Industry
WhatsApp API for events: tickets, entry passes and day-of updates for organisers
For event organisers, conference teams, wedding planners and webinar hosts: ticket confirmations, personalised entry passes, venue and schedule updates, and lead capture at stalls.
By Broadchat teamPublished 8 min read
The problems WhatsApp solves for events, conferences, weddings and live experiences
Tickets get lost in email
Attendees search their inbox at the gate while the queue grows. A pass that sits in the chat they already have open is faster to find and easier to forward to a colleague who is attending in their place.
Last-minute changes reach nobody
A hall change, a delayed keynote or rain moving the sangeet indoors needs to reach hundreds of people within minutes. Email is too slow and SMS gives no way to reply with a question.
The helpdesk drowns on the day
Parking, Wi-Fi password, lost badge, which hall is the workshop in: the same questions arrive hundreds of times while the team is busy running the event.
Exhibitor and sponsor leads stay on paper
Business cards and badge scans pile up at stalls and are typed in a week later, by which time the visitor has forgotten the conversation.
Guest lists come from many hands
Wedding planners get guest lists from both families in different formats, with missing numbers and duplicate names, and still have to share travel, room and ceremony details with each guest.
Where WhatsApp fits in an event
The WhatsApp API for events puts the ticket, the venue pin, the schedule and the helpdesk in one chat the attendee already checks every hour. Conference organisers use it for delegate passes and room changes, wedding planners for guest logistics across three days of functions, and exhibition organisers for lead capture at stalls. If your event is a webinar series, the webinar registration flow covers sign-ups and join-link reminders in more depth.
Two limits shape the plan. Every message to someone who has not written to you in the last 24 hours must be an approved message template, and your business portfolio has a messaging limit (250, then 2,000, 10,000, 100,000 and unlimited unique users per rolling 24 hours). A 3,000-delegate conference needs a portfolio at the 10,000 tier before ticket confirmations go out; see quality rating and messaging limits.
Message templates to get approved first
| Template name | Category | Sample |
|---|---|---|
ticket_confirmed_pass (image header) | Utility | Hi {{1}}, you are registered for {{2}}, {{3}}, {{4}} pass. Show the pass above at {{5}}. Ticket ID: {{6}} (Rohan, India SaaS Summit 2026, 14-15 Nov, Delegate, Gate 2, ISS-20481) |
venue_directions | Utility | Hi {{1}}, {{2}} is at {{3}}. Parking: {{4}}. Doors open {{5}}. (Rohan, India SaaS Summit, KTPO Whitefield Hall 3, Gate 4, 8:30 am on 14 Nov) |
session_room_change | Utility | Update for your registered session {{1}}: it has moved to {{2}}, same time {{3}}. (Pricing for SaaS, Room 105, 2:00 pm) |
guest_travel_details | Utility | Namaste {{1}}, for {{2}} you are in Room {{3}}, {{4}}. Pickup on {{5}}. (Mr Sharma, Aditi and Karan's wedding, 214, Hotel Jaipur Greens, 6 Dec 3:15 pm) |
certificate_ready (document header) | Utility | Hi {{1}}, your attendance certificate for {{2}} is attached. (Priya, India SaaS Summit 2026) |
next_edition_early_bird | Marketing | {{1}} comes to {{2}} on {{3}}. Early-bird passes at {{4}} till {{5}}. Reply PASS. (India SaaS Summit, Pune, 20 Feb 2027, ₹4,999, 15 Dec) |
Chatbot flows for the event
- Inbound Webhook from your ticketing tool: Save Variable Value for name, ticket type and ticket ID, then Send Message of type Template with the pass image.
- Match Keyword on stall codes (STALL-B12): AI Data Collector asks name, company and interest, adds the exhibitor tag, and Send Message confirms.
- New Message during event days: AI Intent Detector sorts parking, Wi-Fi, schedule, food, lost badge and refund; Trained AI answers from the event FAQ.
- Lost badge or refund: Assign to Agent in the helpdesk department.
- Working Hours set to the event hours so late-night messages get an honest "we will reply at 8 am".
- Wedding RSVP: Send Message with Yes/No buttons per function, Save Variable Value into a custom field, and the planner exports the list.
Broadchat features to use
- Dynamic Experience → Image Experience: per-attendee passes with name and QR; PDF Experience for certificates.
- CRM → Imports: pull guest lists from both families or past attendees from CSV; CRM → Super Field for ticket type, room number and RSVP per function.
- CRM → Segment and CRM → Bulk Campaign: send day-of updates to a segment; Rocket Campaign can split a very large announcement across several numbers.
- AI → AI Agents: an agent whose instructions contain the event FAQ.
- CRM → Live Chat, Department → Departments and CRM → Canned Replies for the helpdesk team.
- CRM → Tags: one tag per exhibitor keeps stall leads separate, and CRM → Exports produces each exhibitor's daily lead file.
Illustrative ROI
Illustrative only. A 1,500-delegate conference used to run four helpdesk phone lines for two days. If the chatbot answers most repeat questions and the team drops to two people on the inbox, that saves 2 people × 2 days × ₹2,500 day rate = ₹10,000. If 30 exhibitors each get leads the same day instead of a week later, the sponsor renewal conversation gets easier, though that value is yours to estimate. Against this, count Meta's charges for every confirmation, directions and update template, the service conversations beyond the 1,000 free service messages per number each month (charged from 1 Oct 2026), and the platform subscription. The WhatsApp API pricing page explains how to estimate them.
For event-tech agencies
Ticketing platforms and event agencies can offer WhatsApp passes and helpdesks to every organiser they serve, under their own brand, through the partner program.
