It will be possible to fly to Aruba without a passport

The Aruba Tourism Authority (a paradise island in the Caribbean) will launch digital travel credentials for all travelers coming to the island nation starting in March 2024.

The credentials allow arriving visitors to pass pre-boarding checks and border checkpoints without providing a physical passport, reports Phocus Wire.

Aruba calls its credential system "Aruba Happy One Pass" or AHOP. With AHOP, travelers can convert their physical passports into verifiable digital credentials on their mobile devices and, through biometric checks performed by the SITA automatic border control gates at Aruba Airport, match them to their passport images using facial recognition. "The addition of biometrics to Aruba HOP's capabilities is an important step toward transforming global travel," said Heather Dahl, CEO of Indicio.

"The advent of digital identities means we will be able to travel anywhere-by air, land or sea-without having to show physical travel documents," said Jeremy Springall, senior vice president of SITA at Borders.

The system is expected to go live next spring and gradually expand its capabilities.