Madam, – I am director of a hotel which has been in my family for 55 years. Your editorial (July 24th) gives a clear analysis of the problems facing the hotel industry. There are too many hotel rooms built by developers with tax breaks and easy bank money. Room prices are the lowest in Western Europe with wages among the highest. If the market is allowed, the strategy of banks and Nama will be to maximize the value of distressed assets and force closure of traditional hotels with prudent borrowings where they will have full debt recovery. In so doing, they will enhance the value of the newer “zombie” properties which can then be sold. Mary Hanafin, as Minister for Tourism, has a duty to ensure that the traditional Irish hotel is protected from both the state and banks who will behave like drowning men pushing anyone under to save their skins. – Yours, etc,