership is $100 (£65). UK citizens can register for the scheme from December 3.

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