Ticket Value Scheme Coronacrisis

Cultural and sporting events

The English text is a translation of the Dutch original. In disputes, the original Dutch text will be leading

update 22^nd January 2021

Due to the (national and international) measures against the spread of the coronavirus, many event organizers, music venues, theaters and concert halls, museums, monuments, sports clubs and other institutions are forced to move or cancel events. The scheme below has been drawn up to provide a guide for organizers on how to deal with the refunding of tickets and the issuing of vouchers. Should organizers make use of this, they will inform the public about the content of this scheme.

Where mention is made of “event” in the current scheme, this should be read (also) to include: theater performance, music performance, music concert, pop concert, festival, exhibition, sports competitions, etc. Where it says “organizer”, this should be read to include: theater, concert hall, black box, museum, monument, sports club etc.

Article 1 Rescheduled events

Tickets for events which have been rescheduled as a result of the coronavirus will remain valid for the later date, provided that the event is rescheduled for a date no more than 26 months from the original one. Affiliated parties are clearly instructed that, should an event be rescheduled again, the ticket holders have to be given the option again to opt for a voucher/credit or a monetary refund (or donate the value). Furthermore, the affiliated organizers receive instructions about the communication with the ticket holders and the validity periods to be applied.
If the ticket holder is unable to attend on the new date of the rescheduled event, the ticket holder will notify the organizer within a reasonable time. The holder of the ticket is then entitled to credit equal to the original ticket price, including booking or service fees. The value of this credit can be used to purchase a ticket for another event of the organizer for a minimum of 24 months after issue. The validity period is stated on the voucher.
If the ticket holder cannot use the credit, the ticket holder will notify the organizer within a reasonable time. In that case, the ticket holder is entitled to a monetary refund of the original ticket price.
Any monetary refund will be issued no later than 12 months after the new date of the rescheduled event.
An organizer may deviate from the above at any time in favor of the ticket holder.

Article 2 Cancelled events

For tickets for events that were canceled due to the coronavirus (i.e. could not be rescheduled within the 26-month period), the holder of that ticket is entitled to credit equal to the original ticket price, including booking or service charge. This credit can be used to purchase a ticket for another event of the organizer for a minimum of 12 months after issue. The validity period is stated on the voucher. The affiliated organizers receive instructions about the communication with the ticket holders and the validity periods to be applied.
If the ticket holder cannot use the credit, the ticket holder will notify the organizer within a reasonable time. In that case, the ticket holder is entitled to a monetary refund of the original ticket price.
Any monetary refund will take place no later than 3 months from the date of the cancelled event.
An organizer may deviate from the above in favor of the ticket holder at any time.

Explanation of the changes to the scheme

General

When the Netherlands was first confronted with the corona crisis at the beginning of April 2020, the events industry and the cultural sector, in conjunction with the Ministries of Education, Culture & Science and Economic Affairs, initiated the Save Your Ticket scheme and campaign.

(In short,) the foundations for this scheme were:

Should an event be rescheduled on account of the corona outbreak, tickets will remain valid for the new date. An event can be considered rescheduled if it takes place within 13 months from the original date. If a ticket holder cannot attend on the new date, they are entitled to credit (a voucher). If the ticket holder does not want a voucher, they can donate the value or receive a monetary refund. Refunds are affected within a month from the new date of the event.
If an event cannot be rescheduled within 13 months from the original date, the event is considered to have been cancelled. In that case, the ticket holder is entitled to ticket credit (a voucher). If the ticker holder does not want a voucher, they can donate the value or receive a monetary refund. Refunds are affected within 3 months from the original date of the event.

The Save Your Ticket scheme has been extensively used and has been applied diligently in the vast majority of cases. Any problem areas identified, have been addressed.

In the meantime, however, the crisis has lasted much longer than expected in April 2020. We are currently experiencing a prolonged second wave that has given rise to governmental measures comparable to those in the period March-June 2020. Even before the renewed measures, the events industry and cultural sector had noticed that events that had for instance been rescheduled from the spring of 2020 to the fall of 2020 had to be rescheduled again. Due to the lack of a positive outlook, these events are now not being rescheduled for spring 2021 but for the end of 2021 or even later.

The Save Your Ticket scheme of April 2020 did not anticipate this development. Therefore, there is a need to adjust and extend the scheme. At the same time, consumers have not been able to use their credit (vouchers) at alternative events because no alternative events could be organized as a result of the persisting corona measures.

That is another reason why the scheme has to be tweaked.

The events industry and cultural sector are fully aware that they must not damage the patience, trust, sympathy and understanding shown by consumers in the past period, and they want this to be reflected in the adjustment of the scheme.

Per article

Article 1:

As indicated above, the application of the Save Your Ticket scheme of April 2020 as was, would mean that all events that have to be rescheduled for a second time to a date later than 13 months from the original event date have to be considered as cancelled with all that entails, disregarding the fact that these events are actually rescheduled instead of cancelled altogether. The rescheduling just occurs outside of the 13 months concerned. This period is therefore extended to 26 months. The choice for a period exceeding 24 months was made because some yearly events diverge slightly according to the timing of a certain holiday (Easter, Pentecost).
Because the events industry and cultural sector are once again appealing to the patience, trust, sympathy and understanding of consumers, accurate communication about the extension of the scheme and consumer rights is essential. Affiliated parties are clearly instructed that, should an event be rescheduled again, the ticket holders must be given the option again to opt for a voucher/credit or a monetary refund (or donate the value). Furthermore, the affiliated organizers receive instructions about the communication with the ticket holders and the validity periods to be applied.
The term “reasonable time” is a period of at least 4 weeks from the announcement of the rescheduling of the event concerned. The organizer is obliged to clearly communicate that period and the consumer’s rights to the ticket holder. The value of the voucher is the original ticket price (but not, for example, a higher price paid by the holder through a ticket dealer), including any service/reservation/administration fees. The amount is redeemable when purchasing a ticket for another event of the organizer. After all, many organizers charge different prices for different events. The voucher is valid for a minimum of 24 months, twice the duration of the statutory period, because consumers must get a realistic opportunity to use the credit. If the value of the voucher is not fully used, the remainder will remain as credit during the aforementioned period. After conclusion of this period, any non-used credits will be refunded, all this subject to the statutory (expiry) terms.
The ticket holder can request a refund of the ticket value. The concept “reasonable time” consists of a four week term after the announcement of the rescheduling of the event in question. The organizer is obliged to communicate the term to the ticket holders.
This term has been chosen for the benefit of the liquidity of the organizer. The period within which an organizer will make a monetary refund is set at no later than 12 months after the original date of the event. This applies to all monetary refunds: both for the consumers who indicated that they wanted their money back when announcing the first rescheduling, and for consumers who did so when the further rescheduling was announced.
There is room to deviate from the above in favor of the consumer, for example in the duration of validity periods.

Article 2:

The value of the credit is the original ticket price (but not, for example, a higher price paid by the holder through a ticket dealer), including any service/reservation/administration fees. The amount is redeemable when purchasing a ticket for another event of the organizer. After all, many organizers charge different prices for different events. The voucher is valid for a minimum of 24 months, twice the duration of the statutory period, because consumers must get a realistic opportunity to use the credit. If the value of the voucher is not fully used, the remainder will remain as credit during the aforementioned period. The events industry and the cultural sector appeal to the patience, trust, sympathy and understanding of consumers. Accurate communication about the extension of the scheme and consumer rights is therefore essential. Affiliated organizers receive clear instructions on the (tone of the) communication with the holders and the validity periods to be applied.
The ticket holder can request a refund of the ticket value. The concept “reasonable time” consists of a four week term after the announcement of the rescheduling of the event in question. The organizer is obliged to communicate the term to the ticket holders.
This term has been chosen for the benefit of the liquidity of the organizer.
There is room to deviate from the above in favour of the consumer, for example in the duration of validity periods.