Rome (Reuters) – Italy's antitrust authority has fined nearly 20 million euros ($21.7 million) for ticketing practices to limit access to competition in Rome, regulators said on Monday.
The AGCM Authority said it has fined the Trading Library Culture, the company began managing official ticket sales at the Colosseum from 1997-2024, with €7 million for failing to prevent automatic ticket hoards and retaining a large number of tickets for its own mentored tour package.
The action has resulted in a “large and extended unavailability” of standard-priced tickets at Italy’s most popular tourist destinations, forcing consumers to purchase high-priced tickets bundled with other services, AGCM said.
Six travel agencies – TIQETS International BV, Getyourguide Deutschland Gmbh, Walks LLC, Italy, with family SRL, City Wonders Limited and Musement Spa – were fined and quickly disappeared from the cooperative's website for purchasing tickets in bulk using software robots (BOTS).
The regulator says operators then bundle tickets with services like guides or priority access, which often tend to be much higher.
The survey began in July 2023 after widespread complaints that it is nearly impossible for consumers to buy tickets to the Colosseum online at official prices.
($1 = 0.9227 euros)
(Reported by Gavin Jones, editor of Gianluca Semeraro and Louise Heavens)
