A more cost-effective and user-friendly ticketing system will be introduced next year featuring a host of new functions.

The Leisure & Cultural Services Department said the new system allows patrons to enjoy more event information, a zoom-in display on seat selection for Internet ticketing, a faster network and ticket purchases, and seat selection on a 24-hour basis.

It will be more robust and will readily support a further increase in sales channels of up to 120 real-time Internet customers, and will accommodate 10 times the current seating capacity to serve additional venues.

More capacity

The bilingual system will have more capacity to display additional event information, and tickets will have unique bar codes for enhanced security verification.

A seven-year contract has been awarded to CityLine to provide the new system through open tender, to cater for customer needs and future development.

CityLine will, at its own cost, develop, provide, install, support and maintain the new backend ticketing system in return for a service fee on the basis of each URBTIX ticket sold.

When launched in the middle of next year, the contractor will operate the Internet and telephone ticketing services while the department will operate front-end ticketing services like box offices, telephone reservations and enquiries, accounting, information support and event set-up programming.