Prepaid holidays

WHILE  all inclusive holidays have been blamed for many of Majorca´s ills, no-one can doubt their good value. I stayed at one hotel over the weekend where you were offered an all-inclusive upgrade for 10 euros a day;nonstop food and drink for the price of a round of coffees at one of Palma´s more upmarket cafes. Incredible and the hotel was packed and all the guests were on all-inclusive packages.  Most of the hotels in the area where also offering all inclusive deals and I felt for the bar and restaurants in resort because, despite their best efforts, they were empty. It  is going to become increasingly difficult for bars and restaurants to compete as long as hotels continue to offer all inclusive packages. Infact, for some the writing is on the wall. If you see it from the point of view of families then these holidays are almost a lifesaver. You can go abroad, enjoy a good holiday and you know, within reason, how  much money you are going to spend. The hotelier obviously makes money, even on 10 euros a day,  but the resort can become a ghost town. Are you really going to be in a rush to leave your hotel if you have an endless supply of prepaid booze, food and even entertainment? In most cases the simple answer is no. These cheap all inclusive deals will mean that Majorca will continue to be a mass tourism destination but the cost is high. If all inclusive is the future then some small businesses face a bleak future.