A criticized Airbnb deal will let users play gladiator in Rome's Colosseum

ROME — 

The past Roman Colosseum volition beryllium the venue of gladiator fights — albeit staged — for the archetypal clip successful 2 millennia nether a $1.5 cardinal sponsorship woody with Airbnb that aims to beforehand "a much conscious tourism."

But immoderate visitors to the monument Thursday, arsenic good arsenic lodging activists, were skeptical astir the worth of the arrangement, citing ongoing controversies successful galore cities implicit the relation of short-term rental platforms successful fueling overtourism and limiting affordable lodging for residents and students.

Under the woody announced by Airbnb and the Colosseum connected Wednesday, the sponsorship by the short-term rental elephantine volition screen the renewal of an acquisition programme wrong the past Roman amphitheater covering the past of the operation and gladiators.

Eight of the platform's users and their plus-ones volition beryllium capable to enactment successful faux gladiator fights aft the Colosseum's closing clip connected May 7-8, taking the aforesaid underground way utilized by gladiators successful past Rome to scope the arena. People tin use for the acquisition connected November 27 astatine nary cost, and the "gladiators" volition beryllium chosen by lottery.

The superintendent of the Colosseum Archaeological Park, Alfonsina Russo, told The Associated Press that the woody is successful conjunction with the merchandise of Ridley Scott's caller movie "Gladiators II," which opened successful Italy connected Thursday.

Russo characterized the sponsorship statement arsenic 1 of the galore specified deals to assistance concern projects astatine the park.

The Italian manner marque Tod's, for example, has funded a multimillion renovation of the Roman monument, including a cleaning, replacing the locking strategy of arches with caller gates and redoing the subterranean areas.

Alberto Campailla, the coordinator of the Nonna Roma nonprofit enactment that focuses connected lodging and nutrient for the poor, called the run with Airbnb "a disgrace," and a signifier of "touristification."

Airbnb and different platforms offering short-term rentals "are virtually driving radical retired of not lone the metropolis center, but besides the outskirts and suburban neighborhoods," Campailla said.

Tourists from different European cities grappling with overtourism besides took contented with the deal.

"It seems to maine that the intent of the Colosseum contiguous is to beryllium a tourer attraction, but not to make an amusement parkland wrong it," said Jaime Montero, a tourer visiting from Madrid. "In the end, tourism eats the essence of the cities, present successful Rome, arsenic successful different capitals."

Visiting from Naples, Salvatore Di Matteo saw the woody arsenic "yet different takeover of the territory" by large companies.

"If they commencement to interaction ineffable monuments specified arsenic the Colosseum present successful Rome, it is evidently thing that should marque america deliberation and is, successful immoderate case, a spot worrying," helium said.

The Colosseum is the astir important and largest amphitheater constructed by the past Romans. Built successful the 1st century, it was the halfway of fashionable entertainment, hosting hunts and gladiator games, until the 6th century.