For Expian, 2025 means launching new booking systems, updating our technology and welcoming new clients and team members as well as implementing the knowledge we gained in 2024, Yiannis Maglaras, Expian’s MD, reflects on his learnings from the last 12 months and what it indicates for ticketing in the attractions, events and ferry industries. He also answers the big questions about increasing revenue and discusses the opportunities AI opens for operators and shares a sneak behind the curtain to see what is coming up for Expian.
The biggest ticketing opportunities for operators in 2025
Should I beware of dynamic pricing?
It’s not often that ticketing systems hit mainstream news headlines but the scandal for Oasis’ 2025 tour turned the media spotlight to dynamic pricing. As the Competition & Markets Authority investigates the fairness of ticket sales and touting, it is our responsibility to advise clients on the opportunities to maximise sales and revenue, while still delivering value.
Dynamic pricing can be AI driven to effectively identify peak and off-peak periods to manage pricing rather than simply hiking prices in response to demand. However, it shouldn’t replace other ways to increase revenue. Many events and attractions operators place dynamic pricing above cross-selling* when it comes to ticketing features but they are missing a trick.
How can I grow memberships?
We see great opportunities to improve memberships – many attractions blend tickets with memberships, selling entry for a higher price but allowing repeat admittance throughout the year. This benefits some consumers, but we believe there are better ways to increase membership sales and repeat visits. A little creativity and more comprehensive membership packages will do more to generate income.
How can Expian use one platform to suit different operations?
We built Expian to be flexible enough to cater to different clients’ operational and reporting needs, however two recent projects have really proved this capability. In the last 12 months we have launched large booking transformation projects for P&O Ferries and Historic Royal Palaces. Our ticketing technology uses the same code base but delivering systems to a ferry operator and an attraction brand really tested its flexibility. The success of these projects is also testament to our team’s dedication and ability to really work with our clients to uncover what their business needs from ticketing.
How do I manage huge sales volumes in one go?
As the experience economy continues to grow, we see the hype around major events such as Taylor Swift concerts push booking systems to the limit. These critical sales moments require a robust platform that embraces the benefits of self-service, i.e. giving the customer control over viewing and amending their booking. Working with LaplandUK is always a joy but as this magical festive attraction has positioned itself as a winter must visit, 2024 saw its fastest ticket sales ever. When tickets launched in March and hundreds of thousands of people clamoured to book for Christmas, Expian ensured the company had the smoothest ticket sales. The attraction sold out in 3 hours and armed with last year’s insight, we’re preparing to support 2025’s sales.
Can AI support my booking system?
This is the buzzword of the moment with many platforms bragging about their AI features but, truthfully, few companies have AI at the heart of their operations and aren’t unlocking the opportunities it brings. As there is greater democratisation of technology, these tools aren’t only available to the biggest players, meaning that everyone can access them. However, without the infrastructure needed to support AI many companies – big and small - are missing out on the efficiencies it can drive.
AI technology is data-driven; therefore, you need to have the right systems in place first and ask it the right questions to make the most of its ability.
We’re extending our platform to incorporate AI tools that will enable operators to effectively act on insight… watch this space for updates.
To talk more about how ticketing can drive your business forward this year, speak to Patrick Gray at Patrick.gray@expian.io