American Tourist Sparks Backlash After Criticizing Playa del Carmen Vendors for Speaking Spanish

Playa del Carmen, Quintana Roo — An American tourist has sparked controversy after criticizing street vendors in this popular Mexican resort town for speaking Spanish to international visitors, suggesting they should learn English to improve sales.

Brandon Hien, a U.S. marketing strategist, generated strong reactions on social media after posting a TikTok video during his visit to tourist areas of Playa del Carmen in the Riviera Maya region. In the video, which went viral on the platform, he criticized street vendors for approaching tourists in Spanish and suggested they should learn English to “sell better” their products.

Hien expressed frustration with vendors approaching him with phrases like “amigo, amigo,” justifying his annoyance by saying he couldn’t speak or understand Spanish. “If you want to be the worst seller, you should do what all these guys are doing… every five steps someone tells me: ‘amigo, amigo,’ shouting at me in Spanish,” he said in the video.

The tourist argued that in a destination with many international tourists, mastering English would give vendors an advantage. “I don’t understand how they don’t invest a little to learn English, to sell to people who clearly speak English and, maybe, get more sales. Investing in yourself, learning more skills is probably worth it,” he said.

Hien also commented on his physical appearance, saying “Clearly I don’t speak Spanish, I mean, I know I have the mustache right now…” which prompted additional criticism about potential racist intentions against Mexicans.

The video quickly filled with negative comments mocking the man’s remarks. Many users emphasized that visitors should adapt to the country they’re visiting and respect the local culture and language.

“You’re in Mexico, what language did you expect them to speak?” and “All foreigners who visit us should learn basic words in Spanish” were among the comments visible on the platform.

Speculation suggests that Hien, after seeing the criticism of his comments, chose to delete the video and subsequently, after a few hours, his TikTok account.

This isn’t the first time a foreigner has sparked controversy online for questioning the use of Spanish in tourist destinations. Similar incidents have occurred previously involving visitors to Mexico’s Caribbean coast.