Ticket and voucher types

How your guests receive and redeem their ticket depends on two things you set up: how you fulfil bookings, and what your venue accepts at the door. This article explains the ticket types we support, what a Headout voucher contains, and where each part comes from — so you can check yours is set up the way your venue actually operates.

A few words you'll see

• Voucher — the confirmation a guest receives after booking, containing everything they need on the day.
• Redemption — how a guest turns their booking into entry.
• Redemption identifier — the thing your staff actually check: a QR code, a barcode or a confirmation code.

Two ways a ticket reaches a guest

• A Headout voucher — a link to a voucher we generate, built to a standard template.
• A PDF you provide — your own ticket, which the guest can show on their phone or print.

Redemption identifiers on a Headout voucher

If guests receive a Headout voucher, the identifier your staff check is usually one of:

• QR code — scanned at the entrance. Note that we don't provide a QR code scanner, so you'll need your own.
• Barcode — works the same way, scanned at the entrance.
• Confirmation code — a code the guest shows at the redemption point, where a venue doesn't scan anything.

What you choose when listing

These options are set on your experience, under Guest guidelines → Instructions when you create it:

• Type of voucher — whether guests can show a Mobile voucher, or need a Printed one.
• Voucher format — how we deliver it: PDF, Web page, Text, Barcode or QR code.

How guests start is set separately, under Manage experience details:

• Meet a host — guests meet someone at a meeting point.
• Exchange Headout voucher at counter — guests swap the voucher for a physical ticket.
• Go directly to venue — guests show their digital ticket at entry.

Important: These need to match what your venue actually does. If your gate can't scan a QR code, don't set QR code as the format — guests will arrive with something your staff can't process.

Headout voucher standards

Every Headout voucher follows one template, so guests know where to look. Four elements matter most:

• Name of the attraction or meeting point — the exact name, with a Google Maps link for directions.
• Contact number — your on-ground number, so a guest who can't find you can call someone.
• Detailed redemption instructions — precisely where to go and what to do on arrival.
• Image of the meeting point — a street view or map view so guests recognise the spot.

All four come from what you enter under Manage experience details, which is also where you can preview the live voucher exactly as a guest receives it.

Frequently asked questions

Which ticket type should I choose?
Whatever your venue already handles. If your staff scan tickets, use QR code or barcode. If they check a code against a list, use a confirmation code. If entry needs a physical ticket, set redemption to Exchange Headout voucher at counter.

Do you provide a QR code scanner?
No. If you use QR codes you'll need your own scanning setup.

Can guests show the voucher on a phone?
If you've set the voucher type to Mobile, yes. If your venue requires a printout, set it to Printed so guests are told to bring one.

A guest arrived and we couldn't accept their ticket.
Raise it with us — a mismatch between the voucher and what your venue accepts is one of the four things that get escalated. See Understanding customer escalations

How do I see what my guests actually receive?
Open Manage experience details for the option and use the voucher preview. You can switch languages to check how it reads for guests booking in other markets.

Can I change the voucher template?
No. The template is standard across Headout so guests get a consistent experience. What you control is the content — the meeting point, instructions, contact number and images.

My redemption instructions are out of date.
Update them under Manage experience details. Out-of-date instructions are the most common cause of meeting-point complaints.

Do API-connected experiences work differently?
Yes. Where bookings are fulfilled through your reservation system, ticketing follows that system's setup. See our connectivity articles, or raise a ticket if you're unsure what applies to you.