Recently installed touch-screen kiosks at Houston's largest airport already have cut down on wait times for international travelers, officials said Friday.

U.S. Customs and Border Patrol and Houston Airport System officials announced Friday the 20 automated kiosks at Bush Intercontinental have reduced wait times by more than 34 percent since they were installed in January.

Bush is one of 10 international airports around the country to install the new self-service kiosks to replace handwritten forms necessary for the security process.

The expedited service follows a record-breaking year for international travel at Bush. Last year, the airport had nearly 9 million international travelers, the most in its 45-year history. That represents an increase of 300 percent in the last 20 years.

Lance Lyttle, chief operating officer for the Houston Airport System, said Houston has made strides in international travel and connecting the local economy to the rest of the world. He cited new nonstop routes and construction of an international terminal at Hobby Airport.

"The challenge we face is to balance efficiency and customer service," Lyttle said. "The utilization of this technology will allow us to meet the growth of international traffic, process passengers more efficiently and maintain a high level of customer satisfaction while not compromising border security."

The technology allows U.S. and Canadian citizens to scan their own passports, complete paperwork and confirm their travel information before reaching a U.S. Customs agent to complete the transaction.

"On the first day of service, a returning resident after scanning her passport and answering the questions on the screen said, 'Wow, that's great,' " Lyttle said. "That's what we are trying to achieve here."

In January 2013, the average wait time for international travelers arriving at Bush was about 32 minutes. This January, after the kiosks were installed, the average wait time was 21 minutes, even though more than 37,000 more international travelers were processed than the previous year, Customs and Border Patrol data show.

Judson Murdock, Customs' Houston director of field operations, said wait times had increased at the airport last year.

"It's the wave of the future for us, and it's also a game changer," Murdock said. "We are dramatically improving the facilitation and security of international travel."