Author: Jenny Roberts

News

The Explore Amsterdam Pass Launches

Post author By Jenny Roberts
Post date 23/03/2023

The Explore Amsterdam Pass Launches!

Our latest pass, managed by Tourism Group International, is now on sale.

Delve into Amsterdam with Open Pass and the Explore Amsterdam Pass!

We’re very pleased to announce that the Explore Amsterdam Pass launched earlier this week just in time for the spring and summer season. The pass is our first pass to launch outside of the UK and Ireland. We’re very excited that Open Pass is operational in such a world-class destination and one of Europe’s most visited cities!

The pass is owned and run by Amsterdam-based Tourism Group International (TGI). TGI have over 35 years of experience working in urban tourism in Amsterdam, the Netherlands and beyond making them an ideal partner. We’re delighted to be working with them on this exciting project!

The Explore Amsterdam Pass includes over 35 of Amsterdam’s top attractions such as the Amsterdam Icebar, the Heineken Experience and the Rijksmuseum to name a few. The pass offers visitors great value for money and the freedom to explore the city at their own pace.

New City, New Pass Structure

The Explore Pass Amsterdam is not only our first pass outside of the UK and Ireland, but it is also our first pass to operate on a points-based system.

Each Explore Amsterdam Pass is worth a set number of Explorer Points that can be used at the attractions included, rather than the pass being valid for a certain number of days. The pass is valid for one year from purchase or until all the points have been used.

Pass holders book their attractions using our live booking app allowing them to track their Explorer Points and plan their ideal itinerary.

This provides a more relaxed way of sightseeing whilst still offering the flexibility and savings of our standard pass structure.

Check out the Explore Amsterdam website here!

Open Pass is the leading destination pass platform for the travel industry. Our software powers a range of well-established passes across the UK, Ireland and Europe.

News

The Explorer Pass gets an Upgrade

Post author By Jenny Roberts
Post date 08/02/2023

The Explorer Pass gets an Upgrade

The Explorer Pass by Shakespeare's England has recently been upgraded to include access to our world-leading live booking app.

The Explorer Pass by Shakespeare’s England is one of our long-standing multi-attraction passes that covers Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwick and the surrounding countryside. The pass includes some of the region’s finest attractions like Warwick Castle, Shakespeare’s Schoolroom and Guildhall, Stratford Butterfly Farm, and the British Motor Museum.

Live booking app

The pass has recently been upgraded to include access to our world-leading live booking app. This means that pass holders are now able to pre-book their pass entry from live availability. The app generates their entry tickets to be scanned on arrival. This provides a seamless solution for both the pass holders and the attractions – allowing pass entry with minimum hassle for all involved.

The booking app provides an inclusive user experience that allows visitors to view and manage all their bookings and admissions in one app, as well as providing information about all the attractions and any special offers included with the pass.

The functionality provided by the booking app isn’t available anywhere else, and we’re delighted that the Explorer Pass now comes with this feature, helping to strengthen the product further.

New pass, new website!

As part of the upgrade, the Explorer Pass website has also undergone a refresh and redesign. A new and improved site to go with the new and improved pass – ready for a relaunch ahead of the 2023 season! Take a look at the new site here.

Stratford-upon-Avon and Warwickshire are some of the most visited destinations in the UK – Shakespeare, historic castles and fascinating museums contribute to the region’s popularity – and the Explorer Pass by Shakespeare’s England is a real asset to the area.

Any businesses in the region that would like to find out more about working with us and the Explorer Pass, can call us on 01865 364537 or email [email protected].

We’d love to hear from you

Open Pass is the leading destination pass platform for the travel industry. Our software powers a range of well-established passes across Europe.

News

Breaking the Mould with the Edinburgh City Pass

Post author By Jenny Roberts
Post date 16/11/2022

November 16, 2022

Breaking the Mould with the Edinburgh City Pass

We’re delighted to announce that the Edinburgh City Pass is officially back up and running after a two year break due to the coronavirus pandemic. The pass is one of our most popular passes and it is great to have it back!

See the real Edinburgh with the Edinburgh City Pass

The Edinburgh City Pass is an excellent example of a successful destination pass. Run by a local team who know Edinburgh inside out, the pass has huge added value beyond saving visitors money. From local insights to raising the profile of some of the city’s lesser known attractions, the pass benefits everyone involved.

Save on attractions, tours and transport

The Edinburgh City Pass includes free entry to great experiences like Dynamic Earth and the National Mining Museum of Scotland. Pass holders also get free access to a range of intimate, memorable local tours. Additionally, passes include a 24-hour hop-on-hop-off bus ticket plus a free open return ticket from the airport to the city centre with Edinburgh Trams. The pass saves visitors up to 40% on their visit against standard prices! Read more about what is included here.

