Cozumel, Q.R. — Municipal authorities in Solidaridad and Cozumel are planning actions to combat bad tourist practices by vendors. Badih Sleme Flores, the Director of Tourism and Economic Development of Cozumel, says they are working on a plan to put an end to vendors such as tour sellers who misinform and sometimes even scam visitors.
He says the bad Cozumel practices sometimes go beyond misinformation with some sellers charging more for tours and tickets than their actual price. Flores says that former complaints against tour vendors are going to be looked at since it has been brought to their attention that the bad practices, which affect Cozumel, are also happening on the mainland.
He explained that it has been noted as common practice for some tour sellers in the Playa del Carmen ferry area to go as far as to discourage tourists from traveling to Cozumel in hopes of selling them an inflated Riviera Maya tour package.
“What we are looking for is that tourists are not ripped off because that generates a bad image,” said the official. Flores said there is also an initiative underway by the State Tourism Secretariat to register all area businesses.
“It is not with the intention of annoying the business community, but to avoid these bad practices,” he added.
