QR code seen as lifeline for tourism sector
Global system proposed by Xi hailed as effective method to revive industry
The adoption of a global QR code system by countries could help revive the pandemic-hit travel and tourism industry in enabling people to cross borders without endangering public health, analysts said.
Sheryl Kimes, visiting professor at the National University of Singapore’s Business School, said the proposed globally integrated QR code is “a good idea” and would likely resonate with residents of countries that are already used to digital contact tracing.
A QR (quick response) code is a machine-readable matrix barcode that was first used in the Japanese car industry in the 1990s. It was later adopted by other industries as it can be used in product tracking, document management, marketing and payments.
But Kimes said the authorities in some countries might not be receptive to the idea because of concerns over data security and privacy. In countries such as China, people have become used to scanning QR codes outside buildings and transport centers to generate an all-clear message on their phone screens.
Chinese President Xi Jinping on Nov 21 proposed the use of a global QR code system to help restore crossborder movement in a safe and orderly manner, noting that it would help “ensure the smooth functioning of the global economy”.
Khor Swee Kheng, a Kuala Lumpur-based expert in health systems and policies, said Xi’s proposal is “ambitious, but necessary and achievable”.
Khor said the pandemic is “unprecedented” in the modern era and will therefore require “unprecedented global solutions” like implementing a global QR code system for travel. He believes that China has a key role to play in developing the system.
“China’s technological edge, capital and effective implementation provide the necessary ingredients to restart some form of international travel,” Khor said.
The pandemic has prompted countries to largely close their borders and enforce lockdown measures this year to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus. Those measures have severely hurt the travel industry.
Vijay Verghese, a Hong Kong-based
editor of online magazine Smart Travel Asia, also welcomed the proposed global QR code system, saying it would simplify travel procedures in the light of public health concerns brought by the pandemic.
This year, the QR code has been used to help control the spread of COVID-19.
In the Japanese prefecture of Osaka, restaurants, bars, theaters and museums have QR code scanners,
enabling visitors to register their name and contact details. This ensures that the person will be alerted in case another visitor who was in the same venue on the same day was later diagnosed to have contracted the coronavirus.
In the Australian states of Victoria, New South Wales and South Australia, as well as the Australia Capital Territory, QR code systems are being used for contact tracing.