It’s not just about saving money…

The Edinburgh City Pass comes with a free app which includes a map, exclusive special offers and local tips galore to help visitors get the very most from their trip to Edinburgh. With so much to do in Edinburgh, it can be difficult to know where to start. The Edinburgh City Pass app saves time on planning with attractions, tours and local recommendations all in one place. The insider tips allow visitors to uncover hidden gems across the city. It’s a portal to a city that visitors didn’t even know existed!

Mobile-friendly Pass

The Edinburgh City Pass is a mobile-friendly pass that can simply be downloaded to any mobile device to be scanned at each experience to gain entry. The pass is available as a one, two or three-day pass making it perfect for a day trip and for those staying longer in the city too. The pass can be purchased online at edinburghcitypass.com or alternatively at the VisitScotland Information Centre in Edinburgh.

Open Pass in Scotland

The Edinburgh City Pass is part of Open Pass Scotland along with the Stirling City Pass which includes free entry to Stirling’s top attractions plus a range of local savings. Also in Scotland is the Northern Highlights Pass, which is run by DeeTours. The pass covers North East Scotland from Dundee to Aberdeen and beyond, and offers a range of discounts at attractions, tours and experiences across the region.

All of our Scottish passes pride themselves on not only providing savings but invaluable local knowledge too. This makes them a great asset for visitors, attractions and the destinations alike by showcasing the very best that the regions have to offer.

After a tricky couple of years, we’re looking forward to a successful 2023 for the Edinburgh City Pass and Open Pass in Scotland!

Open Pass is the leading destination pass platform for the travel industry. Our software powers a range of well-established passes across Europe.

News

New Year and New Beginnings for Open Pass

Post author By Jenny Roberts
Post date 06/01/2022

New Year and New Beginnings for Open Pass

January 6, 2022

A new year and new beginnings for Open Pass!

Having been acquired by Ten Oceans in the last quarter of 2021 we are very pleased to be working with Attraction World Group and Dutch travel tech company Prioticket.

Open Pass is an integral part of Ten Oceans’ industry-leading tech stack – ready to grasp the huge global opportunities that the recovery of travel offers in 2022 and beyond.

For Open Pass the acquisition will enable our team to work with the partner companies to scale our business, connect with a new customer base, and ultimately to grow our multi-attraction pass offering across the UK before venturing into new markets around the world.

Our successful model for multi-attraction passes offers a complete solution that can be tailored to suit any destination or region – from a busy city to a rural idle. We are delighted to have the opportunity to expand our reach at the same time as focussing on delivering a comprehensive ‘in-destination’ solution that works for attractions, businesses and visitors alike.

With a number of projects already in the pipeline, 2022 is going to be a very busy and exciting year for the Open Pass team, and we’re really looking forward to getting stuck in after a difficult two years in the industry.

If you are a DMO and would like help to promote your local attraction partners both in advance and in-destination, please get in touch today to discuss how we could support you.

And don’t forget to watch this space for more updates over the coming weeks!

News

Guided Tours of King’s College

Post author By Jenny Roberts
Post date 21/10/2021
No Comments on Guided Tours of King’s College

Guided Tours of King's College with Cantab Tours

October 21, 2021

Cantab Tours are delighted to be able to offer Private Guided Tours of King’s College and Chapel Cambridge.

One of, if not the, most iconic sights in Cambridge, King’s College is a stunning late Gothic building dating from the 15th century and founded by Henry VI. King’s is one of the 31 constituent Colleges that make up the University of Cambridge. The building has many fascinating features with some of the highlights including:

The magnificent fan-vaulted ceiling, largest of it’s type in the world
The most complete set of 16th century stained glass
Beautiful oak screen with the carved initials of Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn
Ruben’s wonderful altarpiece, The Adoration of the Magi

Cantab Tours work closely with the Society of Cambridge Tourist Guides and as such are one of the few tour companies permitted to run guided tours of King’s College.

The tours are part of their Private Tour Service, and can be booked as a standalone tour of the college or as part of a longer tour that takes in some of the many other Cambridge city-centre sights. All their tours are fully customisable and tailored to the individual interests of the group. – choose the time, meeting place and the itinerary. Tours can last up to 2 hours and accommodate up to 20 people per guide.

Cantab Tours would recommend a 1-hour tour to fully explore King’s or book a 1.5 or 2-hour tour to include some of the other iconic sights of Cambridge’s historic city-centre.

If you’d like to find out more, take a look at the Cantab Tours website for full details and information on how to book your tour.

"Mary was a terrific guide, we really lucked out - fun and generous with her knowledge, time and enthusiasm, flexible and engaging - broad depth of expertise and passion on all manner of aspects regarding Cambridge - history, literature, science..you name it... Thanks Mary!"

