All-inclusive hotels. These properties may evoke thoughts of bland buffets, cheap drinks, Honeymooners smooching at the swim up bar and less than clever beach activities. While this was true in the past, the all-inclusive is reinventing itself. And it might be worth a second look for group incentives or even business meetings.
Club Med opened the first all-inclusive in 1950 in Majorca, Spain. Guests enjoyed less then lux stays in tents and straw huts on the beach and shared communal meals. But the concept was born, and it began to take hold. For many years, the all-inclusive typically appealed to individual vacation travelers looking for a value packed “easy” getaway with activities and meals designed for the masses. And because of this reputation, valid or not, many group organizers just didn’t consider an all-inclusive when doing a site search or if they did, they couldn’t find the quality and level of service required for their incentives and events.
Today is a new day for the all-inclusive. Top brands such as Marriott, Hilton and Hyatt have joined the party and are focused on growing their all-inclusive property portfolio. Even the Four Seasons has a toe in this water with a few exotic locations on offer. To make the all-inclusive appealing to today’s group traveler, this reboot includes improving the quality of stay with a renewed focus on food and beverage, adding lux appointments like butler service and offering a more individualized experience. And with costs and service charges soaring at traditional hotels and resorts, what’s even more appealing for planners? All-inclusives offer the ability to control costs (for the most part) without sacrificing quality with “bundled” transparent pricing.
Are you ready to go all in for an all-inclusive for group travel? It might be worth a second look!
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