Italy fines tour operators almost 20 million euros over Colosseum tickets hoarding

Italy's antitrust authority has fined a ticketing company and six tour operators nearly 20 million euros ($21.7 million) for ticket hoarding practices limiting access to the Roman Colosseum, the regulator said on Monday.

The AGCM authority said it had fined CoopCulture, which managed official ticket sales for the Colosseum from 1997-2024, 7 million euros for failing to prevent automated ticket hoarding and for reserving a large share of tickets for its own guided tour packages.

The AGCM said this conduct led to the "substantial and prolonged unavailability" of standard-priced tickets for Italy's most popular tourist attraction, forcing consumers to purchase higher-priced tickets bundled with additional services.

Built 2,000 years ago, the Colosseum was the biggest amphitheatre in the Roman empire and used to host gladiator fights, executions and animal hunts. Almost 13 million people visited it in 2023, according to latest official data.

Six tour operators - Tiqets International BV, GetYourGuide Deutschland GmbH, Walks LLC, Italy With Family S.r.l., City Wonders Limited, and Musement S.p.A. - were also fined for using software robots (bots) to buy tickets in bulk, contributing to their rapid disappearance from CoopCulture's website.

The operators then resold the tickets bundled with services such as guided tours or priority access, often at significantly higher prices, the regulator said.

GetYourGuide said in a statement that the regulator's ruling was "unfounded and far removed from the facts", adding that it was determined to "defend the integrity of our operations".

The other tour operators named by the AGCM authority did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

The investigation began in July 2023 after widespread complaints that it was nearly impossible for consumers to buy tickets to the Colosseum at official prices online.