Tours/Timeshare/Street Vendors - Warning

[Spike]

Just got back from my first visit to PV. I was really hoping to kick back and relax but after the first day I was more stressed out than before I left. I found the street vendors,
tour sales people, some shop owners and of course the time share people to be completely overbearing. I couldnt walk 5 ft thru down without being stopped asked to go on a tour, time share presenation, braid my hair etc... I know this is par for the course in in Mexico but this was way more aggressive than i had expected. One guy even grabbed on to me and pulled me into his store and would not let me go. While eating dinner on the patio of a restaurant we had to move inside because street vendors simply would not let us eat our meal. We did go on a couple of tours and once we got out of town actually enjoyed ourselves but overall I wouldnt recommend PV to anyone looking for a relaxing vacation unless you simply plan on hanging out at your hotel pool.

[smitty]

Sorry to hear of your bad experiences on this trip. We've learned to tune out the TS sharks and a no thanks to the beach vendors usually works. Have never experienced someone actually grabbing me into a store but would expect at least a 50% discount under such conditions ! Unfortunately a city based on tourism will always have alot of "self promotion" . My experience in PV has always been positive and we will return many times.

[chuck]

Sorry that bothered you, it did the same for some friends that went with us this time, kind of freaked them out. I on the other hand chatted with the t/s people and my wife and I both like interacting with the beach vendors. Guess I've just gotten used to all that stuff. Make several more trips and you will probably find it's really not that bad.

[jeff]

I sent this message to the tourism board:
First the good news! We just returned from a 10 days visit to PV our second visit in the last 6 months. This time we stayed in town at Playa Los Arcos. We had a great time and intend to return again soon.
Now for the bad news! Every time we left the hotel within one block in either direction we were subjected to time-share sales personnel who were rude, obnoxious and annoying to say the least. They followed us as we walked down the street and would not accept our simple expression that we weren't interested. They accused us of being anti-Mexican because we refused to stop and spend time with them. They did not confine themselves to their offices but continued to block the sidewalks and to follows us as we tried to move past them. While I can appreciate their attempt to "earn a living" which they repeated often, they are offensive and detract from an otherwise beautiful PV. Last December when we first visited PV, we had the unfortunate experience of sitting through one of these time-share presentations. They continually told us that they were closely regulated by the Government who were safeguarding the rights of the consumers. Most of their sales tactics would be illegal under US law but apparently they are tolerated in PV. The time-share sidewalk sales people are a blight on PV's otherwise impeccable reputation. Aren't they subject to any regulations that would at least keep them within the confines of their shops and would stop them from pursuing visitors down the street? One of the main reasons that we decided to stay downtown was so that we could walk around the neighborhood and enjoy the local attractions. Towards the end of our stay we found ourselves avoiding going to certain restaurants because we did not want to be subjected to the time-share sales people and their ranting and implied threats. It's not fair to the local businesses if these sales people are permitted to chase away customers who don't want to be annoyed. It reminds me of San Francisco where the downtown streets are crowded with beggars and the homeless and you have to run a gauntlet just to go for a walk around your hotel. The conduct of the time share people really needs to be controlled. I suggest you take a survey of visitors to PV and ask them about the best and worst of PV. I have no doubt that the time share people will be right near the top of the worst of PV. I would be interested in receiving your comments on this issue.

[smitty]

Jeff,great to hear you enjoyed most of your trip. 2 bad about the TS encounters . In any civilized society harassment and intimidation should never be allowed. Acapulco was forced to change its act when the tourists stopped. PV should take note and somehow control this issue
Good idea on alerting the Tourism Board. Did you get any response ? How about a link so similar messages could be sent .

