The closure of international borders in response to the COVID-19 pandemic has had an unprecedented and far-reaching impact on a global scale. It has significantly affected national and international economies, as well as the livelihoods of millions of individuals reliant on the Travel and tourism industry.
There is now an urgent imperative to reinvigorate safe international travel. In June 2021, the G7 Carbis Bay Summit Communique acknowledged the pressing need for a secure restart of international travel, encompassing land, air, and sea routes. This commitment was a pivotal element of the “Shared Agenda for Global Action to Build Back Better.”
In September 2021, the G7 Health and Transport Ministers underscored the significance of safely and sustainably reopening international travel. They agreed upon a series of measures and principles designed to establish global standards for safe international travel, thereby fostering the long-term recovery of the international travel sector.
The Leaders Declaration of the G20 Heads of State & Government Summit, held in October 2021, further endorsed the resumption of international travel in a safe and orderly manner, aligning with the guidance of esteemed international organizations such as the WHO, ICAO, IMO, and the OECD.
Interoperability and the utilization of digital travel portals and solutions play a pivotal role in reviving international travel. Both the public and private sectors must collaborate closely in pursuit of these objectives. To facilitate the implementation of COVID-19 health checks for travellers, innovative technologies and processes have been rapidly developed. Governments have introduced online systems for capturing traveller contact tracing information, and national authorities, as well as commercial organizations, have introduced smartphone solutions for COVID-19 status certificates. The swift global advancement of technical innovations has resulted in an extensive international network of distinct yet harmonized approaches. Similar yet varied technological solutions and policies for COVID-19 health checks have been concurrently and independently developed across borders, expediting the recovery process.