UAE – The Abu Dhabi National Exhibitions Company (ADNEC) has bought ticket booking website boxofficeme.com from Arab Media Group as part of its push towards staging live music and entertainment events.
ADNEC intends to rebrand the website and has also invested in a fully integrated, web-based, ticketing system that allows customers to reserve individual seats online and print their tickets at home.
Boxofficeme was established in 2004 and sold more than 100,000 tickets for 162 events in 2010. It has handled ticket sales for music events including Robbie Williams, Shakira, Elton John, Destiny Child, and Creamfields Abu Dhabi.
The website has also ticketed Broadway productions including Mamma Mia, Chicago and Stomp, and regional sports events such as Dubai Rugby 7s, Capitala Tennis and the Bahrain Formula One Grand Prix.
“Our purchase of boxofficeme provides ADNEC with an established regional brand in the online ticketing business, as well as access to what is widely believed to be the largest event-related consumer database in the UAE”, said chief sales and marketing officer at ADNEC Humaid Al Dhaheri.
“As such, this is a step forward in ADNEC’s strategy to set up a world class ticketing operation in support of Abu Dhabi’s ambitious plans for the live events sector.”
ADNEC is also developing on-site box-office outlets at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre and Al Ain Convention Centre to support its online ticketing operation.
Abu Dhabi Airports Company (ADAC) recently opened an Abu Dhabi International Airport Expo check-in at the ADNEC exhibition centre capable of handling full passenger and baggage check-in.
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