Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) -- The world is rapidly adopting digital technologies, but traces of old habits still remain. For example, you still have to show a paper visa at the airport and stand in line at the hotel reception to show your passport and check into your room.

According to experts, digital identification will significantly improve the quality of travel by reducing the need to work with paper documents. 

According to a global passenger survey conducted by the international air transport association IATA, three-quarters of travelers are positive about the ability to use biometrics instead of a passport or boarding pass. 

Amadeus, a global leader in IT solutions for the travel industry, examined the concept of Digital ID for growth opportunities, potential and how it could impact the entire travel journey from A to Z. This innovative technology, according to Amadeus experts, will have a significant impact on the entire tourism ecosystem in the coming years.

Digital identity usually refers to a system for verifying and confirming identity in the digital space. It may consist of a collection of different accounts, credentials and other elements associated with a specific person. 

Travelers today typically have to show identification - paper or electronic - at many points during their journey. This could be purchasing a travel service on a website, checking in for a flight, going through passport control at the airport, boarding a plane, checking into a hotel, etc. The current identification process can be time-consuming and cumbersome, leading to queues and delays.

The technology developed by Amadeus represents the company's ambitious plan to solve this problem. Amadeus Travel Ready by Traveler ID automates and digitizes the process of identifying passports and medical documents at check-in, eliminating manual processes and associated queues throughout the entire journey.

Thus, reduce stress and make your stay at the airport more enjoyable.

The technology was launched in 2021 during the COVID-19 pandemic to help speed up the digital verification of medical records. In less than a year, over 20 airlines have offered this service to their passengers. More than 25 million documents were checked, which contributed to a faster restoration of transportation. These numbers continue to grow.

For example, at Narita Airport in Japan, passengers can now check in at one of the many biometric check-in kiosks, where their face is photographed and matched to their passport. After checking, the passenger does not need to present any documents - from checking in luggage, going through security control and before boarding the flight. 

In the coming months, Amadeus will launch additional functionality to help streamline airport biometric identification processes through travel providers' mobile apps.

In addition, Amadeus Travel Ready now allows the verification of digitized documents (such as passports and medical documents) even before the traveler arrives at the airport. Automation of the process of passenger identification and document verification is available at any checkpoint. 

François Blanc, Managing Director, Traveler ID, Nexwave at Amadeus, noted:  “Not just airlines, but the entire travel ecosystem - including hotels, airports, car rental companies - can benefit from this technology. At the center of this ecosystem, Amadeus actively engages with industry participants and stakeholders to drive adoption and leverage the power of Digital ID to personalize travel and streamline related experiences.”

Along with the implementation of government programs in this area, such as the European Union's EU Digital Identity Wallet initiative, Amadeus is involved in the development of industry standards, such as IATA One ID and W3C. In 2023, together with IATA and more than 10 other partners, Amadeus was involved in testing the first fully integrated travel experience - from ticket purchase to arrival at your destination - based on digital identity. 

The digital future is fast approaching, and Amadeus actively supports the market's desire to seize the opportunities through innovation.