This year, the travel bug takes the Meier family from Basel to Australia. Excitedly, they plan every detail of the trip. However, Murphy’s law takes over, and they run into some mishaps every traveler could encounter.* Luckily, the trip is not entirely ruined, as the digital wallet – a means to have all essential verification documents readily accessible in one place – is the family’s constant and reliable companion.
Days 1 and 2: A long journey should be extra convenient
After thousands of kilometers and hours upon hours in two planes, entering Australia is not a big deal. Their digital wallet assures a convenient traveling experience. Through the respective app, they have access to all necessary verification documents in electronic form, including their passport, driver's license, and ID. It also stores the subclass 651 eVisitor visa, which tourists require to enter and stay up to three months, and can thus be easily shared. This way, the Meiers had already signed and submitted their visa beforehand. Now, they securely verify their identity and comfortably get through border control checkpoints without interacting with airport, security, or customs personnel. This means: less bureaucracy, improved accuracy, and faster processing at the airport.
But wait… where’s the luggage?
Unfortunately, the family notices that one of their bags is missing. The conveyor belt is rumbling along empty, and the baggage claim is deserted. According to an airline employee, the bag was apparently overlooked during the change and did not make it into the cargo hold of the connecting plane. Fortunately, Mr. Meier attached tags with a QR code to all luggage items. When scanned, they provide information about their owner and a way to directly contact them through the wallet, where they are registered, in case of a lost-and-found situation. This does not worry Mr. Meier too much. He assumes someone will contact him within a very short time to find a solution to this problem as quickly as possible.
At the hotel, the family is greeted by an excited crowd of people in front of two overwhelmed front desk employees. Thanks to Mrs. Meier’s quick thinking, the family doesn’t have to wait in line to check into the hotel. They already took care of this remotely on their way here by filling out the registration on the secure online check-in portal. By connecting the digital wallet to this process, identity verification can also be done in advance. This not only eliminates annoying waiting time but also removes the need to show a physical ID or manually sign mandatory registration forms.
Day 5: Smooth dive
Mr. Meier has a spontaneous idea and suggests going diving at the nearby coast. Sure, why not? They obtained their diver certificates last year and have already gone on several diving trips. At the beach, they make their way to the local diving rental service. But even after reassuring the staff that the family is experienced, the employee won’t hand out the gear. They need proof for safety and insurance purposes. Suddenly, Mrs. Meier remembers: They uploaded all certificates – including everybody’s diving certificate – into the digital wallet. Eureka! Mr. Meier shares the verification data with the rental service, and the employee compiles the equipment. “And for payment? Do you prefer cash or a card?” Mr. Meier feels in his pockets for his physical wallet, which is not there. He must have forgotten to take it with him. “Does mobile payment work, too?” he asks with an apologetic smile.
Day 9: Rent a car – the easiest way
Today, the Meier family is going on a trip to a national park. It’s a three-hour drive for which they would like to rent an electric car. Typically, rental services require physical identity verification, which includes verifying the validity of the driver’s license. At the end of this time-consuming process, the renter has to manually sign the contracts. However, with their digital wallet, the family already chose their favorite car and insurance package, confirmed the main driver’s identity and license credentials, and signed the contracts – all from the hotel room the night before. All they have to do is pick up the keys today and enjoy the beauty of the Australian nature reserve – hopefully with lots of koalas.
Day 11: Sick day
One of the kids woke up sick this morning. Now, the family is on their way to the local doctor’s office to get them checked. In addition to proof of insurance, the practice employee asks for vaccination documentation. They need to check if the kid is vaccinated against both Japanese encephalitis and yellow fever. Of course, the Meier family came in prepared. After visiting the general physician in Basel, they immediately added the vaccination certificates to their digital wallet. Furthermore, they took out a global health insurance policy. The respective note is also stored on the smartphone. Thankfully, the sickness turns out to be a common cold, so no spontaneous diving trips for the rest of their stay.
Day 16: Back home
Jetlagged, slightly sunburned, and full of unforgettable memories, the Meier family arrives back in Basel. Their bags (finally all of them!) roll off the conveyor belt, ready to go home. Looking back, it’s clear: tech didn't just save their holiday – it upgraded it. Next trip, they’ll make sure the digital wallet gets a window seat.
*All characters and events depicted are entirely fictional. Any similarity to actual events or persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.
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