PR87439

LONDON, Jan. 5, 2021 /PRNewswire=KYODO JBN/ --

The latest results from the Henley Passport Index

[https://www.henleypassportindex.com/passport] — the original ranking of all

the world's passports according to the number of destinations their holders can

access without a prior visa — provide fascinating insights into the future of

travel freedom in a world transformed by the Covid-19 pandemic.  

Without taking temporary restrictions into account, Japan continues to hold the

number one position, with passport holders able to access 191 destinations

visa-free. This marks the third consecutive year that Japan has held the top

spot. Asia Pacific (APAC) dominance of the index — which is based on exclusive

data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA) [https://www.iata.org/] —

now seems firmly established. Singapore sits in 2nd position, with access to 190

destinations, and South Korea holds onto 3rd place alongside Germany, with both

having a visa-free/visa-on-arrival score of 189. Slightly further down but still in

the top 10, New Zealand is in 7th position, with visa-free access to 185 destinations,

while Australia is in 8th position, with access to 184 destinations.  

Over the index's 16-year history, the top spots were traditionally held by EU

countries, the UK, or the US, and experts suggest the APAC region's position of

strength will continue as it includes the first countries to begin the process

of pandemic recovery.  

Dr. Christian H. Kaelin

[https://www.henleyglobal.com/about/key-people/christian-h-kalin], Chairman of

Henley & Partners [https://www.henleyglobal.com/] and the inventor of the

passport index concept, says with the US and the UK still facing significant

challenges related to the virus, the balance of power is shifting. "Over the

past seven years, the US passport has fallen from the number one spot to 7th

place, a position it currently shares with the UK. Due to pandemic-related

travel constraints, travelers from both countries currently face major

restrictions from over 105 countries, with US passport holders able to travel

to fewer than 75 destinations, while UK passport holders currently have access

to fewer than 70."  

With the first Covid-19 vaccine approved just over a month ago, airline

industry experts believe that mandatory vaccination before air travel may soon

be a necessity. A technological innovation scheduled to launch in Q1 2021 that

will contribute to restoring global mobility is IATA's Travel Pass initiative

[https://www.iata.org/en/programs/passenger/travel-pass/] — a mobile

application that enables travelers to store and manage their verified

certifications for Covid-19 tests or vaccines.  

Experts suggest that in terms of future global mobility, we cannot expect a

return to pre-pandemic patterns. Dr. Parag Khanna

[https://www.paragkhanna.com/], Founder of FutureMap, says nationality alone

will no longer suffice to guarantee safe passage. "Even for still-powerful

passports, additional protocols will be required to re-attain relatively

frictionless mobility. Today's youth are socially conscious, environmentally

aware, and less nationalistic — all of which makes them potentially the most

mobile generation in human history. They herald a seminal shift in mobility

from being every country for itself to being every person for themself."  

Further key insights and expert analysis are contained in the Global Mobility

Report 2021 Q1 [https://globalmobilityreport.com] released by Henley & Partners

[https://www.henleyglobal.com/] today. It includes new research by Deep

Knowledge Group [https://www.dkv.global/], overlaying data from the Covid-19

Risk and Safety Assessment [https://www.dkv.global/covid-safety-assessment-250-regions]

of the economic, social, and health stability of 250 countries and regions with the latest

Henley Passport Index [https://www.henleypassportindex.com/passport] results.

What emerges is that for developed and developing nations alike, travel freedom

is not only the result of a lack of social freedom or poor economic development

but also a failure of risk management, health readiness, and monitoring and

detection. In other words, global immobility is no longer solely the plight of

citizens of less advanced countries.  

Perhaps understandably, there were relatively few high-profile visa agreements

during 2020. The notable exception was the UAE, which has continued its

remarkable upward trajectory on the Henley Passport Index

[https://www.henleypassportindex.com/]. The country signed a landmark

US-brokered agreement establishing formal ties with Israel and granting

citizens of each country visa-free access to the other. The UAE now has a

visa-free/visa-on-arrival score of 173 and holds 16th spot on the ranking. This

is a stunning ascent when compared to the position it held at the index's inception

in 2006, when the country ranked 62nd, with a visa-free/visa-on-arrival score of just 35.  

Henley & Partners' CEO Dr. Juerg Steffen

[https://www.henleyglobal.com/about/key-people/dr-juerg-steffen] says the

volatility driven by Covid-19 has pushed the growing appeal of investment

migration into overdrive. "The unprecedented events of 2020 have simultaneously

exacerbated push factors such as political and economic instability, and

reprioritized pull factors, with stability, safety, and access to quality

education and healthcare becoming issues of greater concern than ever before.

Alternative citizenship and residency are now a standard consideration for

international families and entrepreneurs who are looking to hedge volatility

and create long-term value through enhanced global mobility."

Media Contact

Sarah Nicklin

Group Head of Public Relations

sarah.nicklin@henleyglobal.com

SOURCE: Henley & Partners