[jeff]

In response to a request, the following adds to the information already provided:
We stayed at Playa Los Arcos from June 24, 2003 through July 3, 2003. The most offensive conduct took place near the time share office directly across the street from the hotel and on the next street south of the hotel across from the Adelante restaurant. As I recall, in most instances these people represented Mayan Hotel time share sales. Less onerous and almost as annoying was the tour representative just a few doors down from the Hotel. He was always on the sidewalk and not in his office but he at least refrained from following us down the street as did the representatives from the time share organizations. If there are laws already on the books one would hope they would enforce them. We repeatedly heard the excuse that "they were just trying to earn a living"; however, that doesn't give them any right to impose their unwanted presence on people who clearly made it known they had no interest in their product and were insulting when we refused to stop to speak with them. Keep them off the sidewalks and confined to their sales offices. If anyone wants to know anything about their products they can walk into their stores and inquire. The most offensive comment from one came when we refused to stop and listen was to the effect that we weren't stopping because we refused to "shake hands with a Mexican". Needless to say running the gauntlet of these obnoxious sales people everytime we left the Hotel did not leave us with pleasant memories. We had heard that there were laws that would prevent such conduct but it is obvious they were not being enforced and these sales reps showed absolutely no fear or hesitation about engaging in this conduct. We intend to return to PV and would like to see a changed situation the next time we visit. I would be happy to speak with anyone about this problem. Thanks for your interest.

[palapa_gal]

Jeff, it's to bad you have had such bad encounters with the T/S people. I don't want to start an argument on this board, but can't help wonder if it was your tone of voice that made these people act the way they did. I have been to PV a dozen times and not once have they ever treated me that way. The first couple of times down there I would just say no, not interested, and keep walking and that would be that. I still say no to this date but now I stop and talk to them. I found they are very interested to know about you and where you come from and I find it quite interesting listening to them tell about their life in PV. I have made numerous PV friends this way. I just can't fathom that people in PV would act this way. I have experienced the rude, obnoxious and pulling you into their store in Mazatlan but never in PV.

[jeff]

Palapa Gal:
Let me suggest you visit the area around the Playa Los Arcos hotel and experience the time share people in this location before you question my response to them. I have encountered other time share personnel in other locations in PV particularly near the Malecon and have not experienced the same rudeness and offensive conduct demonstrated by these people. They refuse to accept polite responses of "sorry I'm not interested" and instead follow us down the street questioning whether we like Mexicans. That's not only insulting to me it reflects badly on PV and the time share industry which already has a well deserved reputation for shady business practices which would be against the law in the US but are apparently tolerated in PV.

[Margaritaville]

We stay in the area of Playa Los Arcos every year. Have for the last 7 or 8 years. Have never experienced the problems with TS people you describe. We find that if you just say no and walk on they don't bother us. At times we have even stopped and talked to them. We make it clear we are not interested from the start and keep afriendly tone and smile. Remember, these people are trying to make a living and are pretty average guys. Also, if you find someone offensive, perhaps you could avoid that area and take a different street to walk. Love that part of PV and would never consider staying anywhere else. We have stayed at several hotels on the strip and much prefer the Old Town area.

[clinta74]

Interesting, we had no such problems with TS hawkers this spring either while staying at the Emperador or walking the area, or on previous visits. A long time ago we realized that it is a boring & cutthoat game for the hawkers and some will do most anything to be noticed and/or to pass the time. The game of saying things that elicit a reaction from strangers often times is just that, a game. Case in point my wife was on a tour and the guide was telling her about how he was needing to find a new girlfriend because his current one had just turned 16 and was now to old. (During continued conversation: Guy is married 12 years and has 4kids) He thought that it was funny how some Americans would just fly off the handle (and it helped pass the time during a boring part of the tour).

[marty]

about the timessshare guys - ask them about their life their family show an interest in them and you know whatou may make anew friend and then move on and lighten up and enjoy yourstay because in this world we are all inthis together and a guy hustling timeshares is people too

[barbarah]

Have been to PV several times and am going back 11/4/03. Never had a problem with T/S people. Just say "no thanks, not interested." They certainly cannot be as bad as "used car salespeople" in the U.S. Maybe T/S folks are like women, when you say no, you might be saying....maybe!!!!!!

