With the likes of Turkey and Egypt developing their own take on the all-inclusive holiday concept, it was inevitable that Spain would respond with its own product.
Sebastian Escarrer, vice-president of Spain’s Sol Melia hotel group, estimates that all-inclusives now account for 15-20% of the country’s offering. It’s a big seller that shows few signs of slowing down.
“Spain’s always been a big draw for British holidaymakers, but the all-inclusive product has never really been an option,” says Prestige Holidays marketing manager Nicky Shafe.
“However, after a difficult year, Spanish hoteliers have realised they’re missing out, and many resorts have begun to offer them for summer 2010.”
All-inclusives are certainly proving a hit. Cosmos head of product and commercial Ian Hailes says almost half of its sales to Spain now fall in that bracket, with Tenerife, Fuerteventura and Majorca the key areas. “Tenerife and Fuerteventura have an excellent stock of good four-star all-inclusive units, with Majorca dominating in the three-star category,” he adds.
Accommodation-only provider Somewhere2stay has also upped its all-inclusive properties with chains such as Sol, Barcelo and Ola vastly expanded in most Spanish destinations, while bed bank Youtravel.com has seen a resurgence in all-inclusive bookings to Spain for summer 2010.
“We’re seeing growth for Costa Brava, Tenerife, Lanzarote and Fuerteventura, mainly due to increased flight capacity to Fuerteventura, and more agents using no-frills flights to Costa Brava,” says sales and marketing director Paul Riches.
Thomson and First Choice have also reported increased demand, while Thomas Cook has expanded its range in its summer 2011 brochure. Sunset, the latter’s budget brand, has more all-inclusive hotels in Majorca and Costa Almeria, with packages from £339 per person.
The Canary Islands
The Canary and Balearic Islands are at the forefront of the trend. Youtravel is adding product here while Cosmos is giving discounts of up to £100 per adult across every all-inclusive property on selected Canary Islands departures. New ‘three and four-diamond’ all-inclusive properties in its 2011 preview brochure include Lanzarote’s Aparthotel Sun Royal and Bahia Principe Tenerife.
From summer 2011, Thomson and First Choice will add another ‘four-sun’ Holiday Village in Tenerife and upgrade the Thomson Platinum Marylanza Suites & Spa Resort from half-board to all-inclusive. Since May 2010, H10 Playa Meloneras from Classic Collection has also been offering all-inclusive packages.
Deals at top-end resorts can include babysitting, laundry and even healthcare. Thomas Cook’s five-star Roca Nirvaria Gran Hotel in Tenerife, the only all-inclusive in its Ultimate Style Collection, offers deals from £945 per person. Other high-end hotels include Los Jameos Resort in Lanzarote and Jardin Tecina on La Gomera.
Jet2holidays has signed with hotel chain Riu to offer several four-star all-inclusive products for summer 2010, such as Riu Paraiso Lanzarote and the three-star aparthotel Paradise Lago Taurito in Gran Canaria, which has an on-site waterpark.
The renovated Iberostar Grand Hotel Anthelia on Tenerife’s Costa Adeje shows creativity too, as its 61 family rooms feature bath toys, kids’ bathrobes and minibars with milk, hot chocolate and yoghurts.
Sample package: Prestige Holidays offers seven nights at Los Jameos for £1,115 per adult and £529 per child, based on two adults and two children staying
in a family room in July, with easyJet flights from Gatwick. prestigeholidays.co.uk, 01425 480400
The Balearics
Many new products are featured in brochures for Majorca, Menorca and Ibiza. The four-star San Luis Hotel in S’Algar in Menorca has long been a Thomas Cook hotel, but it now appears as an all-inclusive option in its Style Collection.
Cosmos’s programme features Majorca’s Sol Calas de Majorca Resort and the Hotel Jupiter and Saturno, one of its top-selling all-inclusives, with a kids’ village and adults’ wellness activity programme.
The operator’s summer 2011 brochure will feature Aparthotel Sa Caleta Playa in Menorca and a Waterpark Package at Hotel Jupiter and Saturno with unlimited waterpark access from £439 per person for seven nights.
Cosmos is also increasing flexibility to its holiday durations (from one to 100+ nights), while its all-inclusive brochure features new resorts including Palma Nova in Majorca, S’Algar and Punta Prima in Menorca and San Antonio Bay in Ibiza.
Next summer, the Alcudia Pins in Majorca, part of the new Thomson Family Resorts, will also be available as an all-inclusive, while Jet2holidays.com will introduce the three-star El Greco Hotel in Ibiza, also with an on-site waterpark, and Menorca’s Club Hotel Aguamarina.
Sample package: Thomas Cook Style has seven nights at the four-star San Luis Hotel in Menorca from £657 per person, leaving Gatwick on September 25.
thomascookstyle.com, 0844 412 5970
Costa Brava and Costa Dorada
At Lloret de Mar, the Costa Brava’s nightlife capital, hoteliers and operators are offering many all-inclusive deals.
Two of Youtravel’s most popular choices are Sorra d’Or Beach Club at Malgrat de Mar and Santa Susanna Resort at Santa Susana, both just south of Lloret. Even the theme park PortAventura is entering the all-inclusive market with options at its Mexican-themed Hotel El Paso.
Sample package: First Choice offers seven nights’ all-inclusive at the four-sun Hotel El Paso from £660 per adult and £435 per child, based on two adults and two children sharing, departing Birmingham on July 9 and including flights and transfers. firstchoice.co.uk, 0871 200 4455
Costa Blanca
Jet2holidays has added Palm Beach Hotel in Benidorm to its all-inclusive range, while the renovated Sandos Monaco Hotel & Spa from Thomas Cook is a high-end option. Exclusive new all-inclusive options at First Choice include the four-sun Hotel Melia Benidorm and the three-sun Palm Beach, which includes unlimited entry to Aqualandia waterpark.
Sample package: Thomas Cook Style offers seven nights at the four-star Sandos Monaco Hotel & Spa from £669 per person, flying from Gatwick on July 17.
thomascookstyle.com, 0844 412 5970
Costa del Sol
First Choice’s flagship collection of Holiday Villages has always proved popular and the four-sun Holiday Village Costa Del Sol in Benalmadena offers a football, swim and dance academy. In the same resort, Cosmos has added the three-star Hotel Palia la Roca to its Costa del Sol programme.
In its Style Collection, Thomas Cook offers packages at the four-star Iberostar Isla Canela Hotel & Apartments and the Iberostar Suite Hotel in Islantilla, on the lesser-known Costa de la Luz, as well as the four-star H10 Estepona Palace on the Costa del Sol.
Sample package: First Choice offers seven-nights at the four-sun Holiday Village Costa del Sol from £670 per adult and £360 per child, based on two adults and two children sharing, departing from Gatwick on July 4 and including flights and transfers. firstchoice.co.uk, 0871 200 4455