Use cases with example messages
Ticket confirmation with a personalised entry pass
When a ticket is paid, send a confirmation with an image header generated per attendee: name, ticket type and a QR code your scanning app can read. Image Experience renders one image per recipient from a template you design once.
utility template
Business: Hi Rohan, you are registered for India SaaS Summit 2026, Bengaluru, 14-15 Nov, Delegate pass. Your entry pass is above; show it at Gate 2. Ticket ID: ISS-20481
Example message Venue directions and parking
A few days before, send the venue location with a map pin, the nearest metro, parking rules and the gate for each ticket type.
utility template
Business: Hi Rohan, India SaaS Summit is at KTPO Whitefield, Hall 3. Nearest metro: Kadugodi Tree Park. Delegate parking is at Gate 4. Doors open 8:30 am on 14 Nov.
Example message Day-of schedule changes
Send room changes and delays only to the people affected, using segments built from ticket type or registered sessions, so a workshop move does not disturb every attendee.
utility template
Business: Update for your registered workshop: Pricing for SaaS by Ananya Rao has moved from Hall 2 to Room 105, same time, 2:00 pm.
Example message Helpdesk chatbot for the day
An AI agent trained on the event FAQ answers parking, Wi-Fi, food and session questions, and hands lost-badge and refund requests to the helpdesk team in the shared inbox.
Reply inside the 24-hour window
Exhibitor lead capture at the stall
Each stall gets a QR code that opens a chat with a prefilled code such as STALL-B12. A short form collects name, company and interest, tags the lead to that exhibitor, and the exhibitor gets a daily export.
Reply inside the 24-hour window
Business: Thanks for visiting Kaveri Robotics at Stall B12. What would you like: product demo, price list or a call back?
Example message Wedding guest logistics
Planners share hotel room numbers, cab pickup times and the function schedule with each guest, and collect RSVPs per function with quick-reply buttons.
utility template
Business: Namaste Mr Sharma, for Aditi and Karan's wedding you are in Room 214, Hotel Jaipur Greens. Pickup from Jaipur airport on 6 Dec at 3:15 pm. Will you attend the sangeet on 6 Dec? [Yes] [No]
Example message Early-bird and next-edition announcements
Promote the next edition, early-bird pricing or a new city only to past attendees who opted in to event news. These are marketing templates.
marketing template
Business: India SaaS Summit comes to Pune on 20 Feb 2027. Early-bird delegate passes at ₹4,999 till 15 Dec. Reply PASS for the link or STOP to opt out.
Example message
A rollout playbook
Collect WhatsApp consent at registration
Add a ticked-by-the-user checkbox for event updates on WhatsApp and a separate one for future events, next to the phone field on your ticketing form.
Design the pass once
In **Dynamic Experience → Image Experience**, design a pass with name, ticket type and a QR code generated from the ticket ID, and test it with long names and Hindi names.
Connect ticketing to WhatsApp
Have your ticketing system call an inbound webhook or the campaigns API when a ticket is paid, so the confirmation goes out within seconds.
Prepare segments before the day
Build segments by ticket type, workshop and day in **CRM → Segment** so day-of changes go only to the people who need them.
Staff the inbox in shifts
Create a helpdesk department, set canned replies for the top 20 questions, and keep one person on the inbox during peak entry and lunch.
Close the loop after the event
Send certificates or session recordings as utility messages to attendees, a feedback request, and the exhibitor lead exports within 24 hours.
Compliance notes
- Exhibitor lead capture must tell the visitor which company will receive their details; share leads only with the exhibitor they chose, not with every sponsor.
- Do not add attendees or wedding guests to marketing segments because they bought a ticket; only those who opted in to future event news should get promotions.
- Ticket and pass messages must stay free of sponsor promotions, or they may be recategorised as marketing.
- WhatsApp groups through the Groups API are only for Official Business Accounts and hold at most 8 participants, so use segments and campaigns, not groups, for attendee communication.
- Delete or anonymise guest and attendee data after the event under your stated retention period, in line with the consent and purpose principles of India's Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023.
- Large announcements to people who have never messaged you can hit your messaging limit; plan sends in advance if your portfolio is at the 250 or 2,000 tier.
Sources
- Messaging limits — Meta for Developers, checked 12 October 2026
- Groups API — Meta for Developers, checked 12 October 2026
- Pricing on the WhatsApp Business Platform — Meta for Developers, checked 12 October 2026
Broadchat team · Product and partner success team
The people who build and support Broadchat, the white-label WhatsApp Business API platform. We write from what we see while onboarding partners and their clients on the official WhatsApp Cloud API, and we check every article against Meta's current documentation.
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Frequently asked questions
Can I send a QR code entry pass on WhatsApp?
Yes. Generate a personalised image per attendee with their name and a QR code built from the ticket ID, and send it as the image header of a utility template. Your gate scanning app reads the QR as it would from a printed ticket.
Should I create a WhatsApp group for attendees?
Usually not. Meta's Groups API is available only to Official Business Accounts and allows at most 8 participants per group, so it suits small VIP or speaker coordination at best. For attendees, use segments and templates, which also respect individual opt-outs.
How fast can I message 3,000 attendees about a change?
It depends on your messaging limit and throughput. Attendees who messaged you in the last 24 hours can get a free-form update; others need a template and count toward your portfolio's daily limit of unique users. Check your tier days before the event.
Is a 'see you tomorrow' message marketing or utility?
A reminder about an event the person already registered for is utility, as long as it carries no promotion. Adding a sponsor offer or a discount for another event makes it marketing.
Can exhibitors see only their own leads?
Tag leads by stall code and give each exhibitor an export of their tag. If exhibitors need live access, give them a restricted role so they cannot see other exhibitors' contacts.