Online ticketing firm Bookmyshow (BMS) has expanded the scope of its inventory to international events, as tickets for the West End play The King and I go live on the platform. The company is also a co-producer on the project. This is BMS’s second outing as a producer for plays, having debuted in the field with Disney’s Aladdin earlier this year.
Albert Almeida, COO-Non Movies, BookMyShow says that the move is in line with the company’s strategy to be the one-stop destination for all entertainment ticketing needs of its users. “There is a statistic that says that nearly 22 Indian million families travel abroad every year, a quarter of them for vacations. We don’t want to lose the consumer just because they are travelling abroad. Also, increasingly, entertainment experiences have become staples on the travel itinerary of Indian tourists. So while people will visit the Statue of Liberty while in New York, they will also want to catch a musical at Broadway.”
Starting with the multi Tony-award winning production of Rodgers & Hammerstein’s The King and I, BMS will expand the scope of events to include cultural events, sports, and music festivals. Almeida adds that there is a huge demand in the international market for partnering with companies that have a significant consumer base in India. Intellectual Property (IP) owners are keen to tap into the Indian market, and BMS is looking at partnering such interested parties for their international ticketing business.
The play was being staged at Broadway and is now moving to London’s West End.
Sir Howard Panter, Joint CEO and Creative Director, Trafalgar Entertainment Group said, "We are delighted to partner on the launch of BookMyShow’s first international production to the people of India with this magnificent production of The King And I this summer at the London Palladium. We look forward to opening the doors of this iconic venue to all who are visiting the UK this year."