Tourists visiting one of Turkey’s most popular holiday destinations are facing ‘deception and harassment’ in the streets, according to local reports. Areas of Antalya have been ‘marred’ by ‘aggressive’ street sellers.
Favourite tourist spots like Kaleiçi, Kazim Ozalp Street and Cumhuriyet Square have been ‘overtaken’ by ‘swarms’ of fake perfumers, panhandlers and forceful street vendors, prompting some tour guides to change their routes to avoid the ‘problematic areas’. Turkish newspaper the Daily Hurriyet claims the nuisance traders ‘try to extort visitors’ by using intrusive tactics.
The local authorities have received ‘many complaints’ about the issue, including reports of beggars surrounding tourist groups, demanding money, and hawkers coercing holidaymakers into restaurants. Visitors have found themselves being coerced into purchasing fake perfumes, with some sellers even resorting to slipping boxes into people’s bags without their consent then forcing them to pay up,…