oh no thats awful, it must be so hard for them to make a decent living with this going on, nobody likes to be hassled, but like you said the guys in the shops are so much worse!

I suppose that the reason the police are doing it is, because so many tourists have complained about the hassle in the past.
Noticed lots of it in Icmeler last year.(closure... not hassle)
one bar closed because the "tout" (what IS the proper name for them) crossed the road to say hello to two old friends who happened to be tourists, and the police saw him, said he was Hassling them and shut the bar.
For myself , I think that the "hassle" is all part of the fun.
After all, if they do get too intrusive a few anglo- saxon words usually gets the message across,as a LAST resort.
I don't understand the remarks about fake t-shirt sellers ! never had any hassle from them........... perhaps its the size of my beer bellly that keeps them away as they don't have size xxxxxl usually!!!

Sounds like it is open to corruption to me, maybe the police are looking for backhanders. This is my opinion but you can't tell me it's not happening.

How many holidaymakers have ever reported restaurant staff for hassling?

Moaned? yes, expected? yes, enjoyed some of the patter? yes, but complained? NAH!!

Somebody has got on his high horse and made a decision to hassle them.

yes the closing bars is a joke just came back icmeler around 19 bars restuarants shut and 2 hairdressers i saw shut .i dont think hassle has kept tourists away and shutting bars make it worse .

This is a bit worrying but hopefully the police will have finished these tactics by the time we go out there at the end of July.While i'm here can anybody tell me anything about the Atac hotel in Altinkum and any places or bars or restaurants not to visit.

This happens all over and where it was once a good idea as a deterrent against hassling now it seems that they just go round closing each place in turn. I am absolutely certain there is an element of corruption and backhanders going on but with there is nothing the bar and restaurant owners can do about it. It does mean that they lose money and the workers have to go without wages so it doesn't seem fair does it?

Its not fair that the workers lose money and maybe some have been unlucky like the guy mentioned on here who had friends who happened to be tourists. I understand why they're trying to do something about it though. I was out there last summer and got nothing but hassle from every establishment i walked past. My friend was even grabbed by the arm and frogmarched into a shop. We made a point of not going into the places that hassled us. We were constantly hassled by a restaurant right outside out apartments so never went in there and on our last day as we were boarding the coach one of the workers came up to our window and stuck his fingers up at us!! Luckily he was a one off and most of the people there are nice enough. I go back next week and am hoping to be able to walk down streets without being harrassed.n

maybe someone should setup petition to local goverment who control icmeler/marmaris etc and say it is putting tourists of visiting.
turkey is all about the 3Hs holidays,hassle,haggling .
like everything in moderation

I dont know about these other areas of Turkey but this was in Altinkum. Im glad they're doing something about it because it just wound me up and annoyed me.

I agree with some of the other posts. The continuous hassling is a pain in the neck. I have been to Marmaris a few times and I use to avoid the Marina and Bazarre almost completely. Unfortunately I couldn't avoid walking down the street unless I wanted to confine myself to the apartments.
There is nothing wrong with a bit of light hearted banter but when you are continuously harassed every time you walk past an establishment it does become tiresome and wearing.
Marmaris is a beautiful place but this practise does spoil the holiday somewhat. Any changes that the government make trying to stop this has definitely got my seal of approval. Maybe the image of 'aggressive begging' is not an image that that the Turkish are particularly proud of and want to put an end to it.

I totally agree with the practice as long as its not for the purposes of backhanders. I hope it cuts down on the amount of hassle as it really does put me off. If I find I'm getting hassled I will have no hesitation in threatening the hassler with the Zabita!

I was out in altinkum last year and the hassle was not nearly as bad as previous years.
The police want to have a walk throught the shopping centre constant hassle
everytime you walk through a few friends were even swore at when they wouldan't
have a look in the shop.

Yes, it was in the shopping centre that my friend got physically dragged into a shop!

What else are the Councils of these areas supposed to do, The majority of Tourists hate the constant hassle from some, So they are watched and warned the first time, Second time is Closure for a Three day period of time, Third time is one week, Fourth time is 1 month, They will soon learn this the more closures the better for all, and if you get hassled stop a Police car and tell them about it they will deal with them enough said.

Just back from Marmaris this morning and after being advised before I went that the hassle was in no way as bad as it used to be can only say rubbish !!! anyone who says its not and that it is all part off the fun is surely kidding themselves !!

from within the first few mins off going out our hotel on the first day it all started !!!, think the reason it was so bad was that marmaris itself was to me very quite for the time off year so in most cases you were the only victim !! ventured into the bizzare one night, and well all I can say is that it was the first and only visit during our holiday which was a pity as having been to marmaris before and having enjoyed our trips around this indoor market was really looking forward to going back but in no way can you call it fun being followed around each and every shop, being constantly being asked to look, etc,etc etc !!!

paid a few trips along to icelmer and find it strange that one post above stated that some off the restaurants had been closed down- all new to me as they were all open as usual and from speaking to a friends off ours whilst out there who have been out there for a few weeks now they themselves never heard off any places being temp closed as funny enough our conversations did involve this very subject !!

the couple had indeed been visting turkey for the last ten years in a row and did say themselves that they thought icelemer was no just a bad as marmaris unfortuntalty from our own visits there this did not seem the case !!

all in all a great holiday but sorry possibly the last until this problem is sorted out as again as far as I and it seems a lot off others are concerened it is a major problem that is surely runing what is a lovely, lovely country to visit.

anyway off to bed, left marmaris last night at 20:00 ( marmaris time ) and just arrived back around an hour ago ( 05:00 local ) so kinda tired !!!

places where closed, charlies bar ,and the one on corner opposite red lion ,there two i seen in just 1 night up that end of icmeler.more in the middle i hear ,its a shame really as 1 post said they cant even cross the road to speak to old friends. to me someone asking you to have a drink or look at their menu isnt real hassle not like it was 3 or more years ago when the followed you half way down the road .

I think I am lucky really because I never get hassle in Turkey. I lived there long enough to not have a holiday maker look and even if my husband isn't with me my two children look very Turkish, so most people just look at my girls and take no notice of me. They get all the attention when we are out anyway !!

I think the hassle in turkey is nowhere as near as bad as it used to be, and I find that normally a no thank you gets a good response. I agree that if someone you know comes out to greet you as a friend (which most turkish people do even if they have just met you once) then this is considered hassle by the police and the bar/resturant can be shut down. This is very unfair as it is the turkish way of life that is being suppressed and the very reason people return to turkey time and time again is the very nature of the friendliness of the people. The touts in places like spain or greece or much ruder and more aggresive than any turkish hassle I have ever had.