ADNEC purchases online ticket portal boxofficeme.com

Press release

Published April 12th, 2011 - 08:12 GMT

Al Bawaba

In a move which strengthens its position as one of the capital’s leading drivers of the live events industry, Abu Dhabi National Exhibitions Company (ADNEC) has purchased the website boxofficeme.com from Arab Media Group effective immediately.

Boxofficeme sold more than 100,000 tickets for 162 events in 2010 and since commencement of operations in 2004, has handled ticket sales for some of the world’s biggest music and dance acts such as Robbie Williams, Shakira, Elton John, 50 Cent, Destiny Child, Nancy Ajram and Creamfields Abu Dhabi. Boxofficeme has also ticketed Broadway productions such as 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 www.boxofficeme.com 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 Humaid Al Dhaheri, ADNEC Chief Sales & Marketing Officer. “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”.

In addition to re-branding www.boxofficeme.com, ADNEC has invested in a fully integrated, web-based, ticketing system which allows customers to reserve individual seats online and provides the facility for tickets to be printed at home.

“Besides supporting public events at ADNEC venues, Boxofficeme will continue to ticket concerts, sports, theatre and cultural events at venues around the Gulf region, offering a compelling alternative to the traditional manual ticket operations of the region” added Al Dhaheri.

ADNEC is also developing on-site, fully serviced box-office outlets at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre and Al Ain Convention Centre, to support its online ticketing operation.

Background Information

Abu Dhabi National Exhibitions Company Group

Abu Dhabi National Exhibitions Company Group (ADNEC) is an international venue development and business management company. ADNEC Group's portfolio currently includes the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre, the Gulf's largest exhibition centre; ExCeL London, the UK capital's largest exhibition centre; the Al Ain Convention Centre, a brand new development in the historic city of Al Ain, Capital Gate, the UAE capital's iconic, gravity defying tower and a number of hotel projects. In addition ADNEC is master developer of the Capital Centre project, the world's first fully interconnected exhibition lifestyle destination.

ADNEC Group is developing its network both through acquisition and construction; the company's objective is to become the world's leading venue provider to the international exhibitions, conferences and live events industries by providing consistently high standards of venue facilities, management and client relationships and capitalising on the synergies which exist within a global venue network.

ADNEC Group's Executive Office is located in Abu Dhabi, the capital city of the United Arab Emirates. ADNEC Group is a Government organisation which functions as a private enterprise and operates within the principle core values of efficiency and effectiveness.