[howard_jax]

Used car salesman need to make a living too. treated with respect, both will treat you the same. At least that is what we have found in our 20 years going to PV and buying cars in the US.

[pat]

I have heard a lot of people complaining about the aggressiveness of the T/S people this summer. Some including a number of very nice friends of mine. I don't think it is fair to say that Jeff wasn't nice enough to them. Perhaps it has been so slow that they have taken up these measures.

[rosita]

Geeeez....

I've been travelling to P.V. for 13 years now, and not once have I ever had Tour Guides,
Timeshare or Street Vendors be abusive.

Sure!! Sometimes their exuberance might seem a little overwhelming (especially to a 1st timer), but NEVER have I seen anyone "manhandle" anyone.

I have become aquainted over the years with some of these vendors, and in fact I go out of my way to revisit them & their shops ..just to say hello every year. And to think ..it doesnt cost me a dime!!

I have found a friendly word, a smile & a "no gracious" .. or even a "maybe tomorrow"
generally gets you past any push for a sale ..without incident.

Most of all ..remember...your a tourist in this lovely little town. The vendors are working very hard to earn your vacation bucks. Respect the locals and they'll respect you back ...in my humble opinion.

[matt]

I have never had any problems with the timeshare hawkers on the street. They can be somewhat of a nuisance, especially since there are so many of them. But, as mentioned above, I have always managed to get rid of them with a curt, but polite, "no thanks" before they have a chance to get past the first couple of words in their pitches.

I think I probably posted this before, but I did have a bad experience one time when I was "tricked" into going to the Mayan Palace, in Nuevo Vallarta. I say "tricked" because the hawker that I met in a restaurant told me that they only wanted me to go to their "hotel" to give them an honest opinion about the facilities. I have to admit that I strongly suspected that this was actually going to be a timeshare sales presentation....it was.

We toured the facilities and they were nice, but I wasn't interested in purchasing anything at the time. My on-site salesperson was highly aggressive and was visibly annoyed that I wasn't going to buy. Remember that technically, I was tricked into going there in the first place. Everytime I tried to gracefully back out of the presentation, she would throw in more "deals", which I would decline. As she continued her pitch, she would get angrier at me until I really thought she was going to have a mental break down and start crying or start screaming.

Up to this point, I had been totally polite, but stubborn in my insistance that I wasn't going to buy anything. To make a long story a little shorter, I finally just had to get up and walk out of the presentation; ignoring their pleas for my return for further "deals". There just wasn't any way to politely leave the place.

That was my first visit to Puerto Vallarta, but I was so enchanted with the town that I made an offer to purchase a regular house in town, a couple of days after the unfortunate event at the timeshare place. So far, I have really enjoyed the house and look forward to the day when I can live full-time in Puerto Vallarta.

[noknok]

Just say, no gracias, whats the big deal about it.

[soapguy]

If you think Timeshares are bad in PV, you should take a trip to Aruba. Every place we have traveled we have had timeshare people, but Aruba was the worse. They were on every street corner, in cafes, walking the beach, and they even called your room. Timeshares in PV is nothing that a polite NO or Nada won't handle.

[LindaMS]

Very simple suggestion... when you are approached by a TimeShare rep, tell them you dont qualify because you are a travel agent. They will leave you alone, and will often remember you and not bug you the next time. The very LAST thing they want is a travel agent in there presentations, pointing out what a collossal rip off it is! (and yes, I am a travel agent, but you are welcome to impersonate me!)

Linda (who will be at the Royal Decameron again in two weeks... YIPPEE!!!)

[robin1]

This always works ...when approached by a time shark ...smile and say I already own one but gracias...they will smile and leave you alone ....forever!
Helps to have a name handy I always say I have a timesghre at the Sheraton with all the trouble thier having the timesharks usually cant get awy fast enuf.

Personally its just PVR I am used to it and wihen I say I already own a timeshare they never bother me again.

Good Luk