Airport Timeshare Sharks

Incidents, either bad or that could be improved in the city.

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tandr2
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Post by tandr2 » Wed Jan 30, 2008 9:16 pm

#1 piece of advice....

keep walking until you go through the sliding doors...anyone that talks to you after you press the button for customs (red light/green light) until you go through the sliding doors is trying to sell you timeshare...just say no gracias and keep walking...no problems.

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ellen
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Post by ellen » Wed Jan 30, 2008 11:15 pm

Bobby002 wrote:first time going to PV. Any advice would be appreciated. All these comments have me worried.
Bobby, it's really a tempest in a teapot and nothing to be worried about. They have no control over you and you don't have to stop and talk to them. Just remember, once you have cleared the red light/green light area at Customs, you don't have any other obligations for entering the country. Go through the doors and out into the lobby area and just ignore the people who are offering you help or trying to get you to stop and talk. End of story.

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Post by Counting the days » Thu Feb 21, 2008 12:25 am

We've been coming to PV for the last 10 years - and yes, we've been suckered in more than once to those nasty time share talks. You just have to keep saying "No, it's not for us." Don't try to explain yourself away - they have answers for every scenario. Better yet - say no right off the bat and avoid the horror. Walk right through that airport and jump in a taxi and have a great vacation!

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Post by sunshine311 » Tue Apr 01, 2008 10:33 pm

Just a thought, but why not take advantage of these guys and take whatever stuff you can get from them? After all, although pushy, they are not some cult or gang that's going to do you any physical harm.
I know that on our next trip, my husband and I intend on doing a time share right away and although we'll give up a few hours of our day, we'll get free stuff!
We just returned from PV, and on our second last day, we met a family that did just that. Their first day they did a time share and got 4 free passes to Rhythms of Night, free ATV Excursion, and 50% off any other tours they wanted to do.
We actually did talk to a Time Share guy on the street our last day and he said that you only have to commit 90 min. of your time and you can walk out and get the stuff they promised you. Now, I have no doubt they make it extremely difficult to leave after 90 min. That's probably why the family we met were there for 5 hours!

PS. I just re-read some of this thread and I guess I'm a bit off topic. The time share guys I'm refering to are the ones on the streets down town, not the ones nabbing you in the airport.

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kagnew64
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Timeshares

Post by kagnew64 » Tue Apr 01, 2008 11:06 pm

Sunshine311
We have a timeshare and enjoy it and use it. If you are going to spend
time in a presentation (90 min to 5 hours), pick a good property with
a proven record. Talk to other members of this board for recommendations. Don't expect to bring home everything the man in
the street promises

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ellen
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Post by ellen » Tue Apr 01, 2008 11:41 pm

Sunshine, my husband and I have done the timeshare presentation too, about 5 years ago. We got $100.00 cash, 2 tickets for the Marigalante and some blankets, but it was a very unpleasant, nerve-wracking 5 hours and I would never do it again. I do know a couple who got up at the end of 90 minutes and said in effect, ok - we've done our bit, now give us our gifts. They got them and left, so that is something to consider. One of our neighbours in Vallarta is a timeshare closer, one of the big guns they bring out at the end. We have heard his training tapes and believe me, they are trained to be relentless and they have an answer for every roadblock you put in their way. I asked him how many timeshares he owns and he said I had to be kidding. There was no way he would buy one! In fact, he laughed at the people who he "took", as he put it and said that the staff gathers around after hours and makes fun of the doctors and lawyers, etc., who have fallen for the whole thing. Having said that, I have spoken to many people who are happy with their place and go back and buy more weeks, so it probably depends on where you buy.

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Post by BUFFETT 06 » Wed Apr 02, 2008 3:52 am

the only reason they have an answer for everything is because they are given the opportunity to answer. it's no different than a car salesman, you just say no thanks...they ask you why, you say adios and walk away. if you try to tell them why, they fire back with anything . the longer they keep you in front of them, the harder it is to walk away. the only way they can sell anything is if they have a body in front of them. don't be that body..it's simple.

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Post by mommicat » Wed Apr 16, 2008 1:39 am

Thanks to all who posted, this thread gave me great info before our trip. We just returned from our first visit to PV. I followed the advice here and successfully navigated the airport "tank." Actually, I think there were double tanks, 2 separate rooms if I remember correctly. I made sure to have no papers/documents in view, walked determinely through the center of the rooms, looked straight ahead and did not make eye contact. The sharks seemed more agressive in the second area: "Where are you staying, miss? MISS, WHERE ARE YOU STAYING!?!?!" One tried to stop me and get in my face but I shook my head, said no gracias and kept walking. Thankfully it was all over in less than a minute. There were several groups of people from our flight not so lucky--we could see the sharks were having some success.

I will say that we found PV to have the most pervasive timeshare presence of any place in Mexico or the Caribbean, and I've been all over. We were approached in the big supermarkets, all over the street, at the hotels, gift shops, and even by waiters/maitre"d's in restaurants while we were trying to enjoy our meal!!

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