For the past three years, we have stayed in the south and even when we stayed in the north we were never approached by timeshare touts. Do they only work in the north, or do you think that we look too poor so they don't bother with us?

i cant realy say as i havent met you, sydney...

del949.. think i will use that one....

Nice one irishman,will remember that for January! Paula

Normally people are only there for the two weeks and then off home, they however took up the 'free holiday' as they were bumming about and spent a week in luxury accommodation!

this year we were stopped my those scratchcard touts, and i said if we did win the free holiday, could we add it on to the holiday we were on now, and he said no you must go back to the UK, then come back for your free holiday.

Hi, can anyone giver an update on the crime stats this season. As earlier posts said, bag snatching and thefts from rooms increased last year. Have the police given any positive responses this year and actually caught anyone and prosecuted?

There where a few timeshare touts (on motorbikes) in Candolim Christmas 2006,

I used to take the tickets and put them in my pocket and tell the guy i would check them later

It only worked a couple of times before they insisted i checked my ticket there and then,

so I would tear them in half with out scratching them out to reveal the prize and then hand him them back,

they soon got the message.

GM06
Ian

These timeshare guys are only trying to make a living. We got approached most days by passing motorbikes. A polite "no thanks" or "I have already had one" will suffice and they go on their way. No need to be rude, it doesn't do anyone any good.
As for potential muggings etc, we tend to walk everywhere both in daylight and after dark and have never felt threatened by anyone.

I have to agree, the time share guys aren't that bad, i always say no then they ride off.

So far i haven't felt threatened, and last year we walked in the dark near the shacks where it was quiet.
I think it depends on who you are with. For example, we always have our son with us, so no one ever bothered to ask us if we 'wanted drugs'.

My partner got approached by someone on a scooter, who asked him if he wanted some drugs, and he also asked if he wanted a 'beutiful woman' .
So it is evident that there is a sex and drug industry in Goa.

Luckily most of the tourists cant see it.

I agree with DaveWales and others. A polite no thanks usually suffices. They have been recruited and don't probably yet know of the reputation of time-share touts preceding them in European resorts, and how we all perceive them. They are just trying to earn a living from tourism same as all the other sellers, hotel workers, taxi drivers, etc. It is real crime, muggings, theft, robbery etc, which has gradually in recent years crept in to this little piece of paradise we all know and love, that concerns me.
Not that we have ever been victims of crime in Goa - quite the opposite - but there appears to be more postings on this subject than ever before.

just so that no-one gets the wrong idea about my reponses to time shares, the rude response is only used as a final response after all politness has failed.