I think a lot of the negative opinions in general are from tourists who just were never prepared or aware that this sales pitching goes on.
I admit the first time it happened to me I was like WHOA ,Where I live the only people standing in a street selling something would be a salesperson outside a concert venue just holding glow sticks or glow in the dark glasses or novelties and then they just stand there,
YOU approach them they never approach YOU.
We are quite reserved here in England we do not say hello to strangers in the street and we do not approach anyone with goods for sale except in a shop or market stall .
So you can imagine my shock when I took a 2 minute stroll down the beach assuming it would be like a 2 minute stroll at home,I walk I speak to nobody and go about my day.
WRONG
I walked, about 4 different people stopped me within only 2 small hotels distance away,(next door to each other) and then there was the time when a group of men was walking around me and at home if a group of guys come around you like that it pretty much means you are in big trouble.So I guess the first time is a bit scarey.
But I am inquisitive and I could see they did not want to harm me, so then I wanted to know what they had for sale and how much it cost.
Now I buy anything I need from the guys on the beach, sometimes they give me an item or two free if I did a good deal with them and some know what kind of things I like without me asking now.
They are salesmen and woman that is their job, their living, and a few people purchasing a few items at a few hundred dollars can make their families day seem a whole lot brighter.And it is unfair to look at them as annoyances and scammers as they live in a place where most wages are very low and if I was in their position and could buy some items wholesale or I had a talent and new xxxx amount of millions of tourists were about to land in my town this year then hell yeah I would get up in a morning and try to sell them my wares.
Some people just do not like strangers contacting them in any way at all and thats fine but if that is you it is a lot simpler to advise security at your hotel of this and they will simply tell the salesmen not to bother you and keep them moving along.
They can be quite frightening if you never knew it was there your first time but now, I like to stroll the beach after a night out and have some fresh squeezed orange juice and then buy from the patty man and maybe a few mix cds to listen to in my room and a bracelet or an ankle bracelet.Sometimes I just like to buy a bit of everything and sometimes I like to buy NOTHING.
I have walked that beach so many times I have lost count, I spent over a month there just a few months back daily walking down the beach and sometimes with my children.
The only one time someone was bugging me a few years back was when a man thought I should buy him a drink, I did not like the way he was demanding plus the fact I only had enough cash on me to have a quick tipple before my evening meal for myself and NO-ONE interferes with my party fund! he got quite annoying but the bar tender told him to move from the property there was no hard feelings though, next time I saw the man he offered his hand in marriage which I kindly declined and said I'm still not buying you a drink , we both laughed and he no longer asks for anything.
I treat people how they treat me so if they are being nice to me I treat them the same way if I get prodded awake by someone for a sale I would tell them thats rude and I will speak to them when I am ready not half asleep.
Newbies will get used to it.Do not be frightened they are just wanting a sale and their items for sale are pretty good and pretty low priced and the patties are delicious and just go with the flow, if it is not your thing, just tell security .Simple.
