Italy Hands Pompeii, Colosseum to Private Industry

After years of neglect under the administrative hand of the government, some of Italy's most famous ancient sites are going to be handed over to private industry in an effort to better preserve and improve them.

The Colosseum in Rome and the famous ruins of Pompeii just south of Naples are among the national monuments that the Italian government is planning to "lease" to commercial enterprises who will manage the properties for profit. In return, these companies will donate a portion of their profits to the state.

The plan's architect is Giuliano Urbani who is aiming to transform Italy's cultural wealth into a "heritage industry."

It is hoped that the plan may eliminate the frequent closures, poor ticketing logistics, insufficient services and staff strikes that have long plagued some key Italian tourist destinations.

For a report, click Commercialization of Ancient Roman Sites