All Inclusive Vacation Trends

As travel agents who sell many all inclusive vacations, we follow the news and trends for this type of vacation closely.

We are seeing a tremendous growth in all inclusive travel. One reason why is that with an all inclusive vacation, you know what you will be spending when you book. In many resorts, there is not much to add on, except perhaps tips and excursions off the resort. Food and drink are included as are many activities such as scuba diving, snorkeling, kayaking, etc. (depending on the resort you choose). Some resorts do not allow tipping either, unless you are in a butler or concierge category!

One trend we are seeing is people who were avid cruisers moving to all inclusive vacations. Most cruises don't include liquor, beer, wine and soda and charge for things like ice cream, specialty coffee, and more. Many of our clients who were confirmed cruisers are telling us that they end up saving money staying at an all inclusive - they've spent more on extras like liquor than they spent on their cruise and found it much more economical at an all inclusive.

Many all inclusives also work well for groups. It is important to use a travel agent if you are booking a group as many resorts are conducive to couples only and you need an experienced agent who can guide you to the right resort for your group. Some resorts don't allow children and those that cater to couples usually do not offer two beds in a room - which can make for an awkward situation with singles rooming together.

Resort pricing has remained on a par with third quarter 2010 pricing and some areas of the Caribbean, such as Mexico, offer excellent value. Air pricing is becoming an issue for any type of vacation. To get the best pricing for air, book a least six months before you are traveling. As the planes fill their seats, pricing goes up. You don't want to book your dream vacation and then find out the only flights left have two connections or a 12 hour layover in an airport.

So for your next vacation, consider an All Inclusive resort in the Caribbean - you'll have thousands to choose from.