RFID Makes World Debut in Amsterdam's Visitor Card

As Americans wait patiently for pay-at-table capabilities to come to U.S. restaurants, Europeans continue to stay ahead of the hospitality technology curve. The City of Amsterdam is the first in the world to embed radio frequency identification technology (RFID) in its I amsterdam Card, allowing visitors to pass the ticket desks of museums and other attractions in Amsterdam without putting their card through a scanner.

The I amsterdam Card gives visitors to Amsterdam free access to museums and use of pubic transport. The Amsterdam Tourist and Convention Bureau has sold a city card for tourists since 1982, the first years as a voucher booklet, since 2003 as an electronic chip card and since January 2007 (the 25th edition) as a contact-free smart card. The RFID-embedded card will give museums and other participants in the program various reporting functions, including information on visitor flow.