Festival package deals will only make big names more famous, claim critics

Published on Sunday 7 February 2010 21:55

IT IS the kind of offer normally associated with stadium pop concerts, major sporting events or a trip to London's West End.

Now Edinburgh's main festivals have joined forces to help sell package trips to the city in August.

Seats for prime events at the flagship cultural events have gone on sale – months before shows are confirmed and tickets are available to the general public.

But the fledgling initiative – which will offer at least three ticketed shows a day for around 40, with travel and accommodation – has been given a cool reception from leading festival figures amid concerns that it will only benefit big-name performers and artists, and could deprive audiences of a true "festival experience". Critics say the venture, which is already being promoted around the world by Festivals Edinburgh, risks attracting the "wrong sort of audience" and may put visitors off seeking out new shows and lesser-known venues.

Package deals are regularly offered months in advance for events like international rugby fixtures, football finals, the Wimbledon tennis tournament and shows in London's West End.

The Edinburgh Festivals Passport offer will only be open to people prepared to pay hundreds of pounds for package deals including travel and accommodation through tour firms and other travel trade operators.

They will be guaranteed three prime tickets for shows at a mix of the city's fringe, international, jazz & blues and book festivals, depending on when they visit. Passport buyers will also get entry to various free events at the Fringe and visual art festivals, as well as discounts in leading cafs, bars and restaurants.

However, visitors will not know what shows they are going to until mid-July, having booked on the basis of being allocated three tickets between 9am and midnight on a specific day.

Festivals Edinburgh hopes the initiative will emulate the success of package deals which allow the Tattoo to pre-sell tens of thousands of tickets months in advance.

However, while the Tattoo releases its programme highlights eight months ahead, the Book, Jazz and Fringe Festival schedules are not unveiled until June.

Susan Russell, marketing manager at Festivals Edinburgh, said: "

This new product allows visitors to purchase a festival experience at the point of booking their holiday, which for some international markets can be up to a year in advance. It's ideal as an add-on to an existing Edinburgh Military Tattoo or Edinburgh city package."

John Simpson, co-director of The World, the music and dance venue backed by Brian Cox, Peter Gabriel and Kylie Minogue, said: "My worry about this kind of thing is that it will be the usual fat cats that will benefit."

Peter Buckley Hill, founder of the Free Fringe, said: "

It would be a pity if people miss out on a genuine festival experience by buying one of these packages. There is also a danger that it will reinforce the fame of those that are already famous. It actually goes against the whole spirit of the festivals."