Gateway Ticketing Systems, Inc., the world leader in admission control and ticketing software for the attraction, amusement, and transportation industries, has updated the Panama Canal Authority’s ticketing and access control systems.
In 2014, the Panama Canal celebrates its 100th birthday. The Panama Canal Authority (ACP) is marking the milestone with the Panama Canal Expansion Project, a major expansion of the lock, due for completion in 2015. As part of the project the ACP wanted to upgrade their ticketing and access control systems to enhance the experience they offer visitors.
Nigel Rios, IT Manager at the Panama Canal Visitors’ Center, explains: “Tourism in Panama has been increasing and the Panama Canal is a must-see travel destination. We were interested in upgrading our ticketing system so we could provide better service to our visitors. At the Miraflores Locks on the Pacific side, tourists are eager to learn about the history of the Canal and how the vessels pass from one ocean to the other. On the Atlantic side we opened an observation center so visitors can watch the construction of the new set of locks and get information about the Panama Canal Expansion Project, one of the greatest engineering projects of our time."
Gateway Ticketing worked with the ACP to install access control at both locations, including multiple admission turnstiles and handheld scanners for point-of-sale stations to keep queuing to a minimum. A dedicated network now connects the sites and in addition Gateway’s Galaxy Group Sales and Resource Management tools enable more efficient operations.
Rios adds, “Having our ticketing sales and access control points of both centers integrated in one platform, helps us immensely in our day to day operations.”
Gateway has also provided extensive training. ACP representatives attended training sessions at the Gateway Headquarters before project installation began, giving them the opportunity to meet with their Business Solutions Manager and other members of the Gateway project team. Hands on training has ensured a smooth implementation process, and also enabled the ACP to derive the full benefits from the Galaxy product suite from day one.
Jamie Flaherty, ACP’s Business Solutions Manager at Gateway, summarised, “With two sites nearly 50 miles apart geographically, this was a complicated and exciting project. The ACP came to us early on in their upgrade process and we were able to work with them on all facets of the project. We provided turnstile pass through numbers and used the building concepts for the Observation Center to provide a customized plan including data line schematics, the best turnstile options and power bandwidth dimensions as well as point-of-sale software and hardware selections. In the end, they had several comprehensive options to choose from.”
Images: Miraflores Locks Visitor Center top and Panama Canal Expansion Observation Center. Photos courtesy of the Panama Canal Authority.
