Best News World n. 7 - Spring 2013

BEST NEWS SPRING 2013

N. 07

bestunion.com vivaticket.it

ITA LY U AE UK USA SINGAPORE FRANCE

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Great News from the Best Union Group

Dear Friends, This issue gives us an opportunity to present our 2012 results and to announce some extraordinary news about our activities so far this year.

Our group grew in sales last year and is preparing to do the same during 2013.

The net financial position is reassuring although the margin remains well below the real potential of the company.

The Italian economic situation is still very difficult with an uncertain outcome. For this reason the group has decided to focus on the selection of the best resources and the best customers.

After winning the tenders for the ticketing services and access

control at EXPO Milano 2015 in November and December, during January this year our group won the race for the automation of the King Abdullah Stadium in Saudi Arabia, which will be the largest sports facility in the Middle East and is the first installation of what will become one of the most important sporting event areas in the world.

Other important news comes from the Far East where the Singapore office, thanks to the exceptional staff and full support of the group, won the tender for the accreditation and access control system for the next F1 GP of Singapore, and for the ticketing and access control for SKY 100 in Hong Kong, which is one of the tallest skyscrapers in the world.

Our American and British colleagues are working on additional exciting projects that will be presented in the next issue.

Finally, I’d like to share with you our great delight regarding a project that will allow our group to enter into the strategic French ticketing market!

On March 22, 2013 we signed the contract for the provision of an electronic ticketing and access control system for the Louvre museum complex. The Louvre is the most visited museum in the world, with about 10 million visitors each year, and which will now be managed by systems developed by the Best Union group.

In accordance with this exciting project, we have created Best Union France which will

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NEWS FROM THE PRESIDENT

IT’S SPRING!

operate within the Frenchspeaking markets.

Sincere thanks to those who have believed as strongly as I have that we can achieve great things. I wish you well as we continue working together to make this a good year!

STONE MOUNTAIN Goes Live with OmniTicket Network!

Lasershow Spectacular and ticket vending via numerous self-ser vice kiosks.

OmniTicket Network’s online solution is also now being used by Stone Mountain to support their ticket web sale pages, which can be found at shop.omniticket.com.

Visit www.stonemountainpark.com

Tickets shop.omniticket.com/SMP

Stone Mountain Park, which offers a stunning view of the largest exposed piece of granite in the world, was first used as a quarry. Granite from the mountain was used at well-known sites around the world, including the Martin Luther King Jr. memorial, the steps of the United States Capitol Building and the Panama Canal. Today Stone Mountain offers a variety of opportunities for families to explore the mountain’s history, enjoy hiking and biking trails and to experience the park’s many exciting attractions.

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Stone Mountain Park, located just outside of Atlanta, is now using OmniTicket Network’s Overview Ticketing solution.

This wide-ranging project included the implementation of access control at Stone Mountain’s top attraction, The Summit Skyride, as well as assigned seating functionality for the

OMNITICKET’S

This season the Dollywood theme park will debut O m n i T i c k e t N e t w o r k ’s e x c i t i n g n e w I n t e r a c t i ve Turnstile Transformer (ITT).

This innovative product transforms almost any turnstile, counter or desktop into a

The ITT interfaces seamlessly with a wide variety of turnstile models, and has been designed to provide an interactive and intuitive user and guest experience. OmniTicket’s renowned access control software has also been enhanced to allow the ITT to display themed graphics, userdefined messages and a selection of animated, interactive welcome screens and instructions that will transform any access control operation.

dynamic, interactive access control solution.

The ITT can be customized based on each park’s specific requirements, and can contain a selection of components, including a guest facing LCD screen, an operator facing LCD screen, a 2D barcode scanner, a magnetic swipe reader, an RFID sensor and a biometric reader.

Visit www.dollywood.com

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NEWS FROM US MARKET!

“INTERACTIVE TURNSTILE TRANSFORMER” TO D E B U T A T D O L LY W O O D

OmniTicket Network is proud to provide online ticketing solutions for new water parks in two of the most exciting cities on the planet! Wet ‘n Wild Las Vegas will be opening in Sin City on Memorial Day weekend 2013 and is already online with OmniTicket and selling advance season passes at www.wetnwildlasvegas.com. Online sales for general admissions and cabana reservations will be available soon.

New Wet ’n Wild parks in Las Ve g a s a n d Sydney using Omniticket Online

A n d d o w n u n d e r i n S y d n e y, Australia, an incredible new Wet ‘n Wild park is under construction with a scheduled opening set in December 2013. With an amazing 42 rides and attractions planned, this park will be a must-see.

Advanced ticket sales for early-birds will be under way soon at www.wetnwildsydney.com.au .

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WET ’N WILD

SBK SUPERBIKE Engines Roar with the FIM World Championship 2013 Engines roar and temperatures are already rising for an event that will host thousands of fans of the greatest riders in circulation along the Santerno River this summer.

