Nakheel and Dnata Travel announce ticket partnership for Cirque du Soleil's Alegría

Nakheel, who, in association with Cirque du Soleil, is bringing the highly acclaimed show Alegría to Dubai from March 5 - April 5, is partnering with Dnata Travel to sell tickets for all performances at major Dnata Travel outlets.

With a fully-integrated booking system that operates as live, customers are able to pick the exact seats they would like by viewing a web-based interface. Tickets are selected from a central pool which enables customers purchasing online, via the phone or in person to have access to the same tickets.

Upon payment, the tickets are printed on site to enable customers to take them away immediately. The use of this purpose-built ticketing system, designed by Cirque du Soleil, represents the first time that such a system has been implemented in Dubai and it heralds an important development in the entertainment ticketing market.

Alegría, which will be performed at Ibn Battuta Mall, will feature an evening performance daily (excluding Monday), as well as matinee performances from Friday to Sunday. In consideration of local cultural customs, every show will also have a special family-only seating section.

Brett Judd, Head of Entertainment and Leisure, Nakheel Retail, said: "We are delighted to be working with Dnata Travel on this exciting event - one that we are sure will be a wonderful success. Making tickets easily accessible is an essential element to the success of Alegría and with the new booking system we have implemented we can ensure that customers, whether they be purchasing by phone, online or in person, have access to the best available tickets on their preferred date. Keeping it very simple, with three straightforward ways to buy tickets, we hope to start the incredible experience of Cirque du Soleil from the outset.

"Dnata Travel has a great reputation and vast experience of selling tickets for events in this region and with the support of their skilled staff we are wholly confident of the service that they will offer to our customers."

Divisional Senior Vice President of Dnata Travel Services, Iain Andrew, added:

"We are delighted to be working in partnership with Nakheel to bring the multi-award winning Cirque du Soleil to Dubai. Our well-located Dnata Travel retail outlets offer customers an easy and convenient way to buy tickets."

Alegría's international cast of 55 acrobats, musicians, singers, clowns and characters from 17 countries will showcase their talents in a performance of over two hours in the Grand Chapiteau, which caters for 2,500 spectators. Beginning in Montreal, Canada, in 1994, Alegría has visited 65 cities across 17 countries and has awed over 10 million spectators around the globe.

The return of Cirque du Soleil follows a partnership struck last year between Nakheel and Cirque du Soleil to develop a permanent show on Palm Jumeirah beginning in 2011 and expected to run over a 15-year period. This was followed by an announcement that saw Istithmar World, the investment arm of Dubai World, and Nakheel acquire a 20% stake in Cirque du Soleil.