All-inclusive Holidays: Adding value and saving money
Demand for all-inclusive holidays continues to rise as holidaymakers look for value and to protection against currency fluctuations, says Kathryn Liston
My alarm goes off in the early hours. I peep over the duvet just as the sun peers over the horizon, bathing the beautiful bay in a golden glow. The sea is like a millpond.
Cats rhythmically arch and dip their slender backs to reawaken their sleepy bodies. Dogs thrust their bottoms in the air and stretch their legs, bowing their heads to the ground.
Then come the frogs, grasshoppers – then the camels and cows.
Reader, don’t be alarmed, I’m not being overrun by animals. I am enjoying a sunrise outdoor yoga class which includes poses named after these animals. It is one of many activities included in a Mark Warner holiday. It’s not often I set my alarm on holiday but this refreshing class is worth the early start.
As the day awakens, and the sun slowly rises, so do we, stretching out bodies and communing with nature as the instructor takes us through rotations of
‘sun salutations’. They are rewarded - the sun shines brilliantly above as I head into breakfast before trying out windsurfing, one of the many water sports on offer.
Lessons are available but guests are welcome to dip in and out of any of the activities and classes on offer.
Unfortunately, I take them at their word and spend the morning dipping in and out of the water as I try to tame the sail.
All for one
Olympic Holidays has seen increased demand for all-inclusive holidays across all hotel categories – and it urges agents to recommend all-inclusive upgrades to clients when they are available.
“Quite often the additional amount to upgrade is very attractive, so it’s definitely worth keeping an eye out for the ‘All Inclusive Available’ tag on our website,” says the operator, adding that despite uncertainty surrounding the future of the UK economy, customers are pretty quick to snap up value-for-money holidays.
Popular hotels for Olympic in 2019 and 2020 include the new luxury Ikos Aria, Kos, four-star Blue Bay Resort, Crete, and threestar plus Golden Odyssey, Rhodes, a “good value for money all inclusive option for those with a budget that can’t quite stretch to four-star”.
All-inclusive breaks accounted for 50% of On the Beach bookings made to January 2019 – up from 46% during the same period last year. Almost two thirds (62%) of family bookings were for all-inclusive holidays (up 58%); 44% of couples’ bookings and 39% of group getaways were booked on an all-inclusive basis; and Spain, Greece and Turkey were the most popular destinations.
Alan Harding, On the Beach Marketing Director, says: “Whilst we have seen no evidence that Brits are holding back on booking their holidays, it seems that more holidaymakers are looking to book moneysaving all-inclusive breaks this year.”
Comparison website, TravelSupermarket, has seen a 14% increase in searches for allinclusive holidays for summer 2019.
All-inclusive now accounts for 31% of all holiday price searches, compared to 19% for B&B, 16% for half-board and 4% for full-board. Benidorm (Costa Blanca) has seen the biggest increase – up 113% on the same period last year. However, price is not the only factor, says Audrey Hervel, Head of Sales at Veranda Resorts and Heritage Resorts in Mauritius. “All-inclusive customers are now looking for aspirational experiences as well,” she says.
“We endeavour to systematically train travel agents and tour operators selling our properties that it is always better to give clients an indication of the (cost of) extras in resorts and explain the benefits of going for all-inclusive.”
She says the five-star Heritage Awali Golf & Spa Resort has seen double-digit growth of its optional Premium All Inclusive package, which includes a quad biking tour in its nature reserve, speciality dinners and a tour to the coloured earths of Chamarel.
Top experiences
Fine dining: Guests can enjoy menus created by Michelin-starred chefs and eat out at local restaurants at Ikos resorts in Greece. Holidaymakers at Ikos Aria, Kos, can also get the use of a new mini for the day to explore the island.
Spectacular shows: Forget karaoke, spectacular Cirque du Soleil-style acrobatics shows with video projections are featured at the family-friendly Fantasia
“Whilst we have seen no evidence that Brits are holding back on booking their holidays, it seems that more holidaymakers are looking to book moneysaving all-inclusive breaks
this year”
Alan Harding, Director, On the Beach Marketing
“We endeavour to train travel agents selling our properties that it is always
better to give clients an indication of the (cost of) extras in resorts and explain the benefits of going for all
inclusive”
Audrey Hervel, Head of Sales,
Veranda Resorts & Heritage Resorts, Mauritius
Bahia Principe Tenerife. New for 2019 is the ‘Carnival of Elements’ show, focusing on the creation of Tenerife.
