Colosseum combats ticket touts with new measures.

Italy's Colosseum is introducing tickets with the names of visitors to tackle the widespread practice of tickets being bought up by bots and resold at inflated prices.

The move is part of new measures by the Colosseum Archaeological Park which, in addition to the ancient amphitheatre, comprises the Roman Forum, Palatine Hill and Domus Aurea.

The new ticket system will take effect from Wednesday 18 October, with tickets available for purchase via the www.colosseo.it website as well as from call centres and in person from ticket offices.

#Colosseo, dal 18 ottobre via al biglietto nominativo: l'obiettivo è il contrasto al fenomeno del bagarinaggio e ad altre pratiche speculative sugli ingressi. Potenziata anche la rete di vendita sul posto. https://t.co/wTgXnYU2B8 @ParcoColosseo #MiC pic.twitter.com/9q0z7D2uxU

— Ministero della Cultura (@MiC_Italia) October 16, 2023

The number of tickets sold on site will be doubled, to facilitate visitors who have not - or have been unable to - purchase tickets online.

A new ticket office will also open at Largo della Salara / Via dei Fori Imperiali, in addition to the existing one in Piazza del Colosseo, the Italian culture ministry said in a statement.

Culture minister Gennaro Sangiuliano said the new measures would free the Colosseum from the scourge of ticket scalping, hailing it as "a new era" for the archaeological park which welcomed a record two million visitors this summer.

Photo Wanted in Rome