The transparent passport: blockchain’s role in travel’s future

Travel and tourism remains one of the world’s most influential industries, contributing around 10% of global GDP ($11.1 trillion in 2024) and supporting 348 million jobs worldwide. Yet behind the glamour of destinations and hospitality lies a web of intermediaries, legacy systems and complex transactions that often result in inefficiencies, fraud and high costs. Blockchain technology is now being explored as a solution to these challenges. By offering transparent, tamper-proof ledgers and programmable smart contracts, blockchain can reshape how travel businesses manage bookings, loyalty schemes, payments and even passenger identities. For an industry under pressure to deliver trust and efficiency in a post-pandemic world, blockchain presents a compelling opportunity. The travel sector faces several persistent issues such as siloed systems that prevent smooth data sharing between airlines, hotels and online travel agencies (OTAs). The prevalence of costly intermediaries charging high c…