Onboard Retail Solutions will be offering visitors to the UK the opportunity to buy UK attraction tickets in advance from their airline seats following a new agreement with the UK's leading visitor attraction operator, The

Merlin Entertainments Group.

This will allow Onboard to offer a number of leading UK attraction tickets to passengers onboard both airlines and trains, with the initial agreement covering four key London attractions: the London Eye and its 4D cinema show; the London Dungeon; Madame Tussauds and The SEA LIFE London Aquarium. In addition, Onboard will also be able to offer tickets to SEA LIFE Brighton and Loch Lomond, and the Edinburgh and York Dungeons.

‘This agreement is a further development of our Virtual Inventory Product (VIP) offer to airlines and rail companies, designed to significantly increase onboard revenues without the need for carrying physical stock and associated administrative headaches and we are thrilled that such a dynamic and forward thinking company as Merlin has become a new partner,’ says Onboard's CEO Thomas Drohan.

Onboard says that as well as attractive pricing, key benefits include the convenience of at seat purchase for passengers and significantly these tickets will also provide customers with priority/fast-track access.

‘We believe this will be a massive appeal to passengers,’ adds Onboard's Sales and Marketing Director, Dan Hayter.

Airline or on-train crew simply print off the tickets using the very latest Onboard Retail Solutions EPOS device and on POS software for each passenger purchase. The voucher is bar-coded and customised to Merlin's own specifications for each attraction and carries a unique identifier to assist with usage and reconciliation. ‘This system ensures total security and ticket vouchers cannot be forged or copied,’ said Drohan.

Commenting, Andy Davies, Commercial Services Director, Merlin Entertainments Group said: ‘We are delighted to be creating this partnership with Onboard Retail Solutions. Merlin is the number one attractions operator in the UK and this initiative is a natural link given the key roles that ourselves and Onboard's transport clients play in pro-actively encouraging overseas guests people to visit the UK; and equally in encouraging UK residents to take full advantage of the excellent range of activities on offer around the country.’