Arts festival organisers defend booking fees

BY AMANDA FISHER

New Zealand International Arts Festival patrons are disappointed with the booking fees they face when buying tickets for festival shows.

But both the festival organisers and Ticketek have defended the fees as standard.

Patrons lining up to buy tickets at the Tix for 20 stand in Midland Park were unhappy with the booking system – which charges $8.50 per transaction for phone, email, fax or postal bookings; $8 per internet booking, reduced to $5 for self-printed tickets; $3 per ticket if bought at a Ticketek agency; and $2 per ticket bought at the event venue.

Kris Wehipeihana, of Auckland, travelled to the capital expressly for the festival and said she would end up paying up to $50 in booking fees. She would like to buy tickets that had a booking fee included.

"Fees are always a surprise because you think you're going to get a ticket for about $50, then it's always a lot more than expected."

Festival executive director Sue Paterson said booking fees were standard, and the festival's fees were cheap compared to other prices worldwide. "It would not be a surprise for people that are used to attending [such events]."

The festival had to use Ticketek as they held contracts with many of the venues, but they believed the booking fee was reasonable and were happy with Ticketek's service.

The booking fees had been "well-publicised" in the festival programme and online, though she conceded the fees were not mentioned on the same page as events were promoted.

"We could look into changing it, or inserting an asterisk or something ... if people were unhappy."

Ticketek general manager Brendon Bainbridge said the booking fee should not be an issue.

"There's nothing new in here that doesn't exist for any other event we ticket to, or any other arts festival."

WHAT THE PATRONS SAY

The Dominion Post asked festival patrons how many shows they had been to, what they thought about the booking fees, and how they bought their tickets.

Keith Price, 45, Johnsonville, small business owner

Had been to three shows. He would like to have the booking fee included in the ticket price so he would know the full cost upfront, as "that extra cost can be make or break". He has been buying his tickets on the internet and printing them out.

Matt Born, 44, Alexandra, doctor

Had been to three shows, but would attend more as he had come to Wellington for the festival. Although some of the booking fees "seem a bit steep to me", booking fees had come to be accepted. "I would like to know the breakdown [of how the fees work] and what they are for." He has been buying his tickets on the internet.

Anne Nitzer, 30, Germany, waitress

Going to her first show. She said booking fees were probably unfair "but what can you say?". She would like to have the booking fee included in the ticket price upfront because "I most care about the end price so I want to know what the price is in [total]." She was buying her tickets from the venues.

Tamara Friedler, 23, America, traveller

Had been to two shows. She was confused by the way the booking fees work. "It's strange that it costs more to print the ticket out on your own." She wanted the booking fee incorporated into the ticket price so she knew the cost upfront, but "it would be nice if there was no booking fee". Her preferred method was to buy tickets from the internet.

Vaughn Roberts, 40, Mt Cook, musician

About to attend his first show. He was confused by how the booking fees worked because "it seems like it should be cheaper if you print out your own ticket . . . It would be nice if it were just a uniform fee". He wanted to see the booking fee incorporated into the ticket cost. His preferred method of purchase was at the venues.

- © Fairfax NZ News