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Tag: Passport

  • Mastercard Unveils Phone. Passport. Mastercard Campaign: Revolutionizing Travel in Southeast Asia with Seamless Digital Payments

    Mastercard Unveils Phone. Passport. Mastercard Campaign: Revolutionizing Travel in Southeast Asia with Seamless Digital Payments

    Mastercard has launched a new campaign aimed at making travel across Southeast Asia more seamless and rewarding for consumers. The initiative, named “Phone. Passport. Mastercard”, primarily focuses on improving the payment experience for travelers journeying through Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, the Philippines, and Vietnam. Developed in conjunction with issuing banks and merchant partners, the program provides access to over 300 promotions that cover dining, shopping, accommodation, transport, and leisure activities throughout the region.

    Enhancing Travel with Seamless Payments

    At the heart of the campaign is Mastercard’s effort to streamline the travel experience with digital payment solutions. The company is positioning its payment network as an essential tool for travelers along with their smartphones and passports. Whether it’s for transport, accommodation, or dining, travelers can access offers while depending on Mastercard’s secure payment infrastructure, which leverages technologies such as tokenisation, multi-factor authentication, and fraud monitoring for secure cross-border transactions. The initiative is aimed at reducing friction during travel and allowing consumers to focus on their experiences rather than worrying about payment logistics.

    Boosting Regional Businesses

    The campaign also seeks to aid regional merchants and tourism-related businesses by connecting them with consumers traveling along Southeast Asia’s busiest routes. According to Dheeraj Raina, Senior Vice President and Head of Integrated Marketing and Communications for Southeast Asia at Mastercard, “Southeast Asia is one of the most rewarding regions in the world to explore today – rich in culture, nature, food, and unforgettable experiences, often just a short trip away.” The campaign aspires to make travel across the region more accessible while encouraging consumers to discover local businesses and experiences.

    As Southeast Asia continues to reap the benefits of robust tourism flows, improved air connectivity, and growing demand for regional leisure travel, Mastercard’s campaign aims to position itself at the heart of the travel payment journey. The initiative will run until December 2026, reinforcing Mastercard’s strategy of integrating payment services more closely with consumer lifestyle and travel experiences.

    Questions & Answers

    What is the goal of Mastercard’s new campaign?
    The goal is to make travel across Southeast Asia more seamless and rewarding by streamlining the payment experience for travelers and providing them access to various promotions.

    How does the campaign benefit regional businesses?
    The campaign aims to aid regional merchants and tourism-related businesses by connecting them with consumers traveling along Southeast Asia’s busiest routes, potentially driving more business to these establishments.

    Until when is the campaign expected to run?
    The campaign is expected to run until December 2026.

  • Vietnam Airlines signs up for international vaccine passport program

    Vietnam Airlines signs up for international vaccine passport program

    Vietnam Airlines has signed an agreement with the International Air Transport Association to trial a vaccine passport next month.

    It will implement the IATA Travel Pass initiative that allows people to store verified Covid-19-test and vaccination certificates on a smartphone app.

    They must be issued by authorized facilities registered with IATA.

    Le Hong Ha, CEO of Vietnam Airlines, said: “The most important goal of the initiative is to revive people’s faith in air transport and ensure safe and smooth travel.”

    Nick Careen, an IATA board member, said it is a solution for facilitating international travel during the pandemic.

    Three countries have signed up for the use of the IATA Travel Pass, Singapore, Panama and Estonia, and 30 airlines.

  • Hover Camera Passport Comes to Apple Retail Stores, With In-Store Demos Available

    Hover Camera Passport Comes to Apple Retail Stores, With In-Store Demos Available

    Hover Camera Passport, a lightweight, personal drone-style camera from Zero Zero Robotics, is available on Apple’s website and in Apple retail stores in the United States, Canada, China, Hong Kong, and the UK starting today.

    The Hover Camera Passport can be thought of as a sort of next-generation autonomous selfie stick that’s able to follow you around and capture a hands-free photo whenever you wish.


    It’s made from a lightweight (242 grams), foldable carbon fiber material so it packs down small and can go anywhere, and it’s equipped with face tracking and body tracking so it knows who to follow. The drone travels up to 17 miles per hour and can hover for 10 minutes at up to 65 feet away, so it’s able to track a user that’s running, walking, biking, or engaging in other similar physical activities.

    There’s a 13-megapixel camera built in, which can also capture 4K video. Since it’s a flying camera, it can capture 360 degrees of panoramic video, and it’s designed to be flown right out of the box, so even people unfamiliar with drones can pick it up and fly it.


    The Hover Camera Passport is controlled through the Hover Camera iOS app, which provides features like a real-time video feed, quick social sharing, multiple flight modes including spin and orbit, auto follow, and picture-taking features.

    New features are being added to the Hover Camera Passport for its Apple Store launch, including compatibility with iMovie and Final Cut Pro X, a more user-friendly interface, and automated media editing to create small, moving clips that can be shared with family and friends.

    Zero Zero Robotics is offering a $499 Apple-exclusive bundle at Apple Stores, which consists of a Passport flying camera, two batteries, a charger, an adapter, and an easy-carry bag. Apple retail stores will be hosting in-store demos of the Hover Camera Passport so customers can try it out. 42 retail stores will begin demos today, and other stores will start demonstrations in May.