SITA is teaming up with Indicio.tech and the Aruba Health Department to trial a new travel credential that will give people a secure way to share their health status. The country has remained open to tourism during the COVID-19 pandemic, though anyone traveling to the island needs to take (and pass) a PCR test in the 72 hours before they board the plane.
The Aruba Health App would allow end users to share the results of that test without disclosing any other personal information. Once they receive a negative test result, the platform will use blockchain technology to issue a trusted traveler credential. That credential would then be stored on the user’s smartphone, and could be presented at hotels, restaurants, and other hospitality venues to prove that the holder is not infected with COVID-19. The venues, meanwhile, would verify the authenticity of the credential with a simple QR code scan.
According to SITA, the Aruba Health App speaks to the broader interest in decentralized identities that protect people’s privacy. The company is eventually hoping to develop a simple digital credential that consolidates a person’s passport, health, and visa information.
“By providing a trusted traveler credential, we can be sure that visitors have the right documentation needed to move freely around the island while making the verification of that trusted status easy without having to divulge personal information,” said Aruba Minister of Tourism, Public Health and Sport Dangui Oduber.
“Giving travelers the ability to share verifiable health data with relevant stakeholders will help expedite the industry’s recovery,” added SITA Americas President Diana Einterz. “This trial puts us one step closer to single travel tokens that give passengers more control by allowing them to share their credentials with governments, airports, and airlines from their mobile device.”
SITA previously dabbled with immunity credentials with the debut of its Health Protect suite in February. The company is also working with NEC to bring mobile screening technologies to airports all over the world.
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