The SBK World Eni Championship will be held June 28th to 30th in Imola.

It will be an event not to miss for two-wheel lovers that will meet for the seventh stage of a season that promises to be electrifying and

fought over like never before.

Enzo e Dino F e r r a r i autodrome will stage a race for riders on a difficult track that will really test the bikers.

It will be a great show that will call to the track the best drivers in the championships reserved for series derived from motorbikes such as Melandri, Checa, Haslam, Sykes, Guintoli, Camier, who with their BMW, Ducati, Honda, Kawasaki, Aprilia, Suzuki will seek to follow in the footsteps of legendary Max Biaggi. Even the usual Open Paddock on Thursday will be an event not to miss where all fans will have free access to the Paddock Autodrome with the possibility to meet the players to get autographs, take pictures and walk along the pit-lane.

Visit www.worldsbk.com

Tickets www.vivaticket.it

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SBK SUPERBIKE 2013

Vivaticket.it by Charta, the Best Union website that specializes in event presales online, is already in pole position to give fans access to this fantastic motorsport weekend. Follow us online!

Prominent names in this genre include Kerri Chandler, the US musician and respected DJ, Canadian producer Richie Hatwin, one of the techno world's most recognized musicians from the

90s onwards, Erol Alkan, of Turkish Cypriot origin, famous for his performances in local London the End, and Italian Marco Carola, famous for his ability to mix and try new styles and sounds since the early 90's.

KAPPA FUTURFESTIVAL In Turin, the Best of Contemporary Electronic and Techno Music The Parco Dora in Turin, the most futuristic city park in Italy, is preparing to become the frame in which the best international artists of electronic music and contemporary techno will perform.

We are talking about Kappa FuturFestival with a format derived by the authors of Movement, the largest organizer of dance music festivals in the United States.

The program will offer a wide range of musical, artistic and sporting events open Saturday and Sunday, July 13th and 14 th , from noon to midnight.

Charta is already supporting the event on the website vivaticket.it, and will be under the stage and behind the scenes to provide info, online assistance for ticket purchases a n d customer care.

Have Fun!

LINE UP Saturday, July 13th: Apollonia, Carl Cox, Damian Lazarus, Kerri Chandler, Nicole Moudaber Sunday, July 14th: Ellen Allien, Erol Alkan, Marco Carola, Richie Hawtin, Zombi Nation Visit www.kappafuturfestival.com

Tickets www.vivaticket.it

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SPECIAL CULTURE

There’s no better way to have a good time on a sultry summer weekend for those who remain in city.

The engines of the next summer rock season in the capital city are already starting to warm up. For 60 days, beginning on May 29th, Rock in Roma, the biggest Italian Music Festival will be staged at the Capannelle Hippodrome. In just four years Rock

in Roma has become a must-see event for music fans thanks to the quality of national and international artists present and the event organization by The Base agency which specializes in the production of major events in Rome.

ROCK IN ROMA 2013 This year’s festival includes many prominent performers such as Bruce Springsteen, Blur, Mark Knopfler and many more.

The line-up is constantly updated with additions of new players in the making.

As always it will range from various genres, from metal to techno, from folk to

electronics, from classical to alternative pop.

New themed concert areas will be set up to accommodate the growing number of fans, with more than 300,000 spectators expected to rock out to their favorites in the hot Roman summer.

The Best Union Group, with many years of experience managing big entertainment events, will provide pre-sales online through sites vivaticket.it and helloticket.it which are well known in the s h o w, culture and entertainment industry.

Visit www.rockinroma.com

Tickets www.vivaticket.it www.helloticket.it

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At the Capannelle Hippodrome, the biggest Italian Music Festival

THIS IS AMIT! Music, theater, operas, comedies and dramas! Amit is all this and much more. The "Roman Arm" of the Best Union group, Amit has spent many years assisting the big Italian theaters with cultural events and entertainment throughout Italy.

This new "Ring" is entirely produced by the Teatro Massimo and on the calendar from the opening to the closing of the 2013 Season: "Das Rheingold" (22-31 January), "Die Walküre" (February 21 to March 3), "Siegfried" (19-30 October), "Götterdämmerung" (November 23 - December 4th).

It is the musical event of the year that is drawing many fans from all over the world.

And there are also other great m a e s t r o s , i n c l u d i n g Ve r d i ' s Nabucco, Rossini's Rigoletto and Aida, Prokofiev and Cajkowski.

In Rome, if you are interested in comedies, the Teatro Ambra Jovinelli presents a historic piece of John Osborne's 1956 Look Back in Anger starring Stefania Rocca and Daniele Russo until April 14th.

