An EU hotspot is clamping down on ‘fake tourism’ reviews in a desperate bid to protect the country’s hospitality sector. Last year, a record-breaking 65 million international visitors flocked to Italy, substantially surpassing pre-pandemic figures.
However, swathes of tourists may have been misled following a surge in dishonest and paid-for reviews of hotels and restaurants that have been damaging businesses across the country. Strict measures were announced earlier this year, which if passed, will require anyone wanting to write an online review to provide verifiable ID along with proof they visited the place in question.
According to the draft law, reviews will have to be posted within 15 days of a tourist’s visit and must be ‘relevant and detailed’. If found to be false, they can be removed at the request of the business impacted. Reviews over two years old may also be removed if no longer ‘relevant’, while paid-for or sponsored reviews will become illegal.
While policing fake reviews can be difficult, it is thought Italy’s anti-trust watchdog will be monitoring reviews and checking appraisals. Per the Guardian, fake or manipulated reviews affected between six and 30 per cent of the revenue of businesses in the hospitality and tourism sector.
The measure will help businesses who have also been stung by reviews added by mistake, where tourists have perhaps left comments under the wrong restaurant. Alessandro Gilmozzi, an acclaimed chef and owner of the Michelin-starred El Molin in Cavalese, told local press how he’d been hit with fake reviews.
“Someone once wrote that he ate a panna cotta in my restaurant,” he said, according to La Repubblica. “But I’ve never made that dessert.” While the review turned out to be an accident, the chef says damage was still caused.
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Italy’s tourism minister Daniela Santanché described the proposed law as an ‘important step for the protection of businesses’. “Reviews, which thanks to this regulatory intervention will actually be truthful, are fundamental for the success of companies and for the trust of consumers and tourists,” she added.
The strict measures were also welcomed by Italian consumer group Codacons, who argue the ‘plague of fake reviews’ put the catering sector and public establishments at risk – and ‘compromise consumer confidence. “It is no longer tolerable that business activities suffer the consequences of fraudulent and untruthful judgments, which often translate into unfair competition and hidden advertising,” said General Director Roberto Calugi.
However, many have expressed privacy concerns over the proposal, claiming such a policy may deter people from leaving reviews altogether. Fines for violating the new rules will reportedly be between €5,000 and €10 million, EuroNews states.
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