I can only agree with the contents of Emanuel Bajada's letter (Cranes Crowding Out Tourists In Xlendi, September 24). My husband and I have stayed at various locations in Gozo for more than 20 years. This holiday is our second this year in Xlendi. During our stay in May this year we even thought about cutting short our holiday. The noise from the various building sites was nearly unbearable. This is not what a tourist expects to find in an otherwise quiet tourist area.

We returned again this week hoping that the activities had either stopped for the tourist season or the buildings were finished and found that the building frenzy is far from over. It is inconceivable that this is possible during the tourist season in an area where tourism is the basis of the income of many Gozitans. Whoever gave permission for this building construction to take place throughout the summer has not done the tourist industry in Xlendi a favour.

I know several people who either cut their visit short or choose another place to stay - understandably so since most people prefer not to be woken up at seven by a concrete pump or the screeching of the stone saw. The activities didn't even stop during weekends.

Only the kind host and hostess and the well-furnished holiday apartment were our reasons to return to upper Xlendi. Whether we will do that again will be a matter of very careful thinking. I sincerely hope that the powers that be will be more careful in future when giving permission for new buildings to be erected. Otherwise the tourist industry in Gozo might experience a severe slump.