Travel Agent - January 21, 2008 - (Page 58) HOTELS SEISMIC SHIFTS ARE HAPPENING IN THE ALL-INCLUSIVE VACATION MARKET as consumers demand higher- Target Luxury Market Leading companies roll out swim-up suites, butlers, exclusive enclaves and new brands BY KATHLEEN M. MANGAN ALL-INCLUSIVES quality facilities and customized service. Increasingly sophisticated travelers want more than the formerly popular budget offerings with buffet dining, generic liquor and activity makers encouraging beach volleyball games. Now they might request a butler, limousine airport service, a plunge pool, spa treatments or private dinners on the beach included in their stay. Four- and five-star resorts are the biggest sellers in today’s all-inclusive market, according to Colette Baruth, vice president of product development and marketing for GoGo Worldwide Vacations. “Travelers want to be as comfortable in a hotel as they are at home,” she says. This is good news for travel agents, since typically everything in an all-inclusive package is commissionable. Many all-inclusive resort brands have added indulgent features Beachfront butler service at Sandals Grande St. Lucian 58 | TravelAgent January 21, 2008
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