Going Solo: All-inclusive is not just for families. Single travellers prefer adult-only all-inclusive hotels over multigenerational properties, even where prices may be a little higher, says Friendship Travel, which has introduced the renovated five-star The Raga Side, Turkey, this summer.
Fitness fanatics: Water-sports, scuba diving and a huge array of fitness classes - yoga, pilates, spinning - are included The BodyHoliday’s all-inclusive holidays in St Lucia - plus holidaymakers receive a daily massage or spa treatment to ease away any strains.
What’s New
Culture: The five-star Rixos Saadiyat Island
(saadiyatisland.rixos.com), Abu Dhabi’s first all-inclusive resort, opened late last year offering six restaurants, spa, gym, kids club, private beach and water park with wave pool. It is situated close to famous Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque.
Ikos (ikosresorts.com) will open its fourth all-inclusive property, Ikos Aria, on Kos island next month (May) - and a fifth in Andalusia in May 2020, its first outside Greece. The luxury Kos hotel will feature 373 contemporary rooms and suites (some with private pool), seven à la carte restaurants, a spa and kids clubs.
One of Dubai’s most established allinclusive properties, JA Beach Hotel, is undergoing a major renovation between May and August this year. There will be an enhanced facade; new, all-glass balconies for rooms and suites to improve sea views over its 800-metre private beach; and a new decor for bedrooms, with modern wood tile flooring, new beds and furniture in a fresh colour scheme of soft greys, neutrals and relaxing royal blue. All F&B outlets will be refurbished and the CoolZone Kid’s Club will be relocated and doubled in size. The fivestar property accompanies the new JA Lake View Hotel (opening September 2019) and the all-suite JA Palm Tree Court to become Dubai’s Largest Experience Resort
Multimedia theatrical shows and a fairytale castle take centre stage at the fantasythemed five-star all-inclusive Fantasia Bahia Principe Tenerife (bahia-principe.com), which opened last December. Facilities include a waterpark, kids spa treatments and clubs for children and teens.
The Mayan and jungle-themed Now Natura Riviera Cancun (nowresorts.com) will open in December 2019. The 556-room resort will feature AMResorts’ UnlimitedLuxury® offering which includes 24-hour food and drinks and limitless á la carte dining and activities.
The five-star Faarufushi (faarufushi.com) opened in the Raa Atoll in the Maldives last February with 80 contemporary villas, three restaurants and two bars. A dine-around allinclusive option costs $123.20 (£93)pppn.
Tour operators : Mark Warner (markwarner. co.uk) has added the Paleros Beach Resort on the Ionian coast of western Greece to its programme. The property’s 130 rooms will undergo a multi-million euro refurbishment to five-star standard of its. The operator also added the Phokaia Beach Resort in Turkey earlier this year.
Just Sicily (justsicily.co.uk) has introduced the refurbished Voi Marsa Sicla resort in the south-east of the island.
An all-Inclusive ultra package includes a welcome gift of local products, all meals and selected drinks, beach shuttle, activities and spa with heated seawater pools. Prices start from £538pp for seven nights on an all-inclusive basis in May excluding flights and transfers.
InsideJapan (insidejapantours.com) has increased departures of its 12 night All-In Japan tour from two a year to seven. The allinclusive tour includes Bullet Train, meals, drink and accommodation in independent hotels and traditional Ryokan guest houses and visits to Tokyo, Kyoto, and Kanazawa.
Where to book it
HAYES & JARVIS – 01293 762456 A five-night Splendours of Sri Lanka Boutique tour followed by three nights at the five-star Wild Coast Tented Lodge in the Yala on an all-inclusive basis costs from £2,899pp (on October 7) and includes flights from Gatwick with Emirates.
hayesandjarvis.co.uk
OLYMPIC HOLIDAYS – 0208 492 6868 Seven nights at Ikos Aria, Kos, starts from £1,759pp on an ultra all-inclusive basis during May half-term. It includes flights from Gatwick, accommodation, meals and drinks, baggage and taxi transfers.
olympicholidays.com
SAGA HOLIDAYS – 0800 074 8021 A twin-centre combining two luxury allinclusives stays at Kamala Beach Resort in Phuket and the X10 Khaolak Resort, from £1,999pp including VIP door-to-door transfers. sagaagents.co.uk
“Comparison website TravelSupermarket has seen
a 14% increase in searches for all-inclusive holidays for summer 2019. All-inclusive now accounts for 31% of all
holiday price searches compared to 19% for B&B, 16% for half-board and 4%
for full-board”