I have been to boca chica regularly in the last 8 or 9 years .....and I have been approached many times by vendors on the beach.....I found a shake of the head and a ' NO' worked fine and if not a more determined .....NO THANKYOU ended the sales pitch
- Thread starter bronzeallspice
- Start date
Police brace for Punta Cana protests by evicted beach vendors
I call it desperation mode when they dont take NO for an answer. Its sad when a couple finally gets up the courage to venture out only to be bombarded with this kind of a sales approach. Then they return to the hotel only to repeat their experiences to other guests who then in most cases wont even bother to make the journey. I have a business next to some of these souvenir shops and I watch these guys try to sell. Its a joke. One day I made a deal with one of the shop owners that I would work for him free for a day. He just had to pay my bar tab. I outsold all four of his guys. I let the women go into shop while I invited the men for a cervaza or a beverage. I thought I had taught them something but to no avail. The next day same old sop.what can you do?
Love it when they come to you to try the lambi and pour tons of it into the cup after you've sampled.
The they try to charge you 500 pesos. Happened the first time. Never happened again.
Love lambi and told them after to give me 100 pesos worth after the sample.
The they try to charge you 500 pesos. Happened the first time. Never happened again.
Love lambi and told them after to give me 100 pesos worth after the sample.
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It makes sense government taking some action toward beach vendors.
Yes I know it may be the only source for food for most but it leaves the HUGE marks on whole this "One of the best Caribbean tourist destination." that some of you claim. Some would just go away but some those street vultures can become aggressive. They will not leave you alone and some waits for their moment to sell that stone filled, wooden shakers with Dominican Republic flag to vulnerable Asian women with 2 years old for discounted price of $800 Pasos.
Several $$$$ tourists paying for they stay in AI vs few Pasos for hungry aggressive streets vultures Do the math.
Yes I know it may be the only source for food for most but it leaves the HUGE marks on whole this "One of the best Caribbean tourist destination." that some of you claim. Some would just go away but some those street vultures can become aggressive. They will not leave you alone and some waits for their moment to sell that stone filled, wooden shakers with Dominican Republic flag to vulnerable Asian women with 2 years old for discounted price of $800 Pasos.
Several $$$$ tourists paying for they stay in AI vs few Pasos for hungry aggressive streets vultures Do the math.
it's a vicious circle: sellers become more aggressive because tourists are not buying; tourists are not buying because the sellers pi** them off. there must be a better way to organize this with sellers located in designated spots like entrances/exits of the beach and/or hotels. i understand they want to make a living but annoying potential buyers does not work in their advantage.
I don't carry around a lot of cash but when I go to AI, where is my wallet? It's in those easily open-able safe in all rooms. I only set aside few $50-$100 notes for tips., and I think most don't even bother to carry around any cash at all. They become more aggressive as refusing to believe tourists in AI doesn't have money on their hand to pay for over priced crap they try to shove at tourists.
This has somewhat none issues for us anyway because we hardly go to the beach to relax anymore. It has became, relaxing is by the pool+bar and only pictures and swim at the ocean.
Like I said in an earlier post. I run a business just outside an AI and watch hotel guests get bombarded the second there off the property. Some turn and go back. Some run away. Few actually go with the pushy salesperson. A few years back on a cruise we stopped in St. Marteen. They should look the way the shops operate there. Low pressure sales and free drinks. Seriously I dont think its possible here. That mentality doesnt exist. Something needs to change to protect tourism here.
Been to Punta Cana many times (so has family from the US) and I must say it never really bothered me that much. A firm NO always did the trick. I have heard others say it is a pain in the a** but like others have said you will find this in many other countries as well. If I recall there are some "beach shacks" along a stretch of the beach that sell different touristy things. Can't remember where exactly though.
how much of a pain in the ass it is depends upon your threshold for annoyance. some people can deal with things without getting their panties twisted into knots, while others get deranged over the slightest of annoyances. i have a friend to takes touris groups to Greece, to see some of the most beautiful sights the planet has to offer. she told me about the night people were gathered together enjoying one of the most magical sunsets possible, and this old hag in the group was complaining about the temperature of the evening.
i have been approached by numerous people here who try to sell me crap. i simply reply, firmly;
don't want it
it works every time.
you or me may not have a problem saying "no, gracias". but imagine a family from back swamp, north carolina, population 5,202 who speak zero spanish, carry no cash with them because it's all inclusive for a reason, who are only interested in setting their triglycerid gluteus in the sun. they will be complaining and rightly so.
i did not even make it up: Back Swamp township, Robeson County, North Carolina (NC) Detailed Profile
Every morning walk, every afternoon walk the same tag teams of salesmen begging for me and my wife to come shopping! No thank you I say we are here for the winter I say, we have enough I say and every day the same guys with the same persistent come spend your money plea. Dudes, I shop in town, I do not need any more souvenirs and you are charging ten times the value of the goods.
I always smile and say "no gracias, yo tengo dos" while doing the palms up shrug.....always works
I guess it wouldn't be so bad if these vendors wouldn't over charge so much. Many of the goods they sell can be bought in La Sirena for about half the price or less.
Half would be bargain of the year. How much is that silly wood shakers with Dominican Republic flags on them? Last time a guy offered to sell it to my wife for 20 bucks again.
half the problem is that these guys are selling such useless and unimaginative crap, nobody in their right minds would want that stuff. whatever they are selling today, they were selling 25 years ago. besides, if i am coming from Rome , London, or Washington DC, what makes you think i can't buy sunglasses where i am from?