Smart Travel

The World Economic Forum argues that outdated visa practices and redundant airport security processes act as non-tariff trade barriers that hinder economic growth, particularly for the expanding middle class in emerging economies. The report proposes a 'Smart Travel' approach consisting of two main pillars: the streamlining of visa processes through e-visas and regional common visa areas, and the implementation of a Fully Automated Check-in, Security and Border Control (ACIS) system. This ACIS model envisions a seamless journey where biometric data and risk-classification are used to eliminate redundant checks and reduce wait times. The report outlines a four-phase roadmap to achieve this vision, moving from isolated national systems to a fully integrated regional digital visa and seamless security process by 2020.

• Visa requirements are characterized as non-tariff barriers to trade that depress job creation and economic growth. For G20 economies, improving visa processes alone could generate between $35 billion and $206 billion in additional tourism receipts by 2015 and create up to 5.1 million new jobs.
• The current airport experience is plagued by redundancy and inefficiency due to a lack of a comprehensive approach to security, where distinct government agencies with overlapping jurisdictions create wasteful efforts. This fragmentation can lead to security failures, as seen when passengers with stolen passports were able to board Malaysia Airlines flight 370.
• The report advocates for the creation of common visa areas to reduce costs for travellers and allow cooperating states to share the financial burdens of visa administration. Examples of such models include the 26-state Schengen area, the ECOWAS region for West African states, and the APEC Business Travel Card (ABTC).
• The proposed ACIS (Fully Automated Check-in, Security and Border Control) solution would create a seamless experience by collecting traveller information once and redistributing it across agencies. This involves electronic visa approval, biometric scanning (fingerprint or iris), and risk-based screening to eliminate the need for check-in desks and long security lines.
• The implementation of Smart Travel is envisioned in four phases: starting from today's isolated national systems, moving to unilateral recognition of supra-country visas and risk-based screening, then to bilateral recognition and international visa databases, and finally to a complete regional digital visa with seamless security processes by 2020.

APA

World Economic Forum (2014). Smart Travel. http://www3.weforum.org/docs/GAC/2014/WEF_GAC_TravelTourism_SmartTravel_WhitePaper_2014.pdf

Chicago

World Economic Forum. Smart Travel. 2014. http://www3.weforum.org/docs/GAC/2014/WEF_GAC_TravelTourism_SmartTravel_WhitePaper_2014.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=World Economic Forum |title=Smart Travel |date=June 2014 |url=http://www3.weforum.org/docs/GAC/2014/WEF_GAC_TravelTourism_SmartTravel_WhitePaper_2014.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{worldeconomicforum2014smart, author = {{World Economic Forum}}, title = {{Smart Travel}}, institution = {World Economic Forum}, year = {2014}, month = jun, url = {http://www3.weforum.org/docs/GAC/2014/WEF_GAC_TravelTourism_SmartTravel_WhitePaper_2014.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }