Self-regulation urged on tourism operators

Malta Tourism Authority enforcement director Frank Farrugia yesterday said 17 cases involving the tourism industry had since June 1 been brought to court for unlicensed operation.

Mr Farrugia said the cases involved the operators of six holiday furnished apartments, four hotels, three dive centres, two travel agencies, one restaurant and one unlicensed guide.

Speaking at a seminar on consumer rights in the travel industry, held on World Consumer Rights Day yesterday by the Consumer Affairs Council, he said legal action had also been taken against a number of others for failing to adhere to the conditions of their licences.

In the same period 2,164 inspections were conducted, of which 38 per cent were in the hotel sector, and 10 per cent of inspection work was dedicated to the monitoring of illegal guiding, unguided tours and chasing timeshare touts.

The parliamentary secretary in the Economic Services Ministry, George Hyzler, appealed for self-regulation in the travel industry.

He said self-regulation could prove to be beneficial to both service providers and consumers, though it remained an area where much remained to be done.

"Self-regulation will serve to encourage higher standards of service while disputes can be referred to people with expertise in the area therefore ensuring a better understanding of the issues involved, possibly also resulting in the parties having the dispute determined in less time and at less expense," Dr Hyzler said.

Dr Hyzler referred to the Consumer Claims Tribunal which, he said, after almost seven years of operation had proved its worth.

The tribunal also determined a substantial number of disputes which involved outgoing tourists and service providers.

He emphasised the need for more awareness on the rights and obligations by both service providers and consumers.

"It would be futile to enact all these laws if few people are aware of their existence and of the rights and remedies available," he said.

Alan Bowen, ex-head of the Association of British Travel Agents' legal department, whose paper was read out by Consumer Affairs Council chairman Carmen Delia in his absence, said self regulation guaranteed reliability and consistency and satisfied the security and safety needs of customers.

The president of the Federation of Associations of Travel and Tourism Agents, Joseph Borg Olivier, said that legislation emanating from EU directives was beneficial to the consumer and the trade as they brought both the stakeholder and the consumer closer to operate in a harmonious atmosphere.

Ms Delia and member Paul Edgar Micallef said the organiser or retailer was liable to compensate consumers for any loss they could suffer because of false or misleading information about the package, including about price or contractual conditions.