How Sodexo Live! simplifies the management and sales of hospitality tickets

Hospitality tickets combine event access with premium services and exclusive experiences. Depending on the package, they may include VIP seating, hospitality lounges, food and beverage offerings, concierge services, travel arrangements, and personalized guest support.

In the world of premium events, hospitality tickets are not just a perk, they are a strategic tool for enhancing the guest experience, boosting revenue, and elevating a venue or an event's prestige. Yet, managing and selling these tickets at scale while delivering flawless service to diverse audiences requires deep expertise, the right technology, and operational excellence.

Sodexo Live! brings all three. With decades of experience supporting world-class events and venues, Sodexo Live! − through its dedicated Travel & Hospitality ticketing brand, Sports and Travel Hospitality (STH) − simplifies the complex process of hospitality ticketing, from strategy and segmentation to sales, fulfillment, and on-site delivery.

Why hospitality tickets are a strategic tool for live events

Today’s hospitality business landscape is about turning every element of the event into a premium asset.Few elements are more powerful than the hospitality ticket itself.

Beyond entry: turning tickets into high-value hospitality experiences

A hospitality ticket is more than an upgraded seat: it’s the foundation of a curated, premium journey. In most cases, it’s offered as part of a hospitality package, combining exclusive event access with elevated guest services such as curated food and beverage, access to private lounges, personalized welcome, and networking opportunities.

For high-profile events, these packages often extend well beyond the venue. They can include luxury travel arrangements, premium accommodation, and tailored local experiences such as guided tours, fine dining at renowned restaurants, or exclusive cultural activities. This holistic approach not only enhances the hospitality experience but also transforms attendance into a multi-day, fully managed journey − one that resonates deeply with VIP guests and corporate clients alike.

The rise of premium access for VIP and corporate guests

From sports and leisure events to concerts and international tournaments, there’s growing demand for VIP access. For many guests, the experience around the game or performance matters as much as the event itself. Hospitality tickets fulfill that demand while driving higher engagement and loyalty.

A new revenue channel for venues, sports and entertainment brands

When managed effectively, hospitality ticketing can significantly increase revenues for venues, sports organizations, and entertainment brands by optimizing premium inventory, driving higher guest spend, and attracting lucrative corporate audiences, and ensure full sell-out of premium seating. This strategic approach strengthens brand value, fosters audience loyalty, and builds a more predictable, profitable business model within the hospitality industry.

Key challenges in hospitality ticketing today

Despite its potential, hospitality ticketing brings complexity. Organizers, promoters, and venues must navigate fragmented systems, high guest expectations, and the need to deliver personalization at scale.

Fragmented systems and lack of integration

Too often, ticket sales, guest management, and hospitality services are handled by disconnected teams and platforms, resulting in inefficiencies, delays, and poor guest communication.

This is why counting on a specialist brand like STH is a real asset − everything is centralized into one fully integrated system, ensuring smoother operations, consistent service delivery, and a stress-free process for both organizers and guests.

Personalization vs. scalability

Offering customized experiences is key to guest satisfaction but becomes difficult when managing thousands of guests across multiple event formats. Delivering personalization without losing operational control is a major challenge.

In this context, having an expert like STH, with decades of experience in sports hospitality management and large-scale event delivery becomes a real competitive advantage − ensuring every guest feels valued while maintaining flawless operational efficiency.

Meeting diverse audience expectations with structured offers

From ultra-VIP guests to corporate buyers and fan-based packages, the variety of audiences demands a flexible, multi-tiered approach. Without a clear strategy, offers can become confusing or inconsistent − hurting conversion and satisfaction.

A strong example is AO Travel by STH, Sodexo Live! for Travel & Hospitality Ticketing at the Australian Open, where packages are designed for different audience segments − from premium courtside experiences to fully inclusive travel and hospitality options − ensuring clarity, consistency, and maximum appeal across all markets.

How Sodexo Live! streamlines ticketing operations and guest experience

STH, the segment of Sodexo Live! for Travel & Hospitality Ticketing, transforms these challenges into opportunities through a combination of advanced systems, industry knowledge, and dedicated teams.

Centralized ticketing platforms with real-time tracking

Our solutions integrate ticket sales, guest communication, hospitality entitlements, and on-site operations into one seamless system. This centralized approach ensures real-time visibility, better planning, and smooth delivery across the guest journey.

Modular packages tailored to audience profiles

Whether guests are attending a single event or a multi-day experience, Sodexo Live! offers tiered and customizable packages that can include everything from basic upgrades to luxury suites, travel, and curated experiences. These can be pre-packaged or fully bespoke depending on the audience.

A standout example is AO Travel by STH at the Australian Open. AO Travel delivers a completely tailored journey − from official hospitality tickets to first-class flights, luxury hotel stays, and personalized itineraries. Guests can enhance their trip with exclusive tourism activities, such as private wine tours in the Yarra Valley, behind-the-scenes access to iconic Melbourne landmarks, or fine dining at award-winning restaurants. This all-in-one approach ensures that every moment, both inside and outside the stadium, reflects the highest standards of hospitality and creates lasting memories for VIP guests and corporate clients alike.

