I've just returned from my yearly visit to Cala Llonga and have to say I've never seen the resort so quiet.
Over the 25 years I have been going there, the resort has continued to grow and to improve. However, the bars continue to lose more trade every year.
To me, the biggest factor in all of this has been the increase in the number of "All-inclusive" deals to be had. While I can't blame anyone with a family for wanting a deal which allows the budget to be tailored to suit, I do believe that the Tourismo and the Government must do more to limit all-inclusive residency in these hotels to around 20% capacity.
Even with restrictions of a sort in place, hotels are still able to find a way around this by selling all-day drinking wristbands to clients on a daily basis.
What they have to realise is, if they continue with these tactics, regardless of the effects on local businesses, they will ultimately strangle the resort and, with it, their own business.
Holiday makers will gladly go to places such as this and eat & drink the low quality food and alcohol provided. However, on the occasions where they venture into the resort, only to find it like a ghost town, they will decide that they don't fancy that particular resort and will not return. To make matters worse, they will bring back bad reports to friends and family who may otherwise have considered the resort for a future holiday.
Anyone else found similar situations here or anywhere else for that matter?
I agree with you,Perhaps when all the bars,cafes,restaurants and shops have shut due to A1 the authorities will do something about this and perhaps those who go on holiday just to sit round a pool and never go out of the hotel will realise that their insistance on doing this is ruining the resorts.
We were in Majorca last month and spoke to people at the airport, for the flight home, who had never left their hotel . How sad is that.
I'am another who totally agrees about A/I being the death of many resorts and no only too well the hold A/I has on you.We have gone self-catering for many years and will continue to do so,but in March this year we went to lanzarote A/I as my son and family were going.The standard was very good and we never bought a drink or food anywhere else,sad i know but we thought what would be the point of going elsewhere to eat at a cost of about 50 euros when you could end up with something you didn't like.I think it is all down to the people who came up with what they thought was a good idea at the time but at the expense of others i.e bars restaurants shop etc.Like you say the atmosphere in the resorts are awfull with no-one about in the evenings and I think the problem is wide spread,I have no idea how they are going to rectify this as people are getting hooked on A/I.
I cant imagine going AI, we as a family love eating at different restraunts/tapas bars in in all the different resorts when we travel abroad(I hope ). Its all day at the beach or pool working up an apetite and then a visit to a harbour side eatery, love it.
When I took my 3 children abroad as a single parent I wanted - no, needed - the security of knowing everything essential (i.e. a room, food and drink) was already paid for in case money ran low whilst we were there.
When I went away on my own I wanted that same security but for a different reason, in this case to guard against not being comfortable being out alone. As it happened I needn't have worried but I'd rather have the option of staying in a hotel that I'd researched than taking my chances dining alone somewhere I felt nervous.
My next holiday (Monday! Woot!) will be with my boyfriend but is also AI. This time the choice was less about security/safety and more about that particular hotel being adult only but still, I do like knowing we're able to get a drink and something to eat round the pool without the worry of looking after the money all day. That's not to say we won't spend cash in the resort and surrounding areas cos I know we will! It just feels more like a holiday to me when I don't have to count the euros every mealtime or bar visit.
I've even gone A/I myself in the past, but that was in Montego Bay Jamaica and you would not want to be out alone in that town. I just feel that, like many of the other people whi have replied on this topic, that the attaractions of local bars, restaurants and tapas bars outweigh any financial advantages in Spanish resorts.
Surely a compromise can be reached in the best interests of everyone?
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