33 / 56
vacation: a one-size-fits-all week of generic buffets, watered-down
drinks, and standard accommodations. The new all-inclusive vacation
is a luxury experience personalized to a broad spectrum of demo-
graphics, including young families and multigenerational clans, honey-
mooners and empty-nesters, and groups of friends.
The New ‘It’ Trip
Traditionally a budget option, the all-inclusive vaca-
tion enjoyed a spike in popularity during the economic
downturn. The number of leisure travelers choosing
all-inclusive vacations rose from 8 percent in 2010 to
14 percent in 2012, according to PhoCusWright’s
U.S. Consumer Travel Report,
Fifth Edition.
Prospects for all-inclusive resorts appear to be as
rosy as a Caribbean sunset. IBISWorld predicts that
the all-inclusive vacation resorts industry will continue
to expand well into 2019, in step with rebounding
tourism spending.
Rather than simply dusting off the traditional
model, innovative companies have revitalized it. In
place of buffet lines, reservations at a gourmet a la
carte restaurant on-site. Standard rooms have
morphed into spacious suites with designer decor — swim-up suites
outfitted with whirlpool tubs and spa-like showers, ocean-view
casitas
with private plunge pools, and extravagant private villas with
round-the-clock butler service. And, when it comes to activities and
amenities? All-inclusive resorts continue to up the ante. Many have
trademarked signature programs that include everything from state-
of-the-art kids’ clubs to on-property rock concerts.
Going for the Wow
“We’re continually redefining the all-inclusive concept,” says Gibran
Chapur, executive vice president of Palace Resorts, a Doral, Florida,
company operating eight all-inclusive resorts in Mexico and the
Caribbean. “Our signature property, Moon Palace Golf & Spa Resort in
Cancún, is well-known for its world-class entertainment, including per-
formances by Michael Bolton, Chicago, Ricky Martin, Broadway’s
Cirque Dreams, Usher, and Shakira.”
Lifestyle Holidays’ V.I.P. Beach Concept includes seven beaches,
each with its own ambiance and amenities. “People love to go to the
Serenity beach, which is really quiet, with soft music playing,” Merizalde
says. “Then, the next day they’ll go to the V.I.P. beach, where there is a
lot of entertainment and beachfront Jacuzzis.”
Karisma Hotels & Resorts’ Gourmet Inclusive
®
Experience grew out
of its award-winning restaurants staffed by Michelin-starred chefs and
sommeliers. “The traveler is always changing,” says Rinaldo Fernández,
vice president of administration. “Now, more than ever, foodies are
everywhere and people are used to eating gourmet cuisine. So, the
experience we offer has to be at or above that level.” Today, the
Gourmet Inclusive ethos touches every detail of a guest’s vacation at a
Karisma property.
And, while today’s all-inclusive vacation may not be quite the “bud-
get” option it once was, generous packages at multiple price points,
resort credits, and clubs offering members worldwide exchange and
other travel privileges tip the value scales. Call it a controlled splurge.
All About the Experience
Vacationers are onboard. More than half of Interval International mem-
bers in the U.S., Australia, and New Zealand are interested in vacationing
at an all-inclusive resort, with the rest of the world close behind. Most of
the growth is happening in Mexico and the Caribbean.
Perhaps most exciting is that this open-ended approach developers
have adopted — heavy on choice and flexibility — may become a tem-
plate for building loyalty within new demographic groups such as
millennials.
“Karisma Hotels & Resorts is focused on creating specialized
experiences for niche audiences,” Fernández reports. “We have devel-
oped unique brands to cater to each of our core audiences, including
Generations Resorts by Karisma for multigenerational family travel,
Azul Hotels by Karisma for hip families, and El Dorado Spa Resorts &
Hotels by Karisma for couples and groups of friends.”
Fernandez is quick to point out that Karisma’s adults-only resorts
are not just for couples anymore.
“Two groups of friends told me this is the third time they’ve visited
our resort and they have a blast every time they come,” he says. “This
time, they brought a different group of friends. It’s really cool to see
that, based on their experiences, these people have become ambas-
sadors for Karisma in their own hometowns.”
Aren’t today’s footloose millennials tomorrow’s young parents, after
all? All-inclusive resorts seem to offer that seamless transition that pre-
serves adult pleasures — spas, casinos, upscale dining, and specialty
cocktail lounges — while providing an unprecedented array of ameni-
ties and special services for families. Karisma can loan out baby bot-
tles, strollers, cribs, and toys, and safely send tweens and teens to
dawn-to-dark kids’ clubs equipped with trampolines, water features,
rock walls, and the latest technology.
Following a multimillion dollar enhancement, Moon Palace Jamaica
Grande will feature a FlowRider Double
®
wave simulator, the expansive
Wired teen lounge, a kids’ playroom tricked out with a beauty salon and
mini-runway for aspiring models, an Xbox room, and a movie theater
serving concessions.
All-inclusives include activities for every age — tango, cooking
classes, scuba-diving lessons, wine tastings, tennis, yoga, and water
sports — to appeal to the robust multigenerational market.
Breaking Down Cliches
There’s no pinning down the evolving all-inclusive. Some, such as
Lifestyle Holidays’ giant complex in Punta Cana, are like a self-con-
tained universe vacationers are loath to leave: seven beaches, 12 pools
(not counting the 120 private villa pools), 25 restaurants, more than 30
bars, two spas, and two kids’ clubs.
Other companies play to travelers’ passion for the environment and
cultural immersion. With resorts in Cancún and the Riviera Maya,
Sunset World set a new standard for sustainability with Hacienda Tres
Ríos, a luxury beachfront resort tucked into 326 pristine acres (132
hectares) of the Tres Ríos Nature Park. Built out of regional materials on
9-foot (2.8 meters) pilings above the native mangrove and natural
waterways, the property is a model of sustainability. The resort
employs a host of environmentally responsible practices — from in-
room motion sensors that control heating and cooling to biodegradable
amenities and cleaning products —without sacrificing an ounce of lux-
ury. Per the resort’s Endless Luxury™ All-Inclusive Plan, Guests are
steps from gourmet dining and a Maya-inspired spa, and have exclu-
sive access to forests, rivers, and ancient
cenotes
(natural pools).
Divi Carina Bay All-Inclusive Beach Resort & Casino has developed
a loyal clientele by embracing the distinctive culture on the Caribbean
island of St. Croix. “Most other all-inclusives offer a constant buzz,”
says General Manager EC Granville. “We have found that most of our
31
Steve Larese; Steve Larese; Steve Larese; Steve Larese; Steve Larese; Steve Larese; Moris Moreno/Karisma Hotels & Resorts; Karisma Hotels & Resorts
MOON PALACE
GOLF & SPA
RESORT