/ 11 February 2011

Top 10 all-inclusive holidays

These days it is easy to find an all-inclusive holiday, where all travel, accommodation, food, drink, entertainment and activities are included.

These days it is easy to find an all-inclusive holiday, where all travel, accommodation, food, drink, entertainment and activities are included in one price. Online travel advisors travelsupermarket.com provides its top 10 list of all-inclusive destinations. Reuters has not endorsed this list:

  1. Turkey — The fastest growing tourist destination from Britain in the last 10 years sees hordes of Brits and others heading through the summer to the Eastern Mediterranean. Turkish hoteliers were some of the first to offer the all-inclusive option through the big tour operators such as Thomson and Thomas Cook. And with superb weather, excellent beaches and en exotic feel to the culture it is still a firm favourite.
  2. Egypt — Recent political troubles have certainly placed a dent in popularity for this year’s round of destinations, however it remains a top destination for all inclusive holidays. Whilst the country has much to offer with world class tourism sites along the Nile, it is the Red Sea resorts, focusing on Sharm el Sheikh, Taba, Marsa Alam and Hurghada where you will find the all inclusive beach side properties that combine everything you would expect with some amazing snorkelling and diving to boot.
  3. The Caribbean — The old school money may be on places like Barbados, St Lucia and Antigua, however it is the charter flight dominated islands of Cuba, the Dominican Republic and Jamaica where you will find a large number of all inclusive hotels. You can even argue that the Jamaica-originating Sandals chain kicked-started the all-in trend back in the early 80s. Exotic palm-fringed beaches; party atmospheres and laid back attitudes drive visitors back year after year.
  4. Spain — A more recent entrant to the all-inclusive market as hoteliers react to their competition at the eastern end of the Mediterranean. Many hotels have now embraced the all-in concept to attract tourists. So you can now find options in the Balearic Islands of Majorca, Ibiza and Menorca, along the Costas of the mainland and on the main Canary Islands such as Tenerife and Lanzarote.
  5. Mexico — The North American Mediterranean with all-conquering resorts along the Caribbean coast offering all-inclusive high star rated hotels. Cancún, the Riviera Maya, Cozumel and Playacar all offer a range of properties to stay at, along with the option for a spot of cultural tourism on trips to the Mayan ruins of Chichen Itza. Just don’t go there during Spring Break when it seems every single American citizen of college age descends to take advantage of the lower age limit on drinking alcohol.
  6. Tunisia — As in Egypt, there has been political unrest, however Britain’s Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCO) lifted the ban on all but non-essential travel to the country early in February 2011. For years, package holidays to Tunisia have offered good value for money and high standards at low costs. And now this has extended to all-inclusive breaks.
  7. Morocco — Visitors have travelled to this country for years looking for an experience that gives them a real taste of somewhere different, yet on a flight that isn’t enormously longer than some European destinations. And opening up coastal resorts such as Agadir has seen a flood of all-inclusive holiday options. From holiday villages to family resorts, the destination offers year-round sun and a good buy on a budget, with some superb Atlantic facing beaches.
  8. Greece — Good old Greece, famous for its beautiful individual islands, tavernas, history and stunning landscapes. And now, all inclusive holidays. Mainly top-end four and five star properties aimed at those willing to spend on a quality break with everything thrown in, you can find holidays on all of the big islands, such as Crete, Corfu, Rhodes and Kos, as well as the mainland. Many hotels feature spas, extensive family entertainment and kids clubs with something for everyone.
  9. The Maldives — if you didn’t go all-inclusive here you’d be mad. There are so few resorts that have any option for eating out. And if you believe the climatologists and Maldivian government, global warming is slowly raising the water levels around the islands, so who knows how long they’ll be there to visit on holiday? The hotels, situated on individual islands amid the many atolls are a real get-away-from-it-all experience, long days in the sun, kicking back, relaxing in the warm waters and taking it easy.
  10. Kenya — A long-time favourite for those looking for a safari based break and now gaining popularity amongst those who enjoy a beach-based all-inclusive holiday. The resorts around Mombasa such as Nyali Beach, Diani Beach and Watamu offer a range of properties to choose from on-direct charter flights. And with the Kenyan schilling having devalued recently, your money goes a long way on those excursions out and about to browse the markets and handicrafts.

— Reuters