Stop the OPCs

Despite numerous complaints from tourists on the harassment they have to endure during their holiday in Malta at the hands of the so-called timeshare touts or timeshare OPCs, the Malta Tourism Authority appears to be treating this serious matter much too lightly.

These licensed pests, now carrying an official ID tag, persist in annoying visiting tourists by their irritating and, at times, abusive behaviour. This shameful conduct is one source of grievance which we can certainly do without if we want visiting tourists to return to Malta.

The MTA would do well to monitor more aggressively tourist areas like the stretch from Bay Square, Bugibba to the Suncrest Hotel, in Qawra. Walking along this coast road one can witness these OPCs brow-beating and hassling every single elderly tourist that passes by.

The solution to eradicate this problem is very obvious, to me at least. The timeshare marketing companies should only be allowed to market their properties from hotel lobbies and licensed stalls. It would be illegal for their representatives to approach tourists on the streets to promote their business. The MTA should act now before the situation deteriorates further in the coming months.