A great success in London, it is the story of a love triangle which produced the phrase "angry young men" to describe Osborne and other writers of his generation who employed harshness and realism, in contrast to what was seen previously.

Beginning April 18th in the brilliant comedy Anche l'occhio vuole la sua parte, Maurizio Casagrande depicts the anxiety and fears that impact important life choices.

Stay tuned!

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At the Teatro Massimo in Palermo, for example, the biggest opera house in Italy and one of the biggest in Europe, the opera season has a program of the highest quality, ready to satisfy all classical music lovers.

This year on the occasion of the bicentenary of the foundation of the theater, the program includes a special dedication to Richard Wagner, the great Ger man maestro.

For the first time in its history, the theater of Palermo will produce a new staging of the "Ring des Nibelungen,” an undisputed masterpiece by Wagner.

SIRACUSA THE GREEK THEATRE Back to the magic of classical

Aristophanes with Women in Parliament.

The direction of Oedipus the King is entrusted to Daniel Salvo, who has previously directed two other Greek Theatre of Syracuse productions. The main actor will be Daniele Pecci. Cristina Pezzoli will make her Syracuse debut by directing the role of young heroin Ilenia Maccarrone.

Vincenzo Pirrotta will be performing the dual role of director and actor in Women in Parliament.

The program also includes two tragedies and a comedy on Monday.

Amit will provide logistical support and advance online sales through helloticket.it and vivaticket.it to ensure the full success of one of the main cultural events of the summer!

Visit www.indafondazione.org Tickets www.vivaticket.it www.helloticket.it

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This year in the splendid setting of the Greek Theatre in Syracuse, from May 11th to June 23rd, a presentation dedicated to the great classical performances will be staged.

We have now arrived at the XLIX edition of the theatrical event that draws in Sicily enthusiasts from around the world. The exhibit comes from the work of the INDA Foundation, the National Institute of Ancient Drama, which for nearly a hundred years has worked to revive the classical drama. Now returning to a big theater and making Syracuse the center of a timeless celebration, the protagonists this year will be Sophocles, with Oedipus the King and Antigone, and

DAYS OF THE DINOSAUR Dinosaurs to Win Miragica for the 4th Stage in Italy attractions, including shows and mechanical rides.

The exhibition provides a trip back in time, along tens of millions of years, and the discovery of the evolution of life on Earth.

In the new exhibit space guests will be able to see 50 specimens of dinosaurs up close in their natural habitat rebuilt in every detail

Check out the show on www.daysofthedinosaur.it!

Tickets www.helloticket.it www.vivaticket.it

Encounter the terrible T-Rex, the small Archaeopteryx, the Ankylosaurus and the Triceratops that, through the sophisticated technology of animatronics, have been perfectly reproduced.

The 3D movie, the Big Bang, explains in a simple and humorous way the birth of our planet and the various theories of extinction and evolution of living beings that inhabit the earth. And the Dinolab is an area designed just for kids to encourage them to continue to learn through play.

The Best Union Group will manage the exhibition’s ticketing services and access control, using their many years of experience with the management of services in the biggest parks in Italy and around the world.

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After great success in Rome and Turin and two extensions in Naples, the Days of the D i n o s a u r exhibition will stop at the Park Miragica in Molfetta, April to September.

The park covers an area of approximately 100,000 square meters and has 19

Floracult, a 3-day fair dedicated to nature and gardening, will open on April 26th.

Set in the picturesque roman countryside around Veio, FLORACULT is a must-see event for gardening lovers. In the wonderful frame of the Casali del Pino, the exhibition is promoted and organized by Ilaria Venturini Fendi and edited by

FLORACULT Nursery Culture and Return to Nature Visit www.floracult.com

Amit will use their extensive experience in cultural events organization to provide Floracult with the services necessary for the success of an event of great interest!

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Antonella Fornai, a well-known gardening expert.

Floracult is an event created to bring nature back to the center of culture.

In an urban environment there is often environmental degradation, and green culture is a universal language that can begin from the confined space of a terrace.

Through the participation of gardening experts, Tickets Floracult hopes to be a www.helloticket.it workshop of ideas and www.vivaticket.it inspiration for dissemination and development of knowledge and the use of suitable plants to be grown in our gardens and balconies.

F ro m J u n e 8th t o S e p t e m b e r 6th, Caribbean rhythms and atmospheres will invade the Eternal City, with the most compelling offerings in the field of art, culture, gastronomy and Latin American dancing.

Soy Latino! Music Festival will open in Rome and will stay for the entire Roman summer at the Sunset Village, close to Ostia Antica, an area well equipped to host this kind of event.

Festival attendees will feel like they are crossing space and time to become immersed in a typical Caribbean town, surrounded by the characteristic atmosphere of distant countries that in a globalized world are becoming closer to us all the time. www.soylatino.it

SOY LATINO! Colors, flavors, music, dancing, souvenirs, local products and celebrities will create a kaleidoscope of fun for participants in this event.

