Travel & Tourism
Lm6,100 in fines over timeshare harassment
By MaltaMedia News
Apr 13, 2007 - 12:02:55 PM

Seven timeshare marketing companies and  nine timeshare promoters (OPCs) were fined over Lm6,100 by the directorate of the Malta Tourism Authority (MTA) in the recent months after they were found to have harassed tourists.

These fines were drawn from bonds and guarantees marketing companies made so that they would be able to operate.  The marketing companies responsible for the sale of timeshare were requested to deposit globally over Lm83,000 as guarantee for good behaviour of their OPCs.

Last summer the Minister for Tourism and Culture issued a set of new regulations dealing with timeshare in Malta, aimed at minimising the inconvenience to tourists by OPCs.

Even though a significant drop in the number of complaints have been registered since these regulations were issued, the Ministry for Tourism and Culture said it is constantly keeping the situation under control through a series of meetings between all stakeholders concerned and through enforcement of the regulations by the Regulatory Directorate of the MTA.

The new regulations are the result of a series of intensive meetings held between representatives of the timeshare industry and officials from the Ministry of Tourism and Culture and the MTA.

The Directorate is now also employing two inspectors dedicated solely to the control of areas where timeshare is promoted.  These will be continuously present in these areas to monitor OPCs’ activities and take all necessary action to eliminate inconvenience or harassment.

If, in spite of these efforts, harassment persists, the Ministry for Tourism and Culture has warned that it will have no other option but to issue new regulations barring OPCs from promoting timeshare in public areas.

The Ministry for Tourism and Culture added that it will persist in its efforts to safeguard this important tourism sector, but at the same time safeguard the tourists from undue harassment.