E-tickets on sale for choice sites
With Greece entering peak tourism season, electronic tickets for some of Greece’s most popular museums and archaeological sites can now be purchased online at www.etickets.tap.gr, the Culture Ministry said on Thursday.
Among the sites and museums for which e-tickets can be bought during this initial phase are the Acropolis and other sites in the capital’s historic center, the archaeological site of Knossos on Crete and Messene in the Peloponnese, and the Iraklio Archaeological Museum, also on Crete.
Although the ministry’s portal for e-tickets went live Thursday, tour companies have been selling electronic tickets since July 2. Since then, according to the Archaeological Resources Fund which runs the e-ticketing system, more than 220,000 tickets have been issued, raising 4 million euros.
The e-ticketing initiative, which is funded by the Stavros Niarchos Foundation and National Bank of Greece, aims to increase security at ancient sites and museums and to keep count of visitors.
On July 4, the capital’s Acropolis Museum broke a record, drawing 17,500 visitors. Guards had to close the doors for half an hour to avert overcrowding.
Authorities hope the e-ticketing system will help to prevent congestion at busy museums and sites. There are also plans to set up a digital sign at the foot of the Acropolis indicating the temperature at the site for the elderly and those of fragile health.
