Italy to tourists soon: Think your hotel is terrible? Prove it

Italy is considering groundbreaking legislation to regulate travel reviews, requiring platforms like Tripadvisor to verify that reviewers have visited establishments within two weeks of posting. Backed by Tourism Minister Daniela Santanchè, the bi...

By ET Online | Updated: Jan 16, 2025, 04.43 PM IST

Grumbling about subpar tourist experiences in Italy might soon hit a roadblock, as a proposed law in the country’s parliament aims to tighten the reins on travel reviews.

The proposed law, supported by Italy’s tourism minister, Daniela Santanchè, will put the onus on travel review sites like Tripadvisor to verify that anyone leaving a review has actually visited the establishment they are reviewing and is not getting paid to write positive appraisals, says a CNN report.

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Reviewers will need to provide a valid ID and confirm they visited the establishment within two weeks prior to posting their review.

The law, which is expected to pass through both houses of parliament unopposed, is meant to curtail unfair competition, expose hidden advertising, and root out fraud, according to the draft of the bill.

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“Today marks an important step for the protection of our businesses,” Santanchè said as she introduced the legislation. “We are keeping our commitment made in defending the entrepreneurial fabric of Italian tourism by guaranteeing a fair and transparent market.”

She said that “regulatory intervention” will guarantee that reviews, which are often the primary factor in deciding to book a hotel or make a restaurant reservation, will be truthful, she told parliament. That, in turn, will protect jobs and bolster the quality of tourism.

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The new law would also make it illegal to pay someone to write a positive review, or to offer incentives like discounts for services if they do, according to Italy’s Communications Regulatory Authority, which would be tasked with enforcing the legislation.

The law would be the first of its kind in Europe.

Initially, the bill is intended to apply solely to hotels, restaurants, and private venues. However, it could potentially expand to include goods and services, encompassing reviews posted on major global platforms like Amazon.

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