Industry News

Taj Mahal to be ticketed through BookMyShow

Tourists looking to visit India’s plethora of historic monuments, such as the Taj Mahal, can now book tickets on their phones through Yatra.com and BookMyShow.

The Archaelogical Survey of India (ASI), which is an organisation under the Ministry of Culture, has penned a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with India’s largest online ticketing platform and travel agency Yatra.com.

Through the deal, overseas and domestic tourists and visitors can conveniently book their tickets online for 141 historical monuments, museums and sites in India, such as Qutub Minar, Ajanta and Ellora caves, Red Fort, and Sun Temple.

Karan Arora, general manager of business development, BookMyShow said: “Monuments and historical sites not only give a glimpse of our rich heritage, culture and art that spans over hundreds of years, they also form a solid foundation for the tourism sector in India; their marvels attracting millions of people from across the world and from within our own country.

“The Archaeological Survey of India has taken the lead in expanding e-ticketing for this segment. We are excited to work with them to innovate within this space and introduce unmatched convenience, while contributing to the Government’s Digital India initiative.

“With BookMyShow’s vast reach, user friendly platforms, secure payment systems and innovations such as the m-ticket (mobile ticket, which allows users entry straight into the venue premises without waiting in long queues), we are confident that we will be able to increase adoption for e-ticketing through this initiative and bring more people online.”

The move, aimed at supporting the government’s ‘Digital India’ initiative, will facilitate digitisation of ASI’s service offerings, thereby providing fast track access and an e-ticket booking experience to visitors.

The partnership with BookMyShow and Yatra will also be significant in promoting tourism and cultural heritage in India.

Dhiresh Sharma, chief business officer, activities – Yatra, said: “India has an extraordinary and diverse pool of cultural & built heritage & footfalls to such destinations are astounding. Therefore, we want to provide a high quality visitor experience which will empower the visitors (both Indian & International tourists) to book their tickets to these monuments online.”

Image: THARUN