Further growth

IF anyone thought that all inclusive holidays would disappear once the recession was over, they were sadly wrong. The latest travel report from the Association of British Travel Agents (ABTA) forecasts a further increase in all inclusive holidays next summer, delivering a hammer blow to many bars and restaurants in our resorts. These prepaid holidays have already hit local businesses hard and it is a trend which looks set to continue. Tour firms claim that all inclusive holidays are exceptionally popular especially for families on a budget. I was told by one bar owner last summer that in five years time there will be just a handful of businesses left in resorts because of these package holidays. I think in  some ways hoteliers should show some solidarity with small businesses and see if there is any way that the two can work together. At the moment hoteliers are on course to have a near monopoly in Majorcan resorts offering accommodation, food and drink and entertainment. In some ways there is no room for others. But there are still hundreds of bars and restaurants which at one stage were successful businesses until the arrival of all inclusives. While hoteliers are quick to criticise so-called illegal rentals they say nothing about how small businesses suffering because of these packages  I would urge the local government to limit all inclusive holidays to a certain number of hotels per resort. Otherwise in the future our tourist resorts could just consist of hotels.