With more and more travellers visiting Asia every year, we have seen several technological advancements across our 10 destinations that make the travel and immigration process much easier. Numerous countries in East, Southeast, and South Asia are no longer quaint and exotic frontiers but trendsetters in making travel as convenient and effortless as possible.
Take Thailand, for example. Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport recently launched an automated biometric identification system that has significantly reduced time visitors spend at various checkpoints (from three minutes to one minute). This facility has now been extended to international travellers at Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Don Mueang, Hat Yai, and Phuket airports.
Last year, Singapore also rolled out facial recognition and iris biometrics at Changi Airport, which enables travellers to complete immigration procedures in as little as 10 seconds. This is a game changer as it has allowed millions of travellers to access passport-free clearance when they leave the country (although foreign visitors still need to show their passports upon arrival).
Japan, which set a new record last year by welcoming 36.87 million tourists to the country, is also keen on automating its immigration screenings — with the government setting an ambitious goal of welcoming 60 million foreigners in 2030. Additionally, to avoid longer immigration lines, Japan seeks to imminently launch a specialised app where visitors can declare accommodation details and the purpose of their stay before arriving in the country. These applications will then be taken up by the Immigration Services Agency who can approve or decline them in advance.
The tropical island of Bali is one of our most popular destinations and a frontrunner in making immigration an easy, breezy process for global travellers. In 2024, I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport introduced 90 autogates that have since allowed over six million Indonesian and foreign travellers (with digital visas or on visa-exempt arrangements) to scan their passports and complete their biometric verification within seconds. As Indonesia seeks to attract over 200 million passengers annually by 2030, this technological development is certainly a key step in making the immigration process more efficient and effective in the long run.
Malaysia and Vietnam have also introduced autogates at some of their biggest international airports. Citizens from 63 countries are eligible to use autogates at Kuala Lumpur’s International Airport for immigration clearance. Since 2023, the Vietnam Immigration Department has piloted autogates at five international airports of Noi Bai, Da Nang, Cam Ranh, Tan Son Nhat and Phu Quoc. However, they are yet to be applicable for foreign tourists.
The ease in immigration is just one aspect of how technological advancements have made travelling to Asia a fuss-free process. From electronic vehicles to digital payments and much more, Asia is a cultural juggernaut that has wholeheartedly embraced tech innovations to facilitate sustainable and responsible travel. And we can’t wait for our partners and guests alike to experience this ease of travel for themselves.
Reach out to our excellent team today to find out how you can take advantage of these advancements!
Reach out to our excellent team today
to find out how you can take advantage of these advancements!
and stay at the forefront of new product offerings, Discova behind-the-scenes, destination news, travel trends and thought leadership articles from our on-the-ground experts.
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and stay at the forefront of new product offerings, Discova behind-the-scenes, destination news, travel trends and thought leadership articles from our on-the-ground experts.