Amit, part of the Best Union group, will support the Festival using experience in the entertainment and culture of Rome to provide presale online tickets.

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Latin Rhythm Inflames the Roman Summer

TARQUINIA E CERVETERI A D i p wi t h Te l e a r t i nt o E t ruscan Civ iliz atio n

Beginning Februar y 1st, Teleart will provide technology to the archaeological sites of Tarquinia and Cerveteri, which are characterized by the famous necropolis of the Etruscan civilization.

The Etruscan necropolis of Banditaccia is located on a tufa north-west of Cerveteri (RM).

Within its 400 hectares there are many thousands of tombs, with about 10 hectares open to the public.

It is the oldest necropolis in the Villanovan period (ninth century BC) and its origin is in a group of Villanovan tombs in the town of Cava Pozzolan.

The e n t i r e staff of Teleart is proud of this achievement and, as always, will deploy all available energy for the successful management of these invaluable assets of our culture.

Famous for its grandeur, the Necropolis of Banditaccia is the largest ancient necropolis in the entire Mediterranean area.

At Tarquinia the necropolis of Monterozzi encloses a large number of burial mounds with cave rooms, in which an extraordinary series of paintings is kept.

This represents the most important collection of paintings of Etruscan art and ancient paintings of the Roman Imperial Age. The burial chambers, modeled on the interiors of homes, have walls that are decorated with scenes depicting magical and religious funeral banquets, dancers, aulos players, jugglers, and landscapes with rich, vivid colors.

Both archaeological sites are protected by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site.

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Teleart, part of Best Union group, brings home another win! Teleart specializes in the management of museum ser vices, ticket booking and web solutions.

The Yas Waterworld project is big success for the Best Union team, and this success highlights the innovation of Best Union’s systems, and the company’s ability to offer solutions on a global level.

Best Union extends its presence in the Middle East and consolidates its connection with the United Arab Emirates by providing ticketing services at “Yas Waterworld” in Abu Dhabi!

YAS WATERWORLD With a surface area of 15 soccer fields and 43 slides, games and attractions – five of them one of a kind – this new water park in the Yas’s island, which opened January 24th, promises to be one of the world’s most exciting international amusement parks.

The park’s main theme is that of “The Lost Pearl.” Visitors will be fascinated by the history of a young woman from the Emirates looking for a legendary pearl and moving between all kinds of attractions, including a souk (an open-air market place) and a demo of pearl research.

Best Union group was selected for their reliability in providing ticketing services, and is

providing the Best Overview Solution (BOS) which includes integrated ticketing and access control functionality.

The system provides a multisite solution, which was an important factor since Yas Water world is managed by the same corporation as Ferrari World, an existing Best Union costumer.

The multi-site BOS system allows management to have coordinated control through one system on all finance, marketing and security aspects.

This multi-site configuration allows tickets to be valid for both sites and to allow upgrades and cross-sales between the sites.

www.yaswaterworld.com

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YAS WATERWORLD

ABU DHABI

BEST SIGEP

www.sigep.it

Best Union and Rimini Fiera Open 2013, with a “Worldwide” Sigep

opportunity to avoid the traditional payment queue.

Another convenience included Mobile Ticketing which allowed tickets to be sent to a smartphone to make admission to the expo practical and accessible for many visitors.

The expo meant 2,500 job shifts for the Best Union staff at a total of 9,500 services hours, during twenty days of assembly operations, execution and dismantling of the event.

Best Union offered staff including hostesses and stewards for reception, show girls, security, bartenders, ice cream men, cashiers, internal and external access control and wardrobe.

The high-quality staff provided by Best Union to Fiera Rimini for Sigep 2013 helped control costs thanks to the optimization of resources that was implemented by Best Union based on their experience and in coordination with Fiera Rimini.

This extraordinary Sigep proved to be a positive beginning for a year in which Rimini Fiera and Best Union will be striving together to achieve exciting new goals!

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SIGEP 2013

Sigep, the world´s most important expo in the artisan gelato sector, opened 2013 for Rimini Fiera with a large influx of visitors. The success was built thanks to a consolidated relationship between the fairgrounds and the Best Union Company.

At the 34 th Sigep there were 144,803 operators from all over the world visiting during the five days of exhibition, with an increased attendance of 18% compared to the previous year. The success is a result of months of hard work. Beginning last summer the Rimini division of Best Union supported the exhibition team with an online box office and internet services planning.

This year online tools allowed a significant increase in web costumers, who had direct access to the fair using a print@home option and giving operators the

BEST NEWS SPRING 2013

N. 07

bestunion.com vivaticket.it

ITA LY U AE UK USA SINGAPORE FRANCE

Where your ticket becomes an experience