News

5-Stars For Cantab Tours

July 21, 2021

Cantab Tours’ Cambridge Highlights Tour has been available to book on TripAdvisor for a month now and we are delighted that it has been given an excellent rating from EVERY customer who has left a review so far.

These fantastic reviews from happy customers help to back up the promise that Cantab Tours’ trained and knowledgeable guides really will guarantee that you’ll have an enjoyable and entertaining tour! You no longer have to just take their word for it….

All Cantab Tours’ guides are members of the Society of Cambridge Tourist Guides and hold either a Green or Blue Badge from the Institute of Tourist Guides and their local knowledge is unrivaled.

Take a look at some of the reviews below!

"First time visitors to Cambridge last Saturday, we really enjoyed our walking tour with Ruth. A small group allowed more interaction and questions. So informative and fun. Full of historical facts and fun stories. Highly recommended."

"Excellent walking tour with Kate who patiently answered all our questions and was very knowledgeable. We can highly recommend Cantab tours!"

"We had a lovely tour with Mary who took the time to get to know us to ensure she talked about things that would interest us. She also made fantastic recommendations for books and films that we could seek out to help give more context to our tour of Cambridge. The city of Cambridge is beautiful and Mary used her storytelling to keep us engaged and fascinated throughout. Would highly recommend, thank you!"

The Cambridge Highlights Tour runs twice a day, every day from outside Great St Mary’s Church in the city centre. You can book directly with Cantab Tours or through TripAdvisor.

Cantab Tours also offer a range of Private Tours that are fully-customisable and tailored to your group’s individual interests. They take groups of up to 20 per tour guide and tours range from between 1 to 2 hours in length starting at a time and place to suit you.

Find out more about Cantab Tours here.

News

A Busy Start to Summer for Open Pass

Post author By Jenny Roberts
Post date 09/07/2021
No Comments on A Busy Start to Summer for Open Pass

A Busy Start to Summer For Open Pass

July 9, 2021

The last 15 months or so have been extremely difficult for everyone in the tourism industry including for us here at Open Pass. We are, therefore, delighted that, as we start to see the light at the end of the tunnel, we have three official launches within the Open Pass family to announce:

Cantab Tours - Official Guided Tours of Cambridge

The end of May saw the launch of the new Official Guided Tour company in Cambridge – Cantab Tours. Working closely with The Society of Cambridge Tourist Guides and the Institute of Tourist Guiding, Cantab Tours runs tours twice a day every day from outside Great St Mary’s Church in the city-centre. The 90-minute walking tours with a qualified Blue or Green Badge Guide really are the perfect way to see the iconic Cambridge sights!

Find out more about Cantab Tours here.

Visit Derry Pass

Visit Derry launched their official sightseeing pass – the Visit Derry Pass – at the end of June. The pass is available as either a 1-day or 2-day pass and includes entry to 10 city-centre attractions.

Take a walking tour of the walled city, visit top museums including the Museum of Free Derry and marvel at the beautiful cathedral, guildhall and churches – all included with the pass!

Derry has also been shortlisted for Europe’s Leading Emerging Tourism Destination 2021 – the place to visit this summer!

Find out more about the Derry Pass here.

Northern Highlights Pass

The Northern Highlights Pass also officially launched at the end of June.

Covering the North East of Scotland, The Northern Highlights Pass aims to encourage visitors to explore the area, providing them with discounted access and money-saving offers from leading tourist attractions such as distilleries and outdoor centres, hospitality providers and local businesses.

The pass has been backed by VisitScotland and VisitAberdeenshire and hopes to support the continued growth of tourism across North East Scotland.

Find out more about the Northern Highlights Pass here.

We wish all three the best of luck and look forward to a bright future for all involved!

If you’d like to find out more about Open Pass and what we do, you can find out more about us here.

News

Summer Sales Show Signs of Recovery

Post author By Jenny Roberts
Post date 10/09/2020
No Comments on Summer Sales Show Signs of Recovery

Summer Sales Show Signs of Recovery

September 10, 2020

Although 2020 has been far from the year we were all hoping for, and tough times still lie ahead for the tourism industry in the UK and across the world, we have noticed a steady increase in sales coming through Open Pass as the summer has progressed and visitors have started to return.

From being at virtually zero in April and May, and then a trickle of sales in June, we’ve seen a significant increase in ticket and pass sales in both July and August as the restrictions across the country have been lifted. In July sales were at 8.75% of the 2019 figure and in August that had increased to 17% when compared to 2019 data. The trend looks set to continue into September as sales for the first week of the month are at 26% of last year’s total. Even though the numbers are still substantially down this steady recovery is encouraging.

Destination passes have fared particularly well with sales of York Pass recovering to 40% of the 2019 amount in August and the Shakespeare’s England Explorer Pass seeing 31% of the sales from the same period last year. Sales in Scotland have been slower to return which may in part be due to the more gradual lifting of lockdown restrictions as well as an earlier return to school north of the border.

