14th International Theatre Festival of Kerala – A Case Study in Revolutionizing Event Ticketing with Blockchain 

Overview

• The 14th International Theatre Festival of Kerala (ITFoK) served as a platform for showcasing diverse theatrical performances from both national and international spheres. 
• The unique festival for plays organized by the Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi under the Department of Culture was held in Thrissur from 9th February – 14th February 2024. 
• It showcased 23 plays including 8 performances by international theatre groups. The plays were staged at six venues – Thoppil Bhasi Black Box, K T Mohammed Theatre (Regional Theatre), Actor Murali Theatre, Town Hall, School of Drama Campus, and Palace Ground
• Altogether, there were 47 shows including repeat shows of select plays and the various performers from 8 countries displayed their excellence through these plays. 

Challenges

 The event organizers faced three challenges:

1. Increased Demand from India and Abroad: With the growing popularity of the 14th International Theatre Festival of Kerala, there has been a significant surge in demand for tickets both domestically and internationally. This heightened interest posed a challenge in ensuring fair access to tickets for all interested attendees, while also managing the influx of ticket requests from diverse geographical locations.

2. Dealing with Multiple Venues and Events with Limited Staff: Managing ticketing operations efficiently posed logistical challenges due to the festival’s multi-venue setup and limited number of volunteering staff. Coordinating ticket sales, distribution, and attendee assistance across various venues and events necessitated meticulous planning and resource allcation to ensure a seamless and hassle-free experience for both organizers and attendees.

3.  Preventing fraud: The proliferation of counterfeit ticketing posed a significant threat to the integrity of the festival’s ticketing system. Implementing robust measures to authenticate tickets, mitigate fraud and safeguard the interests of genuine attendees was imperative in maintaining the festival’s reputation and trustworthiness.

Solution

• The festival ensured a seamless ticket-purchasing experience for attendees by utilizing Ticmint’s blockchain-powered robust ticketing system and offering a diverse range of payment options through multiple payment gateways.
• At the venue, tickets were swiftly authenticated using Ticmint’s access control mobile app. Validators scanned the QR code, instantly retrieving event details. This streamlined process not only enhanced efficiency but also safeguarded against fraud, such as manual alteration of printed tickets.
• Through Ticmint’s access control mobile app, validators verified tickets based on their original purchase records stored securely in smart contracts, ensuring the integrity of each transaction.

Impact

• Event organizers experienced seamless admission processes, swiftly scanning and admitting attendees to shows directly from their web app by scanning the QR codes on their tickets.
• With instant verification (real-time scanning), organizers ensured a secure and efficient event experience for all attendees.
• This streamlined approach not only facilitated quick entry but also resulted in a low fraud rate.

Ticmint was the official ticketing partner for this event, enhancing the ticketing experience. Revolutionizing the event industry with its innovative web3 event ticketing platform harnessing the power of blockchain, Ticmint ensured secure and transparent transactions, fulfilling its mission to provide attendees with a hassle-free ticketing experience.

The International Theatre Festival of Kerala was proof of one of the biggest successful implementations of blockchain event ticketing platforms of its kind in the world. With over 3000 attendees from all over the world and approximately 8000 tickets sold online, this truly stands as a testimony to the merits of implementing a good blockchain event ticketing platform.