Lobbying Programme – TATOC Resort Visits

                 

As you may know, a delegation from OTE met recently with the new European commissioner for consumer protection, Meglena Kuneva, to discuss the status of the review of the Timeshare Directive and list TATOC and OTE concerns about a possible new Directive.

In the session the Commissioner made it clear that she wanted to continue the work of the Directorate General SANCO and to ensure high levels of consumer protection and safeguard the legitimate timeshare industry from rogue traders. We offered our assistance in drafting a new Directive while also urging the Commissioner to consider other legislative options including a Sales Directive that would focus on sales practices rather than on products and services currently being sold.

The lobbying programme is OTE’s primary focus during this protracted consultation period and I am calling on all TATOC member resorts to invite their local MEP and MP to visit their resort(s) so that they see for themselves that, far from being plagued by problems, as some claim, timeshare offers high quality holiday accommodation at resorts which tend to be based in rural locations in the UK that benefit hugely from the high year round occupancy levels of timeshare resorts.

                                                                                           

We would suggest that, wherever possible, your developer is actively involved in this process as the positive message may be better received if it is made by both developers and timeshare owners. TATOC is fully supportive of this campaign and  I would be happy to be involved should you wish me to attend.

To fit in with the lobbying process, we would suggest that these visits, which could take the form of a lunch briefing and afternoon tour of the resort, should take place between late May and June of this year. 

A draft invitation letter has been downloaded together with details of your MEP and MP. Further instructions regarding messages to convey during the meeting and up-to-date data to present will be available shortly. In the interim if you require any assistance, please do not hesitate to me.

Harry Taylor

Secretary General