The Edinburgh Zoo has reported that they have sold almost 1500 tickets in 24 hours to see the Giant Pandas which are arriving this weekend. Around 1/3 of the tickets have been kept back for visitors who turn up at the zoo on the day.
- NEWS RELEASE -
Pandas’ Arrival Sparks Surge of Advance Bookings at Edinburgh Zoo
The news that giant pandas Tian Tian and Yang Guang will be arriving at Edinburgh Zoo on Sunday (4 December) has resulted in a surge of advance bookings from visitors eager to catch the first glimpse of one of the world’s most endearing animals.
Almost 1500 tickets to see the giant pandas have been sold by the zoo in less than 24 hours following the confirmation of the bears’ arrival in Scotland’s Capital.
The giant pandas will go on show to the public from Friday 16 December, following a series of private viewings for zoo staff and members of the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland. Visitors are not being charged extra to see the pandas, but due to the high demand, time-ticketing is in operation with visitors able to select a visiting time in half-hourly intervals, subject to availability.
To guarantee viewing and to avoid disappointment, all visitors are being encouraged to pre-book their panda viewing online when purchasing Zoo entry tickets. Around one third of panda tickets will also be put aside for visitors coming to the zoo, available on a first come first served basis.
Hugh Roberts, Chief Executive at Edinburgh Zoo, said: “We are witnessing unprecedented levels of interest in viewing opportunities for our newest arrivals, which proves what a global draw the giant pandas are going to be for the Zoo.
“We have invested heavily in systems for the giant panda arrival and a lot of careful planning has gone into our ticketing strategy. Our aim to allow a steady flow of visitors through both viewing areas of the enclosure throughout the day, whilst maximising the viewers’ panda experience.
“We want as many people as possible to view our giant pandas in a comfortable and accessible environment, and our advance-booking system will allow us to do this.”
ENDS 29 November 2011