There is a long way to go but we’re still remaining positive for the future here at Open Pass. As we enter the autumn months and new restrictions are enforced we’re ready to support our attractions and partners in any way we can.

If you’d like to find out more about the Open Pass system and how we could help your business – from booking systems to increasing your audience – you can find out more about us here.

News

Ready To Welcome Visitors Back

Post author By Jenny Roberts
Post date 03/07/2020

Ready to Welcome Visitors Back

July 3, 2020

As we enter a new month and restrictions continued to be eased following Boris Johnson’s ‘road map’ for the UK’s exit from lockdown we remain positive for the future here at Open Pass. It wasn’t quite business as usual for us in June but we did see a steady trickle of sales come in for those attractions that were able to open and we’re hopeful that numbers will continue to increase throughout the summer months and beyond. We are looking forward to welcoming visitors back across our marketplace!

Over the next week or so a significant number of our attractions will be opening their doors to visitors for the first time since March. They have all worked hard to make sure that they can keep both visitors and staff safe whilst on site with a range of measures in place from limiting numbers, and one-way-systems, to increased cleaning regimes and having hand sanitiser readily available. A number of them have already been awarded VisitEngland’s ‘We’re Good to Go’ industry standard mark meaning visitors can be confident that they are adhering to Government and public health guidance.

Although the future is looking bright for open air and outdoor attractions we are aware that for places such as heritage centres and museums the social distancing measures are making life a little more difficult and, in some cases, not financially viable to open just yet. Open Pass and our network of partners will be ready to start selling tickets again as soon as businesses are in a position to re-open and welcome visitors back.

Our destination passes started 2020 on a very positive note with sales booming. As more attractions open and more people look to take a holiday or a short break across the UK we’re confident that sales will return to pre-lockdown levels. Destination passes offer convenience and value for money both of which will be increasingly important to visitors over the coming months.

If you’d like to find out more about the Open Pass system and how we could help you to welcome visitors back – from booking systems to increasing your audience – you can find out more about us here.

News

Sell Warwick Castle Tickets with Open Pass

Post author By Jenny Roberts
Post date 30/06/2020
No Comments on Sell Warwick Castle Tickets with Open Pass

Sell Warwick Castle Tickets with Open Pass

June 30, 2020

Open Pass trade partners have exclusive access to Warwick Castle tickets.

Warwick Castle – known as Britain’s Ultimate Castle – is one of the most popular attractions in Warwickshire attracting thousands of visitors each year. The castle grounds and gardens re-opened to the public earlier this month and the castle will be open from the 4th July. A number of measures are in place to ensure the safety of visitors and staff including essential pre-booking and temperature checks, and Warwick Castle has been awarded VisitEngland’s ‘We’re Good to Go’ industry standard mark. This means visitors and partners can be confident that they are adhering to Government and public health guidance.

Our partnership with Warwick Castle means that Open Pass is the only platform that hotels can use to re-sell their tickets and being able to do so allows hotels to enhance their offering to their guests either as part of a stay package or as an extra once guests have arrived. Not only does selling the tickets allow hotels to provide added value to their guests’ stay but it also earns them a commission at the same time! A real bonus in the current uncertain climate for hotels and accommodation providers.

If you’re interested in selling Warwick Castle tickets or would like to find out more about partnering with Open Pass you can call us on 01865 364537 or email [email protected].

The Explore Amsterdam Pass Launches!

Our latest pass, managed by Tourism Group International, is now on sale.

Delve into Amsterdam with Open Pass and the Explore Amsterdam Pass!

New City, New Pass Structure

The Explorer Pass gets an Upgrade

The Explorer Pass by Shakespeare's England has recently been upgraded to include access to our world-leading live booking app.

Live booking app

New pass, new website!

Breaking the Mould with the Edinburgh City Pass

We’re delighted to announce that the Edinburgh City Pass is officially back up and running after a two year break due to the coronavirus pandemic. The pass is one of our most popular passes and it is great to have it back!

See the real Edinburgh with the Edinburgh City Pass

Save on attractions, tours and transport

It’s not just about saving money…

Mobile-friendly Pass

Open Pass in Scotland

After a tricky couple of years, we’re looking forward to a successful 2023 for the Edinburgh City Pass and Open Pass in Scotland!

New Year and New Beginnings for Open Pass

Guided Tours of King's College with Cantab Tours

5-Stars For Cantab Tours

A Busy Start to Summer For Open Pass

Cantab Tours - Official Guided Tours of Cambridge

Visit Derry Pass

Northern Highlights Pass

Summer Sales Show Signs of Recovery

Ready to Welcome Visitors Back

Sell Warwick Castle Tickets with Open Pass

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