bohemianwanderer – Italy’s antitrust authority has fined the former official ticketing provider for the Colosseum, along with six major European tour operators. Total of €20 million ($21.7 million) for practices that prevented tourists from purchasing basic tickets at fair prices. The investigation, launched in July 2023 by the Italian Competition Authority (AGCM). Followed a wave of tourist complaints about ticket unavailability at face value.
AGCM found that CoopCulture, which held the official ticketing contract for the Colosseum from 1997 to 2024. Reserved a large portion of tickets for its own tours and failed to block bulk purchases by bots. The company earned €7 million in fines for enabling artificial scarcity and directing tourists toward higher-priced packages.
Italy’s antitrust authority fined six additional companies from Italy, Germany, Ireland, and the Netherlands—Tiqets, Walks, GetYourGuide, Italy With Family, Musement, and City Wonders—for using automated systems to hoard tickets. They then resold those tickets at inflated prices by bundling them with extra services such as fast-track entry and guided tours. As a result, tourists had few options besides purchasing bundled packages, even when only basic access was needed.
The AGCM concluded that this system deprived visitors of the opportunity to purchase the standard €18 ticket and manipulated demand for profit.
Tour Operators Accused Of Forcing Pricey Bundles On Tourists
Italy’s antitrust authority has accused major European tour companies of exploiting ticket scarcity at the Colosseum to push overpriced tour packages. In a detailed statement, the AGCM said the firms benefited from “the constant unavailability of tickets.” Which left travelers with little option but to buy bundled services at inflated prices. These bundles often included guided tours or priority access, even for tourists who simply wanted a standard €18 entry ticket.
CoopCulture, the Colosseum’s former ticketing agent, and six tour operators—including GetYourGuide, Tiqets, and City Wonders—were fined €20 million in total for enabling and participating in the scheme. GetYourGuide denied any wrongdoing and called the ruling “unfounded and far removed from the facts,” vowing to defend its partners.
Investigators said the companies used bots to snap up large blocks of tickets before the public could access them. Then packaged those tickets into higher-priced bundles. The result was a system that limited fair access and inflated prices for millions of annual visitors.
Rome Gears Up For Jubilee As Colosseum Remains A Global Icon
Despite the scandal, the Colosseum remains Italy’s most visited site, attracting 12.3 million people in 2023. As a nearly 2,000-year-old structure that once hosted gladiator fights and grand spectacles. It holds a deep cultural and historic significance for locals and visitors alike. This week, King Charles and Queen Camilla toured the monument during their state visit to Italy.
Rome is also preparing for a massive summer tourism wave as it hosts the Catholic Jubilee, expecting over 30 million pilgrims. Meanwhile, Airbnb drew criticism for promoting a gladiator-themed event at the Colosseum scheduled for May 2025, which many Italians say trivializes the site’s heritage.
As crowds swell, officials urge travelers to book tickets in advance or explore lesser-known sites to avoid overtouristed hotspots.
