The UAE has announced the launch of the pilot version of the One-Stop Point for Air Travellers project with Bahrain, to ease the movement of travellers who are citizens of the two countries, save time and effort and reduce waiting times at the airports included in the project, as well as increase tourism and trade, support economic growth, security stability and regional cooperation, and achieve infrastructure integration between the two countries.
The project is implemented in the UAE by the Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security, and in Bahrain by the Ministry of Interior, in cooperation with the General Secretariat of the Gulf Cooperation Council and the relevant authorities in both countries. As a first phase, the project is being implemented at Zayed International Airport and Bahrain International Airport, according to a post on the Emirates News Agency website.
The One-Stop Travel Point project includes pre-registration of entry in the country of departure for citizens of the two countries travelling by air between the UAE and Bahrain, through electronic linking, biometric verification, surveillance systems and e-gates, and processing passenger data and documenting their movement before they reach their final destination. Travellers who are citizens of the two countries can thus complete procedures at their own countries' airports, reducing congestion, speeding up entry and making the travel experience more comfortable and secure.
For his part, Major General Suhail Saeed Al Khaili, Director General of the Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security, explained that the One-Stop Travel Point project is one of the innovative projects reflecting the keenness of the GCC states to ease travellers' journeys and enable them to enjoy a safe and comfortable travel experience.
He added that this step confirms the authority's keenness to consolidate cooperation and partnership with strategic partners not only locally but also regionally and globally, through electronic linking and the use of the latest technologies and applications in exchanging and processing data, enhancing customers' journeys and raising their wellbeing and quality of life.
He noted that the project helps increase tourism and intra-trade between the two countries in particular and the GCC states in general, by turning the two countries' airports into main departure points that boost tourism and travel and support economic activities, opening new horizons for economic and development cooperation, as well as achieving customs and security integration and increasing the regional and global competitiveness of the two countries' airports, making them preferred transit points for travellers to the countries of the region.
Mohammed Ahmed Al Kuwaiti, Acting Director General of Ports at the authority, explained that the One-Stop Travel Point project between the UAE and Bahrain reflects the advanced level of strategic integration between the two countries and embodies a shared vision to ease mobility and enhance the travel experience for citizens, and improve travellers' quality of life through smart solutions based on digital transformation and government integration between the UAE and its partners, stemming from both countries' commitment to developing the travel and ports system by adopting innovative solutions that help raise the efficiency of government services.
He said that electronic linking, data integration and advance data exchange ensure the highest levels of accuracy, security and smooth procedures while preserving privacy and protecting information, noting that the project is a qualitative step towards the future of smart mobility in the GCC states and a model that can be expanded and applied regionally, given its great importance for tourism and business and for strengthening the position of the two countries' airports as smart and advanced ports of entry.
For his part, Dr. Hamad Saif Al Mashghouni, Executive Director of the Air Ports Affairs Sector, stressed that the "One-Stop Air Travel Point" project between the Kingdom of Bahrain and the UAE is one of the strategic initiatives between the two countries aimed at easing the movement of citizens and residents between the Gulf states with greater efficiency and smoothness.
He explained that the project aims to bring about a qualitative shift in travel procedures between the GCC states by unifying exit and entry procedures at a single point at the departure airport, with applications completed in advance through an integrated electronic linking system for the secure and instant exchange of data between the relevant authorities in the two countries.
He stressed that the project relies on an advanced technical system that includes pre-registration of travellers, data exchange before arrival and integration of passport and port systems, helping reduce procedure times and shorten the traveller's journey to a single point at departure, which positively reflects on the speed of completing procedures and reduces the time the traveller spends at the airport.
He explained that the project represents a pivotal step on the path towards smart travel, helping reduce reliance on traditional counters and enhancing the use of e-gates and advanced digital systems, with future plans to integrate artificial intelligence and predictive analytics technologies to support decision-making and raise the efficiency of managing passenger traffic.
He stressed that the main challenge at the start of the project was aligning technical systems and electronic linking between the countries, but the existing level of digital integration among the GCC states helped overcome this challenge smoothly, reflecting the readiness of the Gulf digital infrastructure to implement advanced integration projects.
He noted that the project's impact is not limited to easing procedures, but also helps support security aspects through advance information exchange, enhancing data accuracy and raising the efficiency of risk management, striking a balance between speed of completion and maintaining the highest standards of security and safety. He stressed that the "One-Stop Air Travel Point" project represents a first phase within a broader vision to develop the travel system between the GCC states.
To view the post on the Emirates News Agency website, click here.
