LAGOS, NIGERIA — African travellers are the most likely to have been discouraged from visiting destinations because of immigration requirements. This is despite demonstrating strong interest in digital travel solutions, including biometric identification and digital passports.
The findings are contained in the International Air Transport Association’s 2026 Global Passenger Survey. The report was released on Tuesday.
Key Findings
The survey examined the changing behaviour, preferences, and expectations of air travellers worldwide. It identified three major developments shaping passenger experiences.
These are the growing acceptance of biometric identification, the increasing use of artificial intelligence in travel planning, and the rising influence of immigration requirements on passengers’ decisions.
While African travellers remain among the most satisfied with their travel experiences, the report highlighted the difficulties posed by complex immigration procedures and costs. These continue to discourage prospective visitors from travelling to certain destinations.
Low Biometric Adoption
IATA noted that biometric adoption across Africa remained among the lowest of all regions. This is despite interest in digital travel solutions ranking among the strongest globally.
This suggests considerable potential for African aviation stakeholders and governments. They can accelerate the adoption of digital technologies to improve passenger processing and facilitate international travel.
According to the survey, complexity is the leading concern among African travellers deterred by immigration requirements. Cost is the second major concern.
These barriers could have implications for tourism, business travel, trade, and broader efforts to strengthen air connectivity. The findings also highlight an opportunity for African governments, airlines, and airport operators. They should invest in digital travel infrastructure, simplify visa procedures, and establish more efficient systems.
Global Immigration Barriers
Globally, immigration requirements have become an increasingly significant obstacle to travel. About 43 per cent of respondents said such requirements had discouraged them from visiting a destination. This is up from 33 per cent in 2025.
Among passengers discouraged by immigration procedures, 53 per cent identified complexity as the principal reason. Privacy concerns and cost were each cited by 17 per cent.
The survey further revealed that passengers want immigration procedures to become faster, more convenient, and increasingly digital. Some 86 per cent of respondents said they would likely share their immigration information digitally before departure to speed up processing.
Similarly, 45 per cent preferred completing immigration procedures before arriving at the airport. The preference for online visa applications was also pronounced, with 60 per cent favouring online applications.
IATA’s Recommendation
IATA’s Senior Vice-President for Operations, Safety and Security, Nick Careen, said governments could improve passenger experiences. They can do this by simplifying entry requirements, eliminating duplicate document checks, and accelerating the issuance and acceptance of secure digital travel credentials.
He noted that electronic visas could help streamline immigration procedures. But airlines needed common standards to verify them efficiently.
Although more than 100 countries issue electronic visas, Careen said inconsistencies in verification processes remained a challenge. He urged governments to adopt common standards that would facilitate their acceptance.
Biometric Acceptance
Beyond immigration challenges, the survey showed that biometric identification is gaining wider acceptance among air travellers. However, adoption varies significantly across regions.
Globally, 58 per cent of passengers said they had experienced biometric identification at some point during their airport journey in the 12 months preceding the survey. This represented an increase from 50 per cent in 2025.
Satisfaction with the technology also remained high. About 87 per cent of passengers who had used biometrics expressed satisfaction.
Furthermore, 78 per cent of respondents said they would be willing to share their biometric information if doing so allowed them to avoid repeatedly presenting their passports or boarding passes.
Digital Passports
The survey also identified significant global interest in digital passports. These could allow travellers to complete more processes using their smartphones instead of repeatedly presenting physical documents.
About 84 per cent of respondents expressed interest in using a digital passport for online check-in. Another 82 per cent were interested in sharing one with an airline after paying for a booking to receive more personalised services.
Nevertheless, concerns about data protection remain a major obstacle to wider adoption. Some 59 per cent of passengers identified data breaches as their leading concern.
AI in Travel Planning
Artificial intelligence is also becoming an increasingly important part of the passenger journey. Almost half of respondents, or 49 per cent, said they had used AI to plan travel.
The most common application was searching for flights to a specific destination, cited by 21 per cent of passengers. Another 19 per cent had used AI to identify the cheapest flights.
Careen said airlines needed to ensure that their offerings appeared in AI-powered travel searches. They also needed to develop convenient links that would allow prospective passengers to convert AI-assisted conversations into actual bookings.
What This Means
The survey highlights the need for African countries to improve their immigration processes. Simplifying visa procedures and investing in digital infrastructure would boost travel and tourism.
For Nigeria, the findings underscore the importance of modernising entry points. This would improve the experience of travellers and strengthen the country’s position as a regional hub.
What Happens Next
African governments will need to act on the survey’s findings. They should invest in digital travel infrastructure and harmonise immigration procedures.
For now, the focus is on making travel more convenient and accessible. The coming years will reveal whether African countries can rise to the challenge.
