The presence of unregulated street vendors continues to pose a challenge in the main tourist areas of Cabo San Lucas, particularly on El Médano beach, where municipal authorities acknowledge difficulties in controlling the entry of informal vendors due to the multiple access points to the area.
According to Manuel Barajas, head of Tax Inspection in Los Cabos, there are currently an estimated 100 informal street vendors in tourist areas of the municipality, although during peak seasons the number has reached up to 200.
“We have even requested more personnel from San José del Cabo; we are going to bring in staff to support us and reinforce El Médano, because El Médano is a complicated area. As you know, people enter from different places to offer their products, so it’s not always easy to use a clear strategy. We have been discussing this in working groups to reduce the informal commerce that takes place on the beach. (…) It depends on the time of year. During peak season, we have detected up to 200 informal vendors. In the off-season, the number begins to decrease, and we also conduct ongoing operations to remove these vendors. Right now, there are approximately 100 informal vendors, but it is still a high number,” the head stated. Tax Inspection in Los Cabos.
According to the official, following operations implemented at the Cabo San Lucas Marina, efforts will now focus on El Médano, one of the beaches with the highest tourist traffic and where unregulated informal commerce persists.
In addition to street vending, municipal authorities are also monitoring the presence of underage vendors selling goods on beaches, at the Marina, and in downtown Cabo San Lucas, a phenomenon they acknowledge tends to increase during vacation periods.
Barajas indicated that they have currently identified approximately 40 underage vendors engaged in street vending at various tourist locations in the municipality, primarily at El Médano beach, the Marina, and downtown.
“During vacations, the number increases slightly. Once regular classes resume, it decreases because most of these children attend school. Article Three of the Constitution, as we know, mandates school attendance. So, most of the children were in school. During vacation periods, I repeat, the number does increase a little. We’ve identified approximately 18 or 19 children on the beach, about 15 in the city center, and around 17 at the Marina. So, approximately 40-something children in these three main areas where street vending takes place,” he added.
The head of Tax Inspection indicated that, in anticipation of the upcoming summer vacation period, they plan to reinforce operations in coordination with other municipal agencies, primarily in areas with high tourist activity.
He also acknowledged that controlling informal street vending remains a complex task due to the vendors’ mobility and the extent of the areas where this activity is concentrated.
Source: tribuancampeche
