Did you know that the beloved All Inclusive will soon celebrate its 70th anniversary? On the eve of such a significant milestone, we decided to talk about how it all started, what has changed, and what you need to know about modern concepts of All Inclusive and Ultra All Inclusive. What is the difference between All Inclusive and Ultra All Inclusive? What are the differences in service forms? What services are included? Read on in our article.
A Bit of All Inclusive History
The revolution in the world of tourism began in 1949 with the idea of Belgian athlete Gérard Blitz to organize a camping site in the Balearic Islands, where vacationers wouldn’t have to worry about transportation, food, and drinks. Blitz implemented the project in 1950, setting up just 200 tents on the shore. The first All Inclusive included communal dining, sports games, and entertainment events, with simple advertisements and flyers in the metro serving as the camping’s promotion. This year marked the founding of Club Méditerranée, which was later joined by Gilbert Trigano. Five years later, the tented All Inclusive reached Tahiti, and the following year, a winter version appeared in the Alps. The once innovative approach was adopted by world-renowned hotel chains, including top brands. All Inclusive has given us the most popular vacation format today.
What is All Inclusive Today
Modern All Inclusive involves hotel accommodation, three meals a day, hot and cold drinks, as well as locally produced alcohol. However, the list of benefits included in this package is not universal. Each hotel determines what exactly to delight tourists who choose All Inclusive. Here, attention to detail is key, as “all” can be quite relative in practice. The first association with All Inclusive among Ukrainian tourists is a vacation in Egypt, Turkey, and luxurious hotels in the UAE, so let’s discuss the service details using these destinations as examples.
Often, 4 and 5 hotels in Egypt offer three meals a day in a buffet format at the hotel’s restaurant, with local and European cuisine, fresh vegetables, fruits, tea, coffee, water, beer, and local wine. Sometimes, additional meals are provided on the beach at a snack bar throughout the day, as well as alcohol in the evening at pool bars. There is no clear dependence of the variety of dishes and drinks in the menu on the hotel’s star rating. Sometimes a 4 hotel can boast a wider range of gastronomic offerings than a 5 hotel. The AI system in Egypt often includes free use of towels and sun loungers on the beach, beach animation, gym access, and the use of sports equipment if available at the hotel. Sometimes guests are offered a visit to an à la carte restaurant in the hotel by reserving a table in advance. Before booking a tour to Egypt, it is worth paying attention to the details and clarifying what exactly awaits you at the hotel.
All Inclusive in Turkey is somewhat different from the Egyptian version. Most hotels also understand this concept as accommodation in a room of the selected category, three meals a day in a buffet style, locally produced alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks. Many 4 and 5 hotels in Turkey have a hammam, the visit to which may also be included in the AI package. However, each hotel determines what exactly an “included” visit to the hammam means. At the same time, All Inclusive in Turkey does not always cover sun loungers, umbrellas, and beach towels, and using them may require an additional payment. To avoid unforeseen expenses when choosing a tour to Turkey, ask this question to our managers.
What is Ultra All Inclusive?
Striving to meet the demands of the most discerning tourists, many hotels in Turkey and Egypt offer to get even more from your vacation through the Ultra All Inclusive program. Let’s see what it is and how it differs from traditional All Inclusive.
The Ultra All Inclusive format entirely depends on the hotel. It can be called an expanded and improved version of All Inclusive, with additional services that may not only concern food. In some coastal areas, such as the village of Kiris, the mountains approach the very shore of the sea, creating incredibly beautiful bays. For example, there are hotels that offer Ultra All Inclusive bracelet holders free drinks at the disco, bonuses such as fruits and bottled water upon check-in, a more complete mini-bar assortment, several types of imported alcohol, and free access to the sauna, indoor pool, jacuzzi. However, a massage session or spa treatments will have to be paid for separately. Some of these services may be provided only once, while others have a full unlimited use. Sometimes Ultra All Inclusive concerns the hours of service in bars and restaurants, as “all inclusive” does not always mean “always included.”
In any case, only by studying the full list of services provided by the hotel in the All Inc and Ultra All Inc formats can you avoid pitfalls and unpleasant surprises, as well as wisely manage your vacation budget. After all, All Inclusive prices can be 15-40% lower compared to the cost of UAI vacations.
