The story
At Amsterdam’s Oude Kerk, centuries of heritage meet contemporary art. Visitors explore the building and its exhibitions, and can add a guided tour of the Oude Kerk tower to their visit. That variety makes the venue special. Behind the scenes, it calls for ticketing that fits the way the team works.
Brecht Russchen, Head of Visitor Services, knows that work first-hand. Brecht leads the visitor team and also writes the information booklets and the audio tour script. Welcoming visitors, providing information and sharing the building’s stories are all part of the role. In a previous marketing and communications role, Brecht was already involved in the search for a new ticketing partner.
Where two systems created extra work
The Oude Kerk previously used one provider for its ticket desk and another for online tickets. An integration was needed to make sure online tickets could be scanned at the entrance. New ticket types sometimes caused problems. Bringing visitor data together in a clear overview also took a great deal of time.
The organisation first took stock of what it needed from a new partner. An integrated system topped the list. With guidance from an external IT consultant, the Oude Kerk looked for a solution that would bring online sales and the ticket desk together.
The tower brought the challenge into focus
When the Oude Kerk began operating the tower itself, coordination between the two systems became even more important. Only eleven visitors can join each tour. A tower ticket is bought together with admission to the church, so every sale had to count towards the same limited capacity.
Under the old setup, online sales closed on the day of the tour. The ticket desk team checked how many tickets had been sold in advance and set aside wristbands for those bookings. The remaining places could be sold at the desk. Anyone wanting to join that afternoon had to come to the venue first to find out whether there was space.
Shared availability across both sales channels
Since June 2026, the Oude Kerk has used Booqi for online ticketing and its ticket desk. Both draw on the same available places. If eight tower tickets have been sold online, the desk team can immediately see that three remain. Once the tour is full, the system shows it. Manually dividing places between online sales and the ticket desk is now a thing of the past.
That changes the visitor experience too. Visitors can check availability online on the day and book until shortly before the tour begins. Sales at the desk can continue at the same time. For Brecht, this connection is a practical improvement: the system fits how visitors plan their visit and how the team welcomes them.
The partnership made the difference
Service played an important part in choosing Booqi. Brecht appreciates knowing the contact people and being able to get a quick response. Compared with previous experiences with other providers, the speed and direct contact stand out. For the Oude Kerk, that accessibility is part of the system’s value.
For the Oude Kerk, the strength lies in how everything connects: online sales and the day-to-day work at the ticket desk fit together, and the team receives personal support from people it knows. Booqi supports both booking a visit and the work that makes it possible. A memorable visit begins with people and systems that work well together.