Imagine a vacation where you don't need money at all, from the moment you get off the plane until the time you get back. All meals, hotel services, drinks, entertainment, sports, airport transfers and more - all included in one low price. And there are no tips - in fact, it's not even allowed!
Over the past five years, tourists' preference for All Inclusive packages has grown by a third. They are so popular that some of the leading tour operators have now begun to sell only such tours. Is it really as attractive as 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 for everything up front, you already know exactly how much your trip will cost, and you don't have to worry about spending more than you can afford.
Is it really cheaper? When it comes to how All Inclusive is labeled in a tour advertisement, you should pay attention to everything in the fine print.
This is becausethe reality of such proposals may differ. A recent survey by independent researchers found that more than three-quarters of travelers who opted for All Inclusive ended up having to pay for services that should have been covered by the package price.
Therefore, before buying a tour, it is very important to check what really applies to its cost.
Food
How is "all inclusive" in relation to meals? It is usually assumed that all meals for the day are included in the cost of the tour. However, this may also mean that only the products offered in the main hall of the hotel (in the form of a buffet) are already included in the price of the tour. Accordingly, you will have to pay extra for food in any other hotel restaurant or bar.
By opting for the more expensive All Inclusive tour, you may find that you are en titled to perhaps one or two à la carte dinners per week. At the same time, there are quite a few resorts and hotels where this term means more generous offers.
Drinks
Many All Inclusive packages restrict guests to available alcoholic beverages (offering only local produce for free). This means imported beer, cocktails and wine must be paid for. But there is another level of service that even includes premium drinks for free.
Activities
This is another problematic issue in the category as All Inclusive is denoted. Excursions,motorized water sports, sports training and spa treatments are rarely included in the package. But again, there are exceptions, so this issue should be studied very carefully. Sometimes the cost of the tour includes several short excursions and beach sports.
Childcare
Recreation All-inclusive usually involves the organization of recreation and leisure activities for older children. But due to the higher requirements for staff dealing with young children, clients have to pay extra for organizing classes with three- to four-year-old toddlers. Again, some more expensive hotels may even offer babysitting services included in the package price.
Thus, before purchasing a tour, you need to know the answer to each of the questions discussed above. Modern offers are so diverse that you can easily find a ticket with a suitable price-to-service ratio.
