The Italian Competition Authority (AGCM – Autorità Garante della Concorrenza) has opened an investigation against several companies, including Società Cooperativa Culture (CoopCulture), Musement, GetYourGuide, Tiqets and Viator, concerning the ticket sales service for admission to the Colosseum Archaeological Park. This park includes the areas of the Flavian-Colosseum Amphitheatre, the Palatine, the Roman Forum and the Domus Aurea.
According to the AGCM investigation, it appears that consumers do not have the possibility to purchase tickets via the official website of the CoopCulture retailer, as these are purchased in large quantities from secondary retailers.
As reported by several press sources, starting at the end of 2022 and during the first half of 2023, tickets for admission to the Colosseum would sell out immediately after being issued on the CoopCulture website, while they would remain available on the platforms of the main intermediary operators such as Musement, GetYourGuide, Tiqets and Viator. These operators would likely purchase tickets in bulk using automated purchasing systems known as ‘bots’. Subsequently, the tickets would be resold at a higher price through the intermediaries’ channels, usually in combination with other services, such as audioguides in various languages besides Italian, tour guide services, hotel pick-up, city tours and the possibility to skip the line.
Thus, it appears that CoopCulture, as an official reseller, did not take adequate measures to prevent tickets on sale from being acquired exclusively by alternative resellers, thus depriving consumers of the possibility to purchase tickets at the normal price.
The Authority’s investigation into the ticket sales service is ongoing.
