Street Vendor Licenses Being Revoked In Los Cabos Due To Tourist Harassment 

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Last Updated 4 months ago

Buying from street vendors when visiting Mexican vacation destinations like Los Cabos is a timeless tradition that many tourists look forward to when visiting.   

Whether it’s for souvenirs, beach necessities, food, beverages, or something else – it’s very likely that during your Los Cabos vacation, you’ll seek out a street vendor at one point or another.   

Some street vendors are a bit aggressive when it comes to offering their services or goods, though, which can make tourists feel uncomfortable.   

It’s due to this tourist harassment that some street vendors’ licenses are being revoked in Los Cabos. 

Protecting Tourists From Harassment  

As a way to protect tourists from street vendors who harass or aggressively try to sell their goods or services to them, officials are revoking vendor licenses.   

Due to an increase in vendors exhibiting this behavior, more of an effort is being made to locate these vendors.   

So far, several vendors have already had their licenses revoked.   

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Common Type Of Harassment That Tourists Are Experiencing 

One type of harassment that has been noticed is actions taken by massage vendors, which are common on the beaches of Los Cabos.   

According to officials, these vendors are extremely pushy, even to the point of putting their hands on tourists to force them into a massage that they then have to pay for.   

Officials are worried about the image of the destination that this gives tourists, which is why they are revoking licenses when they catch them.   

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Safety Issues To Consider 

In addition to being harassed by vendors, there are other safety issues you should consider when purchasing from street vendors.   

Not all vendors are legal, and it’s these ones that you need to watch out for.   

Some of these illegal vendors aren’t just trying to make an honest buck but rather could have something more nefarious in mind, like pickpocketing you or selling you illicit substances.   Additionally, when it comes to food, you want to watch for safe food handling practices.

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How To Tell From Legal And Illegal Vendors 

While not all vendors follow the rules, they are required to wear “uniforms “ so that tourists can tell the difference between legal and illegal vendors.   

The uniform consists of white pants or shorts and white shirts, and as of earlier this year authorities have been trying to enforce the use of these “uniforms.”   

The uniform only applies to vendors that are mobile, like those walking on the beaches, and does not apply to fixed vendor establishments.   

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Safety Tips For Dealing With Los Cabos Street Vendors  

When dealing with street vendors it’s important to be aware of your surroundings, as illegal or fake vendors sometimes work in pairs.   

You may also want to keep a small amount of cash in your front pocket for paying street vendors so that you can avoid taking out your wallet.   

Last, but not least, look for those uniforms signaling that a vendor is in fact legal.   

Weeding Out Bad Vendors 

Inspectors work on the beaches to try to weed out bad vendors.   

The issue is that there are only a handful of inspectors.   

Additionally, by the time a complaint is made by a tourist and an inspector or other person in authority can be located, the vendor is long gone.   

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Alternatives To Buying From Street Vendors 

A safe alternative to buying your souvenirs, food items, or even getting a massage is to buy from somewhere other than street vendors.   

There are shops that offer all of the above in brick-and-mortar establishments.   

Visiting these places is a safer way to make any kind of purchase when visiting Los Cabos, but rest assured, officials are cracking down on vendors.