Where did I say it was wrong I said I wouldn't like to go AI, that's my personal choice.

A lot of big AI hotels are not in a town, they are just on their own with other hotels, you wouldn't be able to just wander off if that was the case.

I've been following this interesting thread and decided to put in my experiance.
For the last 8 yrs, we have always gone d.i.y in europe, always self catering as we love to get out and about, trying different restraunts and bars and, yes, thought we were contributing to the local economy. we looked at our 2009 2 week holiday last september and were a bit shocked at how much it was going to cost , given the euro exchange rate when taking into account spending money, so out of curiosity, looked at AI in the carribean and yep, it came out the same price, so obviously we ended up going to jamaica for this years holiday and I'm so glad we did. Not once did we think we should have given our holiday money to all the local bars and restraunts, we left the hotel every other day and ate out and bought goods, whether that be to a bar owner, restraunt owner, shop owner or taxi driver, so, yep, I feel we contributed to the island of jamaica and had a great time doing so !
In this climate, where a lot of families struggle to have a holiday, if the price is right, I'm afraid ethics don't come into it .
thanks for reading,
juby

i didn't say,you said,it was wrong.
i asked the question,is either of us wrong,i think not.actually,probably more of a statement,than a question.
tracy

We always go A/I, purely for the fact that the price difference between HB isn't all that much when you take into account the cost of soft drinks around the pool and a few nightcaps in the bar.

At some time during each holiday, we will eat out, but when we want to, not because we have to. We will buy something from the local shops, or beach sellers, and staff at the hotel who have impressed us get a very healthy tip.

All tourism, whether B&B, Self catering, HB, FB or A/I brings money into the country. Someone built the hotel. People work there. Someone provides the food. The local brewery provides the beer. Spirits on A/I are always local brands. Someone cleans the room. Someone launders the sheets.

I personally wouldn't dream of going self catering, but other people love it, we all have our preferences. You pays your money, you takes your choice. Each to their own. Your holiday, do what you want to do.

In Russia the police are very strong. Not respecting the local community would be a BIG mistake. We have an apartment in St.Petersburg (my wife is Russian). We live in a very popular area for tourists. Thankfully they all behave well but I suspect this is because they know what might happen if they didn't.

Mobor,you have mirrored my thoughts exactly,in one weeks ai holiday in Turkey we still spent about £600 as a family of 3,eating out,trips booked through locals etc.We don't book ai and stay around the hotel all the time but whilst we are there all our food and drinks are already paid for,it makes economic sense to me.