Italian Watchdog Fines Firms Over Colosseum Ticket Scheme

Italy’s Antitrust Authority (AGCM) has levied nearly €20 million in fines against a cultural cooperative and six tour operators over what it described as unlawful practices surrounding ticket sales for the Colosseum Archaeological Park in Rome.

The penalties, announced Tuesday, follow an investigation launched in July 2023 that revealed widespread barriers to the direct online purchase of standard tickets to the historic site. According to a statement released by AGCM, the regular online ticket-buying process had become “essentially impossible” for consumers.

At the center of the inquiry was Società Cooperativa Culture (CoopCulture), which had been responsible for managing the official ticketing service for the Colosseum since 1997. The AGCM imposed a €7 million fine on CoopCulture, accusing it of contributing “knowingly” to the long-term unavailability of standard-priced tickets. Per the statement, CoopCulture not only failed to implement effective measures against automated ticket purchases by bots but also retained a significant portion of tickets for package deals that included its own guided tours.

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“This dual strategy,” the AGCM noted in its findings, “ultimately pushed consumers to seek tickets through third-party tour operators and platforms, where prices were substantially marked up due to bundled services such as guided visits, transportation, or fast-track access.”

The remaining fines were distributed among six unnamed tour operators implicated in the resale of these bundled tickets, which often came at a steep premium compared to the official base price.

According to a separate statement from the watchdog, the practices not only disadvantaged tourists but also distorted fair competition within the tourism sector. The authority emphasized the importance of transparent access to cultural heritage sites, especially those of such international significance as the Colosseum.

Source: ANSA