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guests would rather not be overwhelmed by life on the go while on
vacation. They enjoy the downtime that we offer, from snorkeling to our
Caribbean-themed dinners and entertainment.”
Elite Island Resorts, a leading provider of authentic Caribbean all-
inclusive vacations, takes a different tack. “We really encourage our
guests to get out and explore the island they are visiting, rather than just
staying on resort property the whole time,” says Steven Heydt, president.
“We offer tons of great excursions and tour options for each destination.
Our guests continue to rave about swimming with the stingrays or zip lin-
ing through the rain forest canopy.” With six private villas, in addition to
its seven resorts, Elite Island Resorts caters to groups, including wedding
parties, meetings, and multigenerational gatherings.
The Magic of One Price
The cornerstone of the all-inclusive model — a single price that covers
everything, except for designated premium extras such as spa ser-
vices, boat rental, and excursions at most resorts — is its brilliance.
Neuroscientists researching buying behavior used a functional MRI
(fMRI) to measure brain activity in consumers while they were making
buying decisions. The pain center lit up. Every purchase decision
appeared to create a “pain point” for consumers. Hence, the more
often vacationers have to pull out their wallets to pay for meals, drinks,
and activities, the less they’re able to relax.
The all-inclusive vacation counters these pain points by separating
the act of paying from the vacation experience itself. Which doesn’t
mean an all-inclusive vacation necessarily costs less than a vacation at
a conventional resort. In fact, most consumers will opt for one bundled
purchase over multiple individual purchases, even if the price is higher,
because it creates only one pain point.
Many of today’s all-inclusive resorts capitalize on this counter-
intuitive concept by offering multiple price points that allow vacation-
ers to choose a level of luxury they may never have experienced at a
price they can live with.
“One of our most popular offerings is the Palace Resorts value-
driven Resort Credit promotion,” says Chapur. Guests who book a stay
of five nights or more receive a US$1,500 credit, good for premium
experiences, ranging from scuba diving to decadent tastings at Le
Blanc Spa Resort’s French fusion restaurant, Lumiere.”
Operating Innovations
Behind the scenes, industry innovators are also devising creative ways
to maximize operating efficiencies and improve customer service.
Karisma has forged productive partnerships with solid brands such as
Fisher-Price, My Gym, Nickelodeon, and Jackson Family Wines to
introduce amenities and events. The Jackson Family Wines Culinary
Series by Karisma spotlights a guest chef and winemaker who partner
with Karisma’s team of chefs and sommeliers to create interactive
events, including wine tastings, educational classes, cooking courses,
special pairings, and an exclusive guest chef and winemaker dinner.
Sunset World established a cadre of companies to handle every
aspect of guests’ vacations, from travel arrangements to car rental to
yacht excursions. The company also established a solar- and wind-
powered farm that supplies organic fruits and vegetables as well as
fresh flowers to its resorts, hotels, and spas.
The Service Factor
Amenities and events can dazzle, but loyalty is the holy grail for all-
inclusive resorts, and across the board, it is earned by uncompromising
personalized service.
“Our staff is definitely our biggest asset, as evidenced by numerous
glowing reviews via sites such as TripAdvisor,” Heydt says of Elite
Island Resorts. “Our guests know their favorite staff members by
name. And, after years and years, the staff remember the guests’
names, as well, and even their cocktail of choice!”
“The most important thing is the consistency we have in what we
offer, and the high standard of personalized service we deliver,” says
Alejandro Martin, general manager of Palladium Travel Club, operated
by Palladium Hotel Group, a Spanish company based in Ibiza.
To achieve that level of consistency, training is key.
“Basically we don’t let anybody in front of our guests without being
properly trained,” Fernández says. New employees spend the first week
on the job going through an intensive training program. But, the training
doesn’t stop there. “We are using iPads in employee areas, where they
can learn at their own pace. They can select a video on how to set up
tables, for example. In each area, we have different topics and video
tutorials on the best way to do anything we need to do here on the prop-
erty, and they can refer to them any time.”
Divi’s Granville agrees. “Every day is a journey, in learning the differ-
ent ways we can improve our guest experience.” And while not every
guest will arrive by helicopter or decide to splurge on white-glove ser-
vice, the reinvented all-inclusive vacation promises a rich, diverse, and
ever-changing journey for many years to come.
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Caribbean Islands
La Romana, Dominican Republic
Playa Dorada, Dominican Republic
Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic
Punta Cana, Dominican Republic
San Pedro de Macorís, Dominican Republic
Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
Negril, Jamaica
Ocho Rios, Jamaica
Runaway Bay, Jamaica
St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands
Mexico
Akumal
Bahía de Banderas
Cancún
Cozumel
Isla Mujeres
Playa del Carmen
Puerto Morelos
Europe
Gavorrano (Tuscany), Italy
Mallorca, Balearic Islands, Spain
Switzerland
Middle East
Hurghada, Egypt
Marsa Alam, Egypt
Adma, Lebanon
*Locations of resorts with required all-inclusive plans at press time
Where to Find
All-Inclusive Resorts
Resorts that offer all-inclusive plans
are located throughout the world, but
are particularly concentrated in the
Caribbean and Mexico. Following are
destinations that have Interval
International–affiliated resorts with
mandatory all-inclusive packages.*
Steve Larese
TRENDS
RESORTDEVELOPER.COM
vacation industry review
JULY – SEPTEMBER 2015
HYATT ZILARA CANCÚN