I recently recommended Turkey to a colleague for his holiday. They (my colleague and his girlfriend) have just returned from Marmaris and I was very embarrassed to hear that they did NOT enjoy their trip.

The main complaint was the constant hassling by Turks in the resorts every time they stepped outside the hotel. To go to the beach was a nightmare because they were followed right onto the beach by people hassling them to buy things. The evenings were no better as each restaurant employed men to entice people into eat, instead of letting them choose for themselves. They were unable to even look at the displayed menus because of these over-enthusiastic restaurant workers trying to push them inside.

The guests at the hotel seemed to be in agreement with them that this constant hassling would prevent them returning.

The food in the hotel was "disgusting" and, after talking with other tourists at the airport, they concluded that if a Turkish hotel calls itself 4 star, you should consider it to be 2 star!

To add insult to injury, the food and drink at the airport is probably the most expensive in the world!!! (I remember it too!). My colleague was forced to purchase food when their plane was delayed and it cost £30 for two sandwiches and two coffees!!!!!!!!! RIP OFF!

Turkey needs to give their tourist industry a serious re-think!

I thought the hassling had supposed to have been stopped?
When I went to Turkey a few weeks ago, my family were still being hassled alot, but it was nowhere near as much as in previous years.
You can't blame them for trying to get your business.. but we are used to choosing for ourselves and it is a culture shock.
Still... I very much love Turkey and how different it is from home.

Katya.

This is all new to me, we've never had any problems whilst going to Turkey, I've been many times bymyself and too many times with my parents and grandparents and never came across anything like you mentioned

If you look Turkish you don't really get hassled... I was fine when on my own, but when with my blonde blue-eyed sister, it was a different story!

Katya.

I went to Marmaris last year... and yes we were hassled, mainly to eat in resturants, as I didnt really do any shopping. However having been to other countries where it is ten times worse (Like Egypt, Thailand and west Africa) it didnt really bother me too much.. a polite and firm no was usually enough to convey the message ...

I don't look turkish one bit, but I have recently got as turkish passport but of course not everyone knows that when I'm in turkey just the people in the airport and relatives

Two of my colleagues went to marmaris and they did not like it at all because of all the hassle they got. My son and his wife went to Kemer and at one point two restaurant owners started fighting because they choice one shop over another.I have been to gumbet many times. The first time we really got hassled, but after getting to know the locals the years after we did not have a problem and last year hardly at all, but was told business had been told they had not to hassle and police where walking round checking .I have to say i find being hassled to a certain degree fun and all part of the holiday.