The annual TRIP 2025 Symposium, organised by the International Civil Aviation Organisation, has convened in Montréal this week, where the travel industry and governments have exchanged ideas to advance the deployment of trusted identity technology and common standards everywhere, at borders and in daily life.
Governments that have an authority to enforce identification and verification of every traveller that passes borders are eager to instate a new global baseline for secure, convenient and inclusive travel.
Billions of individuals travel through international borders every year and need to prove their identity as well as to access other services.
“Everyone deserves secure proof of their identity, and everyone deserves the freedom to fly”.
ICAO Council President Salvatore Sciacchitano said in his opening remarks that “billions of people are counting on the work we do at the ICAO TRIP Symposium” to enhance secure ID and technology in airports to reliably screen passengers.
Automation, interoperability, and robust data exchange are now becoming foundational elements of border management, and progress is accelerating.
To date, 165 ICAO Member States have issued more than a billion electronic machine-readable travel documents, which can be validated automatically and worldwide through the ICAO Public Key Directory. This enables governments to confirm the authenticity of these documents.
New Digital Travel Credentials and barcode standards are also helping countries, including those with limited infrastructure, adopt contactless and seamless travel solutions.
With global passenger numbers expected to triple over the next 25 years, the need for secure and efficient identity systems is becoming more urgent. Air travel is projected to reach 4.6 billion passengers in 2025 and 12.4 billion by 2050.
At the 42nd ICAO Assembly last month, governments adopted binding resolutions to implement the ICAO Strategic Plan for 2050, which envisions an air transport system that is safe, accessible to all, and environmentally sustainable, with zero fatalities and net-zero carbon emissions.
The universal application of advanced technologies and processes will be key to closing the digital divide and ensuring that every traveller, and every country, benefits from innovation.
As the 20th TRIP Symposium continues, ICAO will also host an Interoperability and Conformance Testing event on 6-7 November 2025, aimed at improving the quality of facial images stored on eMRTDs. The event will support countries upgrading their travel document systems and border inspection technologies.
Identity Week provides the ideal platform for leaders shaping the future of secure and seamless travel. As governments collaborate on new global identity standards, the event connects innovators in biometrics, digital ID, and border management offering insights, partnerships, and technologies that directly support the ICAO’s vision for inclusive, trusted international mobility.
