KING OF PRUSSIA, PA – The Valley Forge Tourism & Convention Board just made planning a Montgomery County experience one step easier.
Visitors to valleyforge.org can now book experiences and tours directly through the website, thanks to a new integration with OnceThere.
OnceThere serves as an aggregate that can pull multiple point of sale systems into the VFTCB’s website. With that integration, the tourism board’s website can provide one-stop-shopping for visitors.
A guest looking to book a weekend trip to Montco might click on valleyforge.org, and once there, can find, select and instantly book in-destination activities, such as online reservations for attractions, tours, and even seasonal hotel packages.
“The obvious benefit is we get more than 800,000 visitors to our website each year, and they now have the opportunity to book their experience directly on valleyforge.org,” said Zach Brown, Digital Content & Analytics Manager. “It saves a step. And, there’s no cost to us, or maintenance required by our members.”
Most attractions’ non-assigned seating online ticket systems are compatible with OnceThere. Even VFTCB members without a point of sale system can opt-in to the program.
So far, American Treasure Tour and Riverbend Cycles have signed up for the service. Several more have expressed interest in OnceThere, and the VFTCB hopes to get as many members on board as possible.
Isaac Brooks, Community Relations Manager for the American Treasure tour, said they’re grateful to have such an important tool that’s already improving visitor access and helping to track online sales.
“We need to encourage people to come experience our attraction. We want it to be easy and convenient, and OnceThere is a great program that fulfills that,” Brooks said. “It also allows for cross promotion between different organizations in the Valley Forge region to help spread the word, and also provides different ways for visitors to the region to experience its great variety and culture. And, just maybe to get people who have lived here all their lives to appreciate what is in their own backyard as well.”
OnceThere has been integrated across 54 markets with more than 3,000 live activity products. Austin, Texas, was the pilot city for destinations using the platform, and the VFTCB is among the first since to integrate the service this year.
As part of the partnership, the tourism board will also have the opportunity to place a point of sale machine with a traveling kiosk, or at a visitor center in Montgomery County.
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