VIP services and guest journey management, from booking to event day

STH, the dedicated company of Sodexo Live! for Travel & Hospitality Ticketing manages every stage of the VIP experience including:

• Pre-event communication and itinerary design
• Digital ticketing and hospitality credentialing
• On-site guest welcome and concierge support
• Post-event follow-ups and guest care

Everything is designed to ensure zero friction and total peace of mind for the guest.

Delivering flexible hospitality ticketing solutions for every market/event

From international tournaments to live entertainment, Sodexo Live! adapts to the unique needs of every organizer and audience.

Sports events: maximizing value with scalable VIP packages

At the Rugby World Cup, STH − the specialist brand of Sodexo Live! − has repeatedly demonstrated its leadership in hospitality ticketing. From innovating at the 2019 edition in Japan, where they sold 60,000 packages and delivered tailored offers across twelve stadiums, to being appointed the exclusive hospitality partner for the next three tournaments − Women’s RWC England 2025, Men’s RWC Australia 2027, and Women’s RWC Australia 2029 − STH has consistently elevated the fan experience.

These scalable VIP programs can include everything from premium match-day lounges and fine dining to travel-inclusive, fully immersive hospitality journeys. By leveraging their deep expertise, STH enables organizers to monetize premium inventory efficiently, ensure smooth delivery across large events, and offer experiences that resonate with diverse audiences − ultimately transforming hospitality ticketing into a key value-generating business lever.

Concerts and entertainment: combining access, experience, and exclusivity

While Sodexo Live! is renowned for sports hospitality, its expertise can also extend to delivering exceptional hospitality experiences at live entertainment events such as concerts.

At versatile venues like Hampden Park in the UK, concert hospitality packages combine premium event tickets with access to exclusive private suites, gourmet dining, and dedicated pre-show lounges. These tailored hospitality ticketing solutions not only elevate the concert experience for guests but also enable venues to maximize guest spend, improve loyalty, and enhance overall event hospitality standards across both entertainment and sports sectors.

Similarly, at iconic sporting events such as Super Bowl LIX, Sodexo Live! delivers world-class hospitality catering services with a high level of culinary expertise. From bespoke menus to impeccable service, this approach demonstrates how integrated hospitality management elevates major events into unforgettable premium experiences for VIP guests and corporate clients alike.

STH: the specialist brand of Sodexo Live! for ticketing and hospitality expertise

To deliver world-class hospitality ticketing, Sodexo Live! relies on STH (Sports Travel & Hospitality) − its dedicated brand focused on end-to-end ticketing solutions.

Trusted partner for World Cups, Olympics, and more

STH has delivered world-class hospitality ticketing programs for some of the most prestigious international sporting events. This includes official in-venue hospitality at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games and multiple Rugby World Cups (2011, 2015, 2019).

Looking ahead, STH has secured the exclusive rights to deliver the official hospitality program, RWC Experiences, for the next three Rugby World Cups: the Women’s Rugby World Cup England 2025, the Men’s Rugby World Cup Australia 2027, and the Women’s Rugby World Cup Australia 2029.

By combining strategic event planning, innovative sales platforms, premium guest services, and end-to-end VIP management, STH ensures a seamless delivery for high-profile global events − maximizing revenue for organizers while creating unforgettable experiences for fans and corporate clients alike.

AO Travel: a model of fully integrated hospitality ticketing

For the Australian Open, STH operates AO Travel, offering guests all-inclusive packages that combine official hospitality tickets, premium flights, luxury hotels, and curated experiences − all tailored to their preferences. Guests can choose from predefined packages that cater to different levels of exclusivity or opt for a fully bespoke itinerary designed from the ground up.

Experiences can range from courtside seating and exclusive access to player practice sessions, to private vineyard tours, fine dining at Melbourne’s best restaurants, or guided excursions to iconic landmarks. This model demonstrates how ticketing, travel, and hospitality can be seamlessly merged to create unforgettable, stress-free journeys for both VIP guests and corporate clients.

Combining culinary excellence with world-class travel and hospitality ticketing

What sets this proposition apart is the seamless integration of Sodexo Live!’s award-winning culinary expertise with STH’s global leadership in travel and hospitality ticketing. Few providers can deliver such a holistic experience − from securing the best seats and arranging luxury travel to offering signature menus crafted by renowned chefs.

Sodexo Live! not only delivers premium catering for the world’s largest sporting events, but also manages iconic cultural destinations, such as the Bateaux Parisiens cruises on the Seine in Paris, two restaurants on the Eiffel Tower − including the Michelin-starred Le Jules Verne − and high-profile venues in the United States, overseeing food and beverage operations at the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago, the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles, and the National WWII Museum in New Orleans.

This combination delivers exclusive event access, premium dining, and tailored itineraries, creating a 360° hospitality experience unmatched in scope, quality, and attention to detail − boosting guest satisfaction, encouraging repeat attendance, and strengthening long-term loyalty.

STH, the specialist brand of Sodexo Live!, simplifies the entire process of selling and managing hospitality tickets for major international events. Their expertise ensures seamless integration from sales to on-site delivery, creating exceptional experiences for every guests. By partnering with STH, organizers maximize revenue and guest satisfaction through efficient and innovative hospitality ticketing solutions.

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