Imagine a vacation where you absolutely do not need money, from the moment you leave the plane until the time you return. All meals, hotel services, drinks, entertainment, sports, airport transfers and much more are all included in a single low price. And there is no tip - in fact, this is not even allowed!
Over the past five years, tourists' preferences regarding All-inclusive packages have grown by a third. They are so popular that some leading tour operators are now selling only such tours. Is it really attractive, as it is advertised?
What is All Inclusive, and what does it mean?
In our economically difficult times, such trips look attractive. Their main point is that by paying one price in advance, you already know exactly how much your trip will cost, and you don’t have to worry about having to spend more than you can afford.
Is it really cheaper? Speaking about how “All inclusive” is indicated in the tour advertisement, you should pay attention to everything that is written in small print.
This is because the reality of such proposals may differ. A recent survey conducted by independent researchers showed that more than three quarters of the tourists who opted for All Inclusive ended up having to pay for services that should have been covered by the price of the package.
Therefore, before buying a tour, it is very important to check what really applies to its cost.
Nutrition
What is “all inclusive” for food? It is usually assumed that the price includes all meals during the day. However, this may also mean that only products offered in the main hall of the hotel (in the form of a buffet) are already included in the price of the ticket. Accordingly, you will have to pay extra for food at any other hotel restaurant or bar.
By choosing the more expensive All Inclusive tour, you may find that you are entitled to perhaps one or two à la carte dinners per week. At the same time, there are a considerable number of resorts and hotels where this term means more generous offers.
Beverages
Many All Inclusive packages limit guests to available alcoholic beverages (offering only local products for free). This means imported beer, cocktails and wine must be paid. But there is another level of service, which even includes premium drinks for free.
Activities
This is another problematic issue in the category as “All Inclusive” is indicated. Excursions, motorized water sports, sports training and spa treatments are rarely included in the package. But again, there are exceptions, because this issue should be studied very carefully. Sometimes the cost of the tour includes several short excursions and beach sports.
Care for children
Recreation "All inclusive" usually involves the organization of recreation and leisure for older children. But because of the higher requirements for staff involved in young children, customers have to pay extra for organizing classes with three to four year old kids. Again, some of the more expensive hotels may even offer babysitting services for babies, which are included in the price.
Thus, before purchasing a tour, you need to find out the answer to each of the questions discussed above. Modern offers are so diverse that you can easily choose a ticket with a suitable price-to-service ratio.