1 week ago
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TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Italian competition authority, Autorità Garante della Concorrenza e del Mercato (AGCM), has fined six ticket vendors for creating obstacles to purchasing standard admission tickets to the Colosseum online. The total amount of the fines reaches €20 million, or roughly Rp374 billion.
As reported by The Independent, the largest fine of €7 million, equivalent to about Rp131 billion, was issued to the Cooperative Culture Society. This company has been responsible for managing ticket sales at the ancient Roman amphitheater from 1997 to 2024.
The AGCM stated that the institution forced tourists to purchase tickets that were much more expensive than those available on the official platform. The reason for this was that the ticket prices were combined with additional services such as guided tours or priority access.
Six tour operators based in Italy, Germany, the Netherlands, and Ireland were also fined for using bots and other automated systems to purchase tickets in large quantities. This resulted in tickets for individual tourists becoming unavailable.
The authorities did not disclose the increased prices, but the Colosseum Archaeological Park, operated by the Italian Ministry of Culture, lists the price for access to the ancient Roman arena at 18 euros or Rp337,000 for adults.
With this price, visitors can spend 20 minutes on the main floor of the UNESCO World Heritage site. The Director of the Colosseum declined to comment on the fines.
The Colosseum was the most visited monument in Italy in 2023, with over 12.3 million visitors to the historical building.
These fines against tour ticket operators come amid a global push by popular destinations to address the negative impacts of overtourism.
Following the Covid pandemic, many cities have seen a surge in visitor numbers, surpassing those recorded in 2019. This overwhelming influx of tourists poses risks to local communities, natural ecosystems, and contributes to increased transportation-related pollution.
UNESCO has raised concerns about the potential harm to protected heritage sites, including but not limited to the Colosseum. Travel guide publisher Fodor has also released a "No-Travel List" for 2025, urging travelers to reconsider trips to overcrowded cultural destinations such as Bali, Barcelona, and Koh Samui in Thailand.
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