To the general manager, Island Hotels Group:

I refer to the meeting held at the Coastline Hotel on July 25 from 6 to 9 p.m. Enclosed please find a Lm10 voucher, which I am returning to you in protest at the way we were treated during the meeting.

As you are aware, my wife and I came to the meeting following a telephone conversation with one of your staff members who referred to a questionnaire which we had compiled some months before.

I wish to put on record that the telephone conversation misled us in no small measure. This is a case of misleading advertising as defined in the Consumer Affairs Act.

In my view, the meeting was a planned session of mental and psychological harassment to try and lure us into investing in a venture, which failed to convince me and which I was not interested in pursuing. Yet for some hours we were bombarded with questions and attitudes which we strongly deplore. At a certain point, the saleswoman and her manager were addressing us as incapable persons for not deciding to invest in such an "advantageous" timeshare proposal.

The meeting was nothing else but an opportunity for us to understand that your invitation had a hidden agenda to harass and intimidate your clients and force them into buying your service. At various points during the meeting we felt intimidated.

Although we repeatedly made it clear to you that we were not convinced of such an investment and that we could not afford such purchase we were made to feel uncomfortable in refusing your offer.

We also felt that you were trying to cheat, by not letting us have sufficient time to reflect, think, and decide on such a huge amount of money.

In this connection, I wish to reiterate my disappointment at your behaviour and I can assure you that I will spread the word (including the media and higher authorities) on your unethical way of conducting business in Malta. (Mario Attard)

Here follows the Island Hotels Group's prompt reply:

Thank you for your letter dated July 27 regarding your recent experience with the marketing company currently promoting the vacation ownership concept for our new resort in Golden Sands.

Primarily I would like to apologise on behalf of all concerned if your expectations were not met as described in your letter. I believe Samantha Hanson from Island Residence Club has also called you to discuss the matter.

I would like to assure you that nothing on our end is planned to take a form of mental or psychological harassment. We are developing a top-end international resort, which will be a high-end addition to the island's tourism industry. We have also developed a vacation club concept within the resort, which is selling very well to both foreign nationals and Maltese alike. I sincerely apologise if the wrong approach was used in your case or if you were offended by any one of the staff, who may have left you feeling pressurised. We have investigated the matter internally and have ensured that any necessary corrective action has been taken.

I would also like to assure you that there is no hidden agenda behind our invitation and that we are not in a position to force anyone into buying our product. In fact even those who do purchase have a period in which to think over their purchase and subsequently cancel the agreement within a specific time. We have over 1,600 members in the club to date and many club members who have visited the new resort are very impressed and highly pleased with their purchase.

Once again I apologise if you felt intimidated or uncomfortable at any time. It is definitely not our intention. However I can assure you that the project is 100 per cent legitimate and at no time do we try to cheat any of our guests or club members. On the contrary, our only objective is to ensure that all our owners get very good value for their money in the same way as we strive to do with all our other companies within the Island Hotels Group.

In conclusion, if you would like to discuss the matter in further detail I would be more than happy to meet you accordingly. Additionally, if there is any way we can make up for your disappointment please let me know. (Winston J. Zahra, director of operations, sales, and marketing, Island Hotels Group)

I spoke to Mr Zahra and we have arranged a meeting. In the meantime another person who attended the presentation told me that he felt that pressure was being applied. However, unlike Mr Attard, he does not want to write.

At this stage, without necessarily commenting on Mr Zahra's reply, I am inclined to subscribe to the rationale whereby hard sell is known in this specific sector. Unfortunately this sector has earned this reputation and there is no smoke without fire.

Therefore, readers who attended this presentation are welcome to send us their comments accordingly. This is indeed an issue well worth discussing openly.