I have just returned home from a holiday in Malta where I have been many times before with my family.
However, this time, my family holiday was spoilt by the constant harassment of predatory ticket touts on the Buġibba and Qawra seafront and around the Buġibba bus terminal.
My wife and I were verbally abused in broad daylight by two touts in Buġibba opposite HSBC just because I said I was not interested in buying anything from them.
The two of them, both male, were aggressive and threatening.
I find this totally unacceptable and this behaviour would not be tolerated in the UK.
When I asked them who they worked for they refused to say.
They seem to be out of control and roam the streets in gangs as they please. I have even seen them chasing people in the street.
This year, there seemed to be more of them than usual and they are more aggressive, persistent and appear to stalk there ‘victims’, which is what I felt like.
A visible police presence or tourism police could help.
I am uncertain whether I will be returning to Malta to subject my family to being stalked by these predatory touts.
I also know that I am not the only tourist who is fed up with such behaviour.
They are not representative of the Maltese people